Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike H
if you read the notes in Gaylor,he states that "the Sussex Yeomanry" kc was the 1st staybrite badge.Whether this means the 1st produced or the 1st to go on issue im not sure.
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I think that he must have meant first to go on general issue. The 'Field' trails were conducted by an Ordnance Coy using the old WW2 patttern k/c badge. These were some of the 'first' ones to be made but the RAOC did not adopt them across the Corps and were still wearing the revised design in bi-metal both k/c and q/c for some years.
One can only surmise that being a small unit the Sussex Yeomanry did not have many k/c brass badges left in the ordnance stocks in 1949 so when they ordered new ones, their order was one of the first made in a/a and issued as such. As an aside most Infantry and Yeomanry Units seemed to have kept their old metal badges until the late 1950s and beyond so they presumably were better off.
It does seem that a/a was slow in to service and came about as a result of new designs being needed rather than a wholesale conversion of all patterns. With true WD frugality all existing stocks seem to have been used up first even if the regte were still wearing k/c metal badges up to the 1960s.
Alan