Interesting, I didn't know about the corps badge retention aspect or the extra letter to the infantry badge.
Just an aside, re. the red badge backing, the majority of backings I saw during visits to Israel way back in 1978-80 were of soft, flexible plastic. Many were of red "Fablon", still with backing.
Many times I saw squaddies nipping in to a shop in Tel Aviv to buy a new, bronzed finish cap badge, the shopkeeper just cut the backing Fablon very roughly with a pair of scissors, the badges and backing were swapped on the beret, the old, worn badge usually left in the shop.
Back then it was possible to buy cap and rank insignia and some badges such as para wings, tank, commando and AFV breast badges but not the fabric formation signs. I was told it wasn't permitted to sell them to the public but I don't know if that was true.
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