Anodised buttons - for interests sake
 

Gents, purely for interests sake, a recent find - US anodised buttons ( for the service cap I believe)

The place of manufacture caught my attention - unusually the 'British Colony of Hong Kong'.

Quite possibly the Vietnam era, but interesting nonetheless.

Regards all

Bess

Hi Bess,
Yes you are probably right - this may well be more interesting than one might think.
This now gives credence that a/a badges may well have been produced in anodised aluminium in Hong Kong.
As we probably all know anodising cap badges was a very expensive business to produce quality a/a badges back in the 70's.
I believe (and I may well be wrong) that badges such as the 2 piece Gurkha Signals, Gurkha Staff band (with slider) 17th /21st Lancers (blackened) Kings Regiment collar (blackened) & Scots Guards (blackened) & others may well have all been produced in Hong Kong.
Possibly not authorised by the M.o.D, but certainly issued to Regiments by P.R.I or other means.
Regards
Colin

Well I've had this Gurkha staff band for a while now and it too was made in Hong Kong . . .

Hi Bess,
Excellent! can you translate what's written on the back. I'd have a go at it but you've posted it upside down lol.
Regards
Colin

Thats nice mate.
Andy

I have a number of badges that I believe were made in HK. I've discussed this at length with Bess. The sliders look to me as if they've been stamped from a sheet aluminium rather than cut from a length of aluminium. This gives the effect of a burr of metal on the underside of the slider.
Colin mentions the QGS 2 piece badge,this was 100% made in HK. It was worn by senior NCOs who had it produced.I've had this confirmed by the last QM Gurkha Brigade whose previous post was as QM QGS. My old 2ic,who served for 34 years.

Hi Bess and Brits.

In regard to your photos and comments, I'll help you answer some of your queries.

the Chinese at the back is read from right to left, and has the same meaning as the English version in the front image, basically contact details.

From what I have researched, Lee Lim Ming was a leading badge producer in Hong Kong and another good example of outsource production, nicknamed the "King of Metal Pins and Badges". He had many contracts with the then colonial government and the British Forces Overseas Hong Kong, along with many other civilian organisations and schools. He also produced cap and collar badges for the Royal Hong Kong Regiment and Hong Kong Military Service Corps.

Attached here is a link for your reference:

https://industrialhistoryhk.org/lee-...ns-and-badges/

Hope this helps.

Justin

Excellent info - thank you Justin.

Regards all, look after yourselves.

Bess