['Ticker' Riley]

Hi Dean

Glad to hear you found my comments of some interest, and I certainly agree there are considerable differences between your two tigers. Having said that, and although the badges are by different makers, I can see what you say about the similarity of construction; with the pins not only being in a similar position, but also finished off in the same way, so as to be more or less be flush with the back of the badge.

I have actually seen another kind of officer’s S&G badge where the pins are left longer and bent over to secure things, sometimes, in fact, being quite long and thin. At present I don’t personally know which would be the earlier of the two, but assume this is a chronological difference and possibly one of a change in production methods? I’m thinking maybe the ones where they are bent over were done by hand, whereas the others with the more rivet-like finish were machine done? Perhaps some more experienced members have better knowledge of this?

As you’ll see I’m attaching my only Gaunt officer’s S&G badge, which is finished in the same way as yours with the pins flush with the back. Mine is also marked ‘P’ as it is silver plated, and, partly because of this, I had always suspected it was later in date, possibly Second World War period. By the way, thank you for opening up a new thread about the north-west versus east-west blade alignment question, and putting up some of your Leicesters OSD badges there as examples, including your lovely new Territorials’ one.

Best regards

Martin