Black AA RTR beret badge
 

Evening chaps

I picked up an auction lot earlier which contained a mix of mostly modern British Army insignia (I now have enough miniatures of the ‘Afghanistan’ medal to deck myself out like a Third-world general if the fancy takes me). One of the badges is a QC Royal Tank Regiment beret badge which appears to have beeen manufactured with a black anodised finish (rather than painted by the owner), is this a particularly rare item? I had a trawl through past threads but it is entirely possible I missed any reference to it. Any thought or comments are, as always, greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Graham

Hi, not sure how rare they are, but there are two versions of it. So I suppose it depends on the production runs, Mike

Thanks Mike, I suppose without a maker's mark there's little chance of attributing this one to a maker.

Best

Graham

Not so rare, I think.

Here's another one.

Chris will be up soon, to tell us they are not official badges. :)

Cheers

William

Quite right William,

They most certainly ain't.

Regards

Chris

Black RTR
 

I was thinking that some other units have blacked cap badges, but them remembered that the RTR are unique in wearing a true black beret, so, as my father says, "It'd be like a black cat int coal mine"

Ian H

I would think more reason to blacken their badges , many blacken badges were worn in Northern Ireland
David

Mike,
I have a couple of these - what are the differences between the two types?

Regards all

Bess

Hi, here are the two types that I have, Mike

Hi Mike

Mine is more like the smaller of the two except the reverse of the tank is depressed.

Graham

Mike,
thanks, mine appear to be ident with your second example on the right. In comparing the two types - i.e. the detail mainly on the tank and the crown - I would say that the left hand one is more likely from a FIRMIN die and the right hand example is a GAUNT badge. This I surmise from examining both against marked regular silver examples in my collection. Additionally you could scrutinise the lugs . . .

Anyway, thanks.

Regards all

Bess

Hi Bess, I'll have to check later, interesting. When you say silver, is that hallmarked silver? and if so what dates do you have? I've only got two or three that I like, of the top of my head I think they are 1960 and couple in the 1990's, best wishes Mike

Mike, Just the usual silver a/a examples. I don't know the date the pattern was sealed but it must be late 50's - early 60's and still worn by the RTR today. I've got FIRMIN and GAUNT marked examples - and oddly a gold example marked JR GAUNT LONDON - clearly a colour error.

Regards all

Bess

RTR Sealed Pattern from 54Bty collection
http://http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/forums/group.php?do=picture&groupid=7&pictureid=13100
Sealed 1970 but I joined the RTR in September 1969 and was issued with a 2 lug silver AA badge with backing plate?
Tim

Is there a Black RTR badge with a slider? Or did they only have lugs?

Mick