As you say Leigh the tip isn’t missing just bent over.
The fretwork has certainly not been done by a bored soldier. Also the colour is GM where the plate is worn away so it’s not a standard ORs badge as they weren’t made from GM.
It’s a heavier thicker stamping than all the ORs badges I have. I should have said I’ve a heavy die stamped badge in just normal WM which was sold as an NCOs badge. Almost identical to item Code: 60218 on
https://www.qmsmilitaria.com/ , where it’s listed as a Sergeants badge.
A very similar one here.
https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...ad.php?t=52663 Nothing suggests to me these are converted for children’s costumes or wear in women’s hats.