2/2ND BN KAR, 22ND Nyasalaland Rifles ( 11th East African Div?
 

A recent pick up, what appears to be a 1947 dated 1944 pattern tan bush hat with a black square on one side and a black rhino on a red circular patch with no black outline on the other side.

I assumed the black square is for 1st KAR and the black on red rhino is for 11th East African Division.

Does this make sense datewise with the two units being together in 1947?

I know the 11th EAD was formed in 1943 and was wound down in 1945 but perhaps continued into 1947? I am not sure if the 2/2 22nd (62nd KAR) was ever part of the division, wartime or if ever. I found on the IWM sit e list of a black square for the 2/2 22nd 62nd Nyasaland rifles which just confused me though I know the 22nd Bn was part of the Div in the 26th Brigade.

Is this an incorrectly put together item made of original parts (or so they seem, though the red patch with rhinoe should have a black border) or do I need to find some better research sources?

Thanks to any who can help, as this is a new area of collecting for me, though as many will know I do collect headgear and formation signs.

Thanks and regards,

Jerry

British Army Training Team Kenya?
 

British Training Team Kenya wore a similar badge, but only seen a much more modern version
Cheers
Ashantee

Thanks Ashantee, gives me something to look into.

Jerry

looking again the rhino badge is not correct for WWII and the hat has a fake date stamp on it, it seems I bought a put together, probaby a reenactor used item.

Now you've said it, I'll own up, black patch looks new, I don't like the rhino, looks like one of those flimsy "handkerchief" type fabrics with thin print, new looking but with shiney highlights from being ironed to simulate "wear", sewn on too neatly to have been done by a squaddie but not well enough to have been done by a tailor - the badge looks raw edged?
Everything about it struck me as bad at first sight.
Wise with hindsight my comments may appear, but I'm reluctant to offer the dubious benefit of my experience to others about these things.
It's one thing to risk raining on someone else's parade when I may be wrong, quite another for me to look at items and think dont like the look of that, alarm bells, no way am I buying that.

Leigh,

it was very cheap which in itself should have warned it was likely to be bad. Duff badges but apart from the iffy stamp which can be removed the hat itself is genuine, probably 1950's or thereabouts.

The seller gave a full refund and told me to keep it.

As always we live and learn in this hobby.

If you don't take chances you may miss some real bargains, and of course it's harder to sus items out unless you have them in hand.

As soon as it arrived yesterday I had doubts, the seller had described it as khaki which I though meant it was a faded green and not the as they came tan colour of the post war examples. and the rhino seemed thin as you said and then the ears were wrong.....

You can't beat an in hands inspection.