SA Heavy Artillery WW1 Collar badges?
 

As a follow on regards SAHA collar badges we have ascertained they did not wear smaller versions of their lovely cap badges. However many smaller various versions continue to pop up and I am more than convinced these are nothing more than sweetheart brooches.

Showing a few versions from my small collection and an interesting copy from a page from The Nongqai a publication in South Africa during WW1. The small badge on the right is marked silver.

Hi Brian,
Your post has prompted me to check my South African badges.
I have a small sized SAHA badge, bronze finish, approx. 30x30 mm, lugged.
Not the usual sweetheart type.
Cheers, Tinto

Thanks Brian, nice items. Keith

Can we please have a picture of rear, most interesting.

Pictures added

I suspect some of these lugged smaller badges were worn as cap badges as well (ie. officer purchased items) much like the smaller SA General service badges you see worn by officers vs. the larger issued badge.

And to confirm with Brian, at present there is no photographic evidence that the smaller badge was ever worn as a collar badge. SAHA gunners and NCO's did not wear collar badges and officers wore grenade badges on the collars.

Steven

That's an interesting SA Arty 'gun' badge Tinto with the red cloth behind the wheel. I have one of those, a blackened badge and I've always wondered if it was just one of those things soldiers did to embellish themselves, or there was a particular unit or sub-unit which had this practice.

Both my small SAHA badges are lugged, the gilt one appears to have the ends of the gun barrels clipped.

Keith

Thanks, most interesting.

Hi Keith

Red backing was I believe associated with becoming an NCO. Back in the mid 1970's my brother on becoming a Lance Bombadier, was only then entitled to wear red felt behind his beret badge. Later it seems all SA Artillery came out with red plastic card backings, anti-aircraft unit badges had a further pale blue plastic card behind the red one.

Brian

Thanks Brian, Keith.