British Army anodised aluminium cap badges by M AZAM & SONS of Lahore, Pakis
 

Prompted by recent posts I am attempting to collate information on and pictures of British Army anodised aluminium cap badges produced by M AZAM & SONS of Lahore, Pakistan.

There are a number of threads and posts on the Forum going back to 2009 enquiring about these badges. Identification was not always conclusive, but I have included information and photos from some of the previous posts.

The AZAM badges are (usually) found in cast aluminium with a rich dark gold colour and grainy frontal finish. Some have sliders but most have two ‘tombstone’ shaped flat alloy lugs with drilled holes which only thin gauge wire cotter pins will fit.

The AZAM catalogues dating from the mid 1970s clearly indicate that “metalic or silver anodized gold cap badges can be supplied at reduced prices……' price per cap badge was from 30 pence!

Although made for collectors and obvious copies it also seems that badges were ordered by British Army units when MOD provision was not possible due to cost or small quantities required. This might particularly have been the case for Bands and Corps of Drums helmet badges and also regimental arm or belt buckle badges.

In his book “No Bull” Chris Marsh describes the badge construction and outlines the history of the AZAM company on page 151.

So far I have noted the following badges as probable AZAM products: (* = photo in album here https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...p?albumid=4318)

Queen’s Own Highlanders (one part badge) *
Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (not too sure) *
Devon and Dorset Regiment (with slider) *
16th/5th Lancers (all silver KC) *
West Yorkshire Regiment (with J.R.GAUNT LONDON marked slider) *
Gloucestershire Regiment (cap and back badge) *
Seaforth Highlanders (5th Bn) *
Cameron Highlanders *
Liverpool Scottish *
Duke of Lancaster’s Own Yeomanry *
Royal Army Chaplain’s Department (shown in ‘No Bull’ page 193)
King’s Royal Rifle Corps (KC Black) *
Connaught Rangers *
8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars (QC) *
REME *


Also reported but no photo seen:

Lovat Scouts
King’s Own Scottish Borderers
Royal Munster Fusiliers

Grateful for comments and pictures of badges in member’s collections which I will add into my album for future reference.


Tim

I'm sure that Peter B unearthed something regarding Yeomanry arm badges made by Azzams . Apologies to you Peter if it wasnt you.
I recall it was the DLOY who requested NCOs arm badges and the MOD turned them down,so they went to Azzams. I'm sure it mentions other regiments too but none specifically.
I've seen anodised NCO arm badges to the Berkshire Yeomanry (silver horse on lugs) or is that Berks and Westminster Dragoons and the Worcestershire Hussars (pear leaves) or was that one worn by Warwick and Worcs .

I had.....and will see if I still have
East Surrey KC
R Warwick's
RMLI Helmet badge
Kings African Rifles KC
I must have had some others, my dad used to order them for me in the 70's

Mike,
Thank you. This extract from Crown Imperial provides a little more information and mentions the DLOY cap badge in anodised with loops/lugs and an arm badge not in anodised.
The image of the Worcestershire pear blossom arm badge is in the album (courtesy of Bess).
There is evidence in the AZAM catalogue and also mentioned by PB that a helmet plate, although possibly not anodised, was made for the band of the King’s Regiment.


Tim

Tim,
I've found a couple more:-
Int Corps (similar to the West Yorks)
RAOC
C&D Yeo - horrendous

Also done a bit of research re the Gloucestershire belt plate AZAM badge. The lugs are exactly the same distance apart and location as the MOD issue - 1 inch. It fits on the belt plate fine. Clearly no accident.

Is it possible that a Gloucestershire unit ordered them for their belts from Azams?

Additionally, regarding the Warks & Worcs Yeo arm badge (pear blossom) - this is a rather random badge to 'copy'. Again, is it likely they were ordered by the unit in lieu of the issue item?

Whilst the Azam badges present as crude on the rear, they are frequently of 'acceptable' quality on the front.

Bess

Hi Gents,
Here's a few more for Tim's album.
Regards
Colin

Hi Folks
Here are mine, a few more than I remembered.

EAST SURREY KC
BLACK WATCH KC
GREEN HOWORDS
ROYAL LEICESTERSHIRE BERET SIZE
HERFORDSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY
ROYAL WARWICKSHIRES
NORFOLK YEOMANRY

Some more

QUEEN'S REGIMENT QC
106 BOMBAY LIGHT INFANTRY QVC
KING'S AFRICAN RIFLES KC
ROYAL MARINE ARTILLERY HELMET BADGE QVC
29TH MIDDLESEX RIFLE VOLUNTEER CORPS

Thanks to all for the additional badge images, British Army badges have been added to the album:

https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...p?albumid=4318

A new album for Commonwealth badges produced by AZAM has been added here:

https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...p?albumid=4320


Tim

The list of known British Army badges now includes: (* = photo in album here https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...p?albumid=4318)

Royal Regiment of Fusiliers KC *
Royal Marine Artillery helmet badge *
Royal Army Ordnance Corps QC *
Royal Warwickshire Regiment *
Queen's Regiment *
Norfolk Yeomanry *
Lovat Scouts *
Leicestershire Regiment beret size *
Intelligence Corps J.R.GAUNT LONDON marked slider*
Herefordshire Light Infantry *
Green Howards *
East Surrey Regiment KC *
Caernavon & Denbigh Yeomanry *
Black Watch *
29th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps *
7th Bn Hampshire Regiment *

Tim

Here is an image of an Azam cap-badge to The Leinsters.

Not sure exactly what is this Royal Marines (RM Fusiliers? RM Band?) Azam cap-badge?

Third image is an Azam to 16 The Queen's Lancers. Looks like it has someone's fingerprints on the reverse? Maybe this could be useful in tracing the badge's history!

Best regards

William

William,
Thank you. I have the 16/5 Lancers image in the album from an earlier Forum post from you I think. I will add the Leinsters and Royal Marines Engineers.

Tim

Royal Marines Engineers? Thanks for the education, Tim!

16/5 Lancers? Or just 16 Lancers?

Attached fotos show 21 Lancers - just noticed this one is also an Azam.

Cheers!

William,
With 'THE' in the scroll does that not make it 16th/5th ?

Thanks for the 21st Lancers

Tim

I'm weirdly finding that some of them are so ugly they have an appeal all of their own!