As regards official versus unofficial, as described in the posts above the badges shown were official designs and some may have been ordered by the MOD and then not required; to be sold off by the manufacturer or by the MOD disposals. It is clear that any order was cancelled in 1968. There is a clear distinction between them and the unofficial commissions such as the F&F yeomanry and they are indeed in 2 camps.
It is not impossible that between 1968-71,the 8 man cadres wore some of these stock; The Berkshire Yeomanry history does state that their cadre wore a w/m horse on a red plastic oval backing but I am not 100% confident about this as the book was retrospectively written and is patchy in other places.
If my badges had a contemporary marking then they could have been one of these 1968 badges. However I think it highly likely that the Gaunt London Ltd is a later mark; even later than Gaunt Bham. This would make them candidates for latter day unofficial commissions.
At the end of the day I have the examples in my collection, in the same way that I have the Hants&Glosters, but I would not pay a premium price for them.
Last edited by Alan O; 07-04-16 at 08:08 PM.
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