Quote:
Originally Posted by tcrown
Sorry Jack, I misinterpreted what you wanted to say about officers' badges. Yes, private purchase silver or silver plate examples with a solid back have voided crowns. It doesn't mean officers worn only these badges during WW2.
I'm more interested in the white metal badges with a voided crown made by Gaunt and other makers. They were not necessarily ordnance issues. Some could have been made available for private purchase as well. I'm more and more convinced of the fact that the original design presented challenges in the manufacturing process and could have been only offered in silver or silver plate because they proved to be too costly to mass produce for the other ranks.
This could have led to a simplified pattern (non-voided) a little bit later (could still have been in the course of 1943).
We know about the other voided pattern with a larger crown (just like the ones Jerry has posted), quite different from the original sealed design. It looks to me it could have been ordnance issue given the large number of surviving examples. Very difficult to imagine when this pattern was issued but it could have been later in the war (ie 1944). Looking forward to reading your views.
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I'm not sure what you mean when you say you are more interested in the white metal badges with a voided crown made by Gaunt and other makers. White metal badges were intended for wear by other ranks and officers badges in silver or silver plate. As far as I am aware Gaunt made non voided badges for other ranks in white metal using a die stamped process, where the the obverse detail is clearly evident on the reverse. The officers badges were made in hallmarked silver, silver plate marked with a letter P and unmarked silver plate. There may have been unmarked silver and sterling marked badges but I have not seen one yet. These officers badges have no obverse detail visible on the reverse and were of superior construction.
I have not yet seen a white metal example of the Gaunt pattern with a voided crown for wear by other ranks, I have also not seen an officers badge by Gaunt in white metal to the Parachute Regiment of typical officers construction. I am happy to be proved wrong but that is my understanding based on my collection and what I have read and seen from other collections. I also believe that other ranks badges were issued and that officers purchased their own. Having said that what was actually worn in WW2 may have had some variation according to clothing regulations.
It is interesting that Army Clothing Instruction 757 of 1943 - Clothing Parachute Regiment Badges and Buttons states that officers cap badges are in silver and other ranks cap badges are in white metal. It also states that officers should wear other ranks badges in white metal for the duration of the war as a measure of economy. The following document was posted on this forum by member Graham Stewart a number of years ago: