RAAC White Metal Rising Sun Badges.

[Lancer 17]

G'day all

Over a period there has been on going discussion on white metal rising sun badges.

Last night I was re reading part of the 2010 edition of Ironsides, The Journal of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps. In a discussion relating to the banning of the wearing of berets in the Australian Army I came across a letter from Brig R.J.H. Noble, DSC, CSC, Head of Corps, addressed to the then Chief of Army Lt. Gen. Ken Gillespie AO, DSC, CSM. This letter states in part that,
"the black beret was formally adopted as the Corps order of dress on 3 Aug 1944 or March 1945 (depending on which source you quote)".

The letter quotes in part a letter from General Hopkins that deals with the black beret and its predecessor the khaki beret.

In part Gen Hopkins letter states

"(b) The black beret is the traditional head-dress of the Royal Armoured Corps and it is desirable that Aust Armd Corps be similarly dressed."

"The black beret was strictly Royal Tank Corps and NOT Royal Amd Corps. however the change from khaki to black beret was approved by the CGS (Lt. Gen. J Northcott) on 3 Aug 1944."

It further states
"Shortly afterwards, the Commander, 4 Aust Armd Bde (Brigadier D Macarthur Onslow) recommended that a chromium plated Commonwealth hat badge be worn by Armoured Corps Personnel on the black beret instead of the ordinary copper oxydised badge. This, he said, would give the Corps a distinctive badge which would also serve as a link with the other Armd Corps of the British Commonwealth forces which all wore a silvered badge. It would greatly foster esprit-de-corps and could be done in 4 Armd bde Workshops without cost. Whatever the the deciding factor, the proposal was approved in February 1945."

I hope that this helps to establish when the white metal rising sun was introduced. The badge would have been the Kings Crown version with the Australian Commonwealth Military Forces on the 3 scrolls. These would have or may have been made up in the workshops. The die struck white metal rising suns that I have, have the later Australian Military Forces on the scrolls and have the Kings Crown. I have one marked K.G. Luke Melb and Amor Sydney.These were introduced C1948 and replaced by the Corps badges c1954.

Regards

Phil.