[1stTankie]

Good morning Rob

New images. This "conversion" was very much a "DIY" effort, the end product being crude but functional but only marginally worse than the one you have.

The fitting of lugs using what looks like parts of split pins, in this instance fitted E-W, the more usual configuration for an Arm badge, would suggest this was not intended to be worn on plain clothes.

The additional copper strip securing the crown is also the first time I have seen this technique.

Anyway, as everyone says , we may never know the truth. Speculation remains the only option tinted by a little application of reason.
I take your point about never having seen a broached Arm badge before. However the circumstances of the origins of this one are well removed from what we may call the "norm". We were at war, the need for change was sudden and there was no usual supply chain. This could have been the the initiative for improvisation for which the army is well known.
As I understand it, from the research undertaken by Gordon Dine and the late David Linaker, (both incidentally very good friends of mine) there were no official issues of this badge, a view endorsed by Howard. I have shown one of the broached badges to Gordon Dine and his view was that, in view of the shortage of all such modified badges today, both broached and lugged, these could well have been attempts at making up the deficiency. Any modification, however done and worn, would have been preferred to the wrath of the RSM for being improperly dressed!

Whatever, it has been an interesting thread and I have learned a lot and thank you for you contribution.

Best wishes

Gordon