Quote:
Originally Posted by badgecollector
Hi mark
Have you got evidence silver badges were worn?
Be nice to see that pic to confirm they were worn.
BC
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BC,
Unfortunately no, I've got no evidence of the Macquarie Regiment wearing all silver or all nickle/chrome plated badges. In fact, with a nice bi-metal design such as the 13th, such a step seems a bit retrograde (at least to me).
Nevertheless, until Mick posted an image of a full set of chromed (?) 13th Btn items, I had no idea that matching hat and collar badges existed.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I do have a solitary silver plated collar badge in the reference collection. I've personally never seen a pair... so I don't know what its use may have been. Since it is a worn left collar and it still has its lugs on it... I assume it
may have been uniform worn, rather than being a sweetheart item (which is more likely to have had a brooch fitting I'd say). Of course, it may well be an Association Badge, or just an individual's keepsake, or it may have been a Regimental Band item (whether or not it was part of a whole set)... I simply don't know and all I really have is mere conjecture.
One potential clue, is the collar has unusually long lugs... at least when compared to the standard collar badges. So, I will be looking at Unit histories and Band histories, to see if there is any evidence of it being worn as a sporran badge, or crossbelt badge etc etc
In the end, this is one of the occasional Unit-specific oddities which do crop up from time to time. So, until some provenance can be found for the collar, I think that it will have to remain unpublished in Volume 2. However, discussion here, does seem to be one of the most likely ways that further information will be found. Nonetheless, if some record of the item(s) can be turned up in Canberra's production approval records, I will post that here.
Yours in research and writing
Mark Corcoran
https://charliebravobooks.com/
Co Author of:
“Metal Uniform Embellishments of the Australian Army” Post 1953 (the
'QEII' era) Vol 1: Insignia for Corps and Schools Etc and Vol 2: Insignia for Units and Regiments.