Border Regiment Cap Badge in Brass or OSD? - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

leigh kitchen · #1 18-10-19, 08:39 AM

I've had this badge since 1986, at the time I bought it I thought it might be a WWI economy (using a pre South Africa battle honours die) or an OSD collar badge.

Measuring 50mm high by 46mm wide it has "short" lugs.
The metal is thin, with a horizontal slit piercing the metal beneath the crown.
The cross atop the crown is still attached but bent back.
A central unvoided "button" is applied without sweat hole.
There's no indication that the badge has been plated.
There's no star tip projecting below the bottom scroll.

As I now know that it shouldn't be a WWI economy (and if it was, why would it have an applied central device anyway?) is it an officer's badge of some kind, an OSD collar or even having originally been silver plated and enamelled?

Sonofacqms · #2 18-10-19, 07:43 PM

Looks like an OSD collar badge.

Rob

leigh kitchen · #3 18-10-19, 07:54 PM

Ta, that's the best guess I could come up with, just that it's basically other ranks quality and has that strange "button" centre for some reason.
OSD minus it's bronzed finish then.

Toby Purcell · #4 18-10-19, 09:20 PM

When researching the Border regiment for the uniformology series on 1881 officers insignia I discovered that a button style collar badge (without star encircling) was used at first. I think that the button centre on this later pattern badge reflects the linear connection with the earlier style.

leigh kitchen · #5 19-10-19, 06:08 AM

Interesting, thanks for that.

Toby Purcell · #6 19-10-19, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leigh kitchen

Interesting, thanks for that.

Here are images of the full dress and service dress ‘button style’ centres. It seems to have been used as a distinctive way to combine the China and Arroyos Dos Molinos honours of the constituent numbered regiments. The circular device was used because it represented the red and white (one third-two thirds) pom-pom that had been worn as a distinction on the shako to represent the latter, Spanish, honour.

leigh kitchen · #7 19-10-19, 06:36 AM

I'd forgotten about the service dress "button" design of collar badge (always reminds me of a "trench art" sweetheart).

Toby Purcell · #8 19-10-19, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leigh kitchen

I'd forgotten about the service dress "button" design of collar badge (always reminds me of a "trench art" sweetheart).

Yes, I agree, and also the similarities with the Royal Marines collar are striking. I think that’s probably why it was subsequently changed.