a/a Royal Regiment of Wales
 

Below are a couple of RRW a/a cap badges. The smaller version followed on from the Brigade system I believe, can anyone shed any light on when the second larger badge came into use?
Cheers Tony.

I believe that the Welsh Brigade badge continued to be worn by the RRW on formation in 1969 and for a number of years into the mid 1970s when the new larger design was issued.

Tim

Kevin thanks for clearing this up for me, thought I'd read somewhere the left badge was RRW. :o
Cheers Tony.

Tim, I thought I'd read this somewhere, that the Prince of Wales had something to do with the change of badge, but I can't be sure :rolleyes:
Cheers Tony.

Hi Tony,

I have notes on pattern tags for the Royal Regiment of Wales dated 30th June 1975. This tag also has another standard tag dated 12th August 1994 attached to it. Pattern No. is 21204.

Regards

Chris

Adding nothing new to the thread in terms of dates worn, but I saw this whilst riffling through my small collection of "Visor" magazines today, the Welsh Brigade badge still in wear by RRW in October 1974.

5 years after the Welsh Bde ended? That's odd isn't it?

Not so odd I suppose if you think of it in terms of badges such as the Fusilier Brigade, Light Infantry Brigade and others that continued in wear with new regiments such as RRF and LI although the Welsh Bde wasn't amalgamated into a single regiment, the RWF remaining unamalgamated and resuming its regimental badge.

The badge was replaced by the "fuller" PoW feathers version in 1975, I think - its mentioned elsewhere in a forum thread or two.

Roger out

As explained in the other posts on this thread, the RRW continued to wear the Welsh Brigade badge until 1975 when the larger design badge was introduced (probably through the influence of the Prince of Wales).

Tim

Always on lugs,have never come across an example of either with a slider fitting.

Both were also worn by Cardiff UOTC.

an odd one, a duffer I assume but not seen another

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/THE-WELSH...IAAOSwFbdeLFiz

I now find myself using the phrase 'jewels like donuts' on the crown.

Hope i am learning.

Chris

A great turn of phrase!!!!

Gents, as a slight aside, I have only ever found 2 makers for the RRW cap badge in anodised alluminium:- Firmins and the London Badge & Button Company (LB&B). They have distinctive die variations:-

LB&B:-
. Deeper cuts separating the plumes at the top.
. Smaller jewells on the crown and clear in the centres.
. The 'Ich Dien' scroll can be found fully seeded on some examples.
. Marked 'LB&B' on rear or unmarked.

FIRMIN:-
. Shallow cuts to plume ends.
. Larger (donut jewells, sic Cam) on crown with striations inside.
. Scroll not found seeded
. Marked 'Firmin & Sons', 'FIRMIN' or 'F&S' (latter found in a Firmin bag dated 13.2.06 - interestingly made less than a month before the RRW ended)

I have both an all gold and an all silver example - clearly unfinished/errors. Both are unmarked LB&B examples.

For interests sake chaps. Be interested if anyone has other variations.

Bess

Is there a new metal version?

Jerry, there is. If you look at my third pic of the group, new metal is bottom left - with the Royal Welsh shaped backing). It appears to be from the LB&B die.

All the best

Bess

Thanks, I have one, but wanted to check that is what it is.

here are mine, though I have another in the post

Jerry, if you're looking for variations, I'll check my spares. I'll drop you a PM if I have anything.

Bess

Nice Kevin. The Brigade bullion officers beret badge is nice.

It's in better condition than the one I have on a
beret manufactured circa 1979 - 1985.

Leigh, yours would be described as 'ally as f#@k' though . . .

My Welsh Brigade and RRW officers bullion embroidered beret badges.

Tim

Bullion RRofWales on no2 cap and welsh brigade or something else?

Royal Welsh new metal on beret

Royal Welsh bullion embroidered officers beret badge.

Tim

The only Welsh Bde / RRW bullion I have:

Anod al Welsh Bde / RRW badge on a 1964 dated forage cap named to a staff sergeant and a RRW bullion badge on an officer's forage cap, the buttons on both being the dragon.

A Prince of Wales's Division Band CFSC bearing a new metal badge.
Although not apparent in the photos, the one piece badge with W/E lugs is toned with a blueish bloom to the silver coloured areas.
The anod al buttons are PoW feathers design.

I was just looking up something else and found an image of a young royal with dark hair in the uniform of the RRW but sporting the old Brigade cap badge.

https://photos.globalimageworks.com/...-mx128217.html

That Welsh Brigade badge was worn by the Royal Regiment of Wales from formation until around 1975 when the larger pattern was issued. Apparently HRH was influential in (and obviously approved) the new design.

Tim

It's a shame one of my old SMs isnt with us anymore. He was RRW ex Welch. I served with one of the old Drum Majors too. I could have asked either. They would have told me when they got the new badge.

The new badge was sealed 30th June 1975. Presumably issued to the regiment soon after, possibly at a ‘re-badging’ parade?

HRH may have received his sooner!

Tim