I don’t think it’s a date typo or transcription error Alan.
The below TF infantry badges are on the tender as being all GM. As these have been listed previously in other
threads I don’t believe I’m giving anything away that will affect Julian’s article. However I won’t list the full pattern numbers as that would.
4th Dorsetshire Regt ***A/1916 (3,000)
4th-8th Essex Regt ***A/1916 (8,000)
4th/5th East Lancs Regt ***A/1916 (6,000)
4th South Lancashire Regt ***A/1916 (4,000)
4th/5th/6th Leics Regt ***A/1916 (6,000)
7th-10th Middlesex Regt ***A/1916 (15,000)
4th Northants Regt ***A/1916 (3,000)
4th/5th/6th Suffolk Regt ***/1916 (9,000)
Cambridgeshire Regt ***A/1916 (4,000)
All include an ‘A’, except the Suffolks which is the other anomaly I mentioned.
The London Regiment badges however from 5th-28th Battalions all have 1915 dated sealed patterns with prefix numbers around the low 600s, none have any alphabetical characters. Exception being 22nd and 24th London who share The Queen’s RWS 4681A/1916 all GM issue sealed pattern.
We know several Yeomanry and Cavalry regiments altered their badge designs in 1915 so I’m wondering if for whatever reason the 23rd decided to switch to all GM.