Chiming In
Hi Darrell,
Having done a bit of time in the Royal Tank Regiment I can confirm that it was not something the Quartermaster would have held in stock or issued and ISTR that officers had to buy their uniforms, so certainly a private purchase.
An award for exceptional performance, that never happened in my Regiment.
The badge you posted looks like it has been cleaned/buffed very roughly, in a circular motion, with something quite abrasive.
Privately purchased badges, of a lesser quality, were accepted in the Regiment and could be worn by any rank, including officers, and usually cleaned using Brasso and cardboard. Staybrite was not well liked.
The images I have posted show a selection of badges worn during my service and includes a privately purchased one showing the amount of wear through 20 years of daily cleaning for comparison with the wear on your badge.
Hope this helps.
Kevin
|