SA WW1 SA RE Signal Service
 

Hi Guys

Ticked another box for my small WW1 collection, the cap badge of the SA Signal Service Royal Engineers. I have had the shoulder title for some time but the cap badge has eluded me.

Both made by Gaunt London.

Brian

Nice badges, well done!

Very nice, Brian and getting much harder to get hold of these days, shall you be having the other variations of the cap badges too?
Their medals are quite scarce as well, just humble BWM/AVM South African UDF issue pairs or trios if the recipient had prior service in GWSA with another formation, but the former always nicely named to the signal service.

Hi Frank

Here is a rather pleasant MM group to the SA Signals RE unit in my collection.

Brian

Hi Frank

Always keeping my eyes open for WW1 badges, yes definitely if other variations pop up I would be interested.

Brian

It is so often missed, the top scroll will sometimes be South African rather than South Africa, but worth looking out for.

That is indeed very pleasant!:)

Thanks Frank

Will keep that variation in mind...

Hi Frank

I had not noticed that before so went and had a check and spot on variations with South Africa and South African.

Thank you for sharing your insight.

Rgds

Brian, attached image shows a variant of the shoulder title (perhaps officers) and the badge with "South African".

Thanks for the pic showing the variation, interesting did the shoulder title come blackened like that?

Brian

Yes, you encounter both with the ranker's cap badges in both sizes too, so four different badges there, the OSD's are to be had with both Africa and African too, but, I don't think that I've encountered both in HM silver, only one and I can't remember which without checking.

Brian it is actually a dark enamel ... the picture doesn't really do it justice. To the reverse makers name Gaunt.

I would certainly think that has actually been subsequently added at some point, rather than being deliberately manufactured, if it had been you would expect to encounter them in a significant number.

Yes, both mine are by Gaunt, suspect they were all made by them? Interesting point that this one has been enameled, have to definitely concur with Frank that it was privately done. Yes never seen another, a late friend of mine had an album of pictures of WW1 SA guys taken in uniform...believe me there are a lot of uniform variations and combinations of insignia worn during that period.

Brian