Badge Finishes
 

The finishes used on badges had been an area that continues to confound explanation. My understanding was that finishes, for example blackening, bronze, white metal, etc were connected to the role or type of unit. However several units have badges finished in many types. The Halifax Rifles and the Royal Rifles being two good examples. The HR badges can be found in several finishes, bronze, chocolate, white metal, natural brass etc. Do the changing finishes reflect the re-tasking of the unit, or is there another explanation for the wide variety of finishes?

Some units had different 'colour' badges for different orders of dress - dark badges for the field uniform, white metal for the dress uniform. I think the Halifax Rifles were one of these - Brockville Rifles possibly another.

Doug, I was of the understanding that the Brockville Rifles (and maybe all rifles' regiments) had different badge finishes for different ranks? This may in part explain the Halifax Rifles abundance of badge finishes. Compounded by the change to armour, which added the white metal badge.