[hagwalther]

Hi Bess,

The amount of time that I have spent into researching ACF/CCF badge for the amount of generated output beggars belief. The problem is while official (note the word official) info on senior units is pretty much out there in the archives there is very little on ACF/CCF badges and basically none on when you get down to individual units. This is because that while senior unit badge went through a set procedure on procurement followed by their recording in official documentation ACF/CCF items did not. Their procedure was to provide a sketch of a proposed badge to the controlling ACF/CCF authority, a few gin a tonics and bingo - the design was approved. Problem is that this was seldom officially (again, note the word officially) recorded, or if it was, I can't find it.

Therefore, and reluctantly, I have given the benefit of doubt for many of the ACF/CCF badges shown in my forthcoming book which includes the Oakham SchoolCCF. However, saying that, when investigating these badges it was found that many CCF/ACF badges were not A/A but were made of a similarly looking material. I am currently trying to find out what this material is but again, very little if no official documentation exists. Hence many collectors think that they have a rare A/A CCF cap badge when it is in fact made of something else.

Going back to Oakham. I can only assume the badge was worn as a cap badge. The other issue is that all A/A badges (except those exempted by the War Office and Army Dress Committees) were to be made with sliders as per official specification. In the case of ACF/CCF most come with lugs - why? - dunno.

A/A ACF/CCF badges are, to me at least, a real problem and an area which is fraught with contradiction for the collector.

Regards

Chris