[John S.]

All:
I have found this thread to be extremely interesting, and can appreciate the hesitation expressed by Darrell, especially as the ALI TANK badge is what can be considered a "rare"/valuable badge.
For what it is worth, from the pics shown, I believe that the badge is genuine-the stampings both front and rear are sufficiently crisp, and the lugs are factory installed, and not cast, as has been seen on other badges.
Although the lug posts appear fused, I think this is only the braze running up the post of the lug, thereby sealing both sides of the lug, and is not indicative of the lugs being cast.
The rhodium plated TANK badge in itself I find interesting.
I have in my collection, an ALI TANK badge made in WM, with factory installed brass lugs same style as on Darrells` badge. I have always considered it as the "proper" TANK badge, as explained so well by Bill A, but where the rhodium plated badge fits into the equation seems to be the question of the day!
My theory is as follows- for some unknown reason, the powers that be authorized manufacture of the brass issue ALI TANK badge, but as Bill A points out, being a tank unit, the badges should have been made in WM, to conform with the norm of the time. Perhaps the CO of the unit, or someone at higher HQ was made aware of the mistake, and the easiest way to "correct" this was to take the brass badges and get them plated in rhodium. This might then have been an acceptable/practical way to utilize the existing brass/rhodium badges, at least until ALI TANK badges could be made from the proper WM, when the b/r badges had been used up. I think that my WM badge, being made in WM, could well be from this later order of ALI TANK badges, if such an order was made later in the war.
Before this thread, I had considered the rhodium plated ALI TANK badges to be band/pipers issues, but I now believe that the above theory may well be closer to reality. Perhaps in the future, documentation will surface to support this.
Cheers,
John S.