The militia badges have been widely faked but they removed one too many honours! The originals retained the central Arros del moly..thing while the fakes removed this as well as the honours on the cross' arms.
Here is what I believe may be correct:
Attribution
- Regular badges - batttlehonours and 'arroyo dos' motto.
- Militia badges - no battlehonours and 'Honi Soit' motto.
- VB - no battlehonours and Honi soit motto with VB title scroll below.
- Fake - no honours no motto.
Examples to back up the theory
For some evidence here is a named 1st VB HPC with the 'Honi Soit' motto.
http://www.britisharmybadges.com/vie...h=52120&phqu=2
A 2nd VB collar with the 'Honi Soit'
http://www.gnmilitaria.co.uk/viewpho...h=17871&phqu=2
There are named 1st and 2nd VB cap badges with the South Africa Honours (so 1905-08). These too have the 'Honi Soit' centre. These were presumably worn on the newly introduced Forage Caps and replaced either Glengarry/FSC caps and smaller (no SA honour) badges or possibly the slouch (smasher) hats that were all the vogue in the VB following the Boer War.
Here are 2 militia HPCs with the 'Arros Dos'. Both are officers so I would be grateful if anyone has a picture of an ORs one.
Kings Crown
http://www.dnw.co.uk/auction-archive...6&lot_id=81367
Queen Victoria's Crown
https://www.spink.com/lot-descriptio...id=13003000359
Note that the HPC has had the 'CHINA' regimentally erased as the Militia were not entitled to it.
There also exist collars were the regular pattern globe and brass dragon but without the word 'China'. This illogicallity mirrors the TF Glosters losing the word 'Egypt' but retaining the sphinx cap badge!