A few Bullion RA badges in my collection

[Brian Conyngham]

Hi All

I have had these for a few years now and was just wondering what your comments are, also by whom and where they were worn? Not sure of the periods as well. Apart from the 2 X gun layers, and the range finder they came from a large collection in Cape Town, South Africa.

I wish to display these but not being clued up with RA badges, I do not wish to make mistakes with the captions.

Regards
Brian

[engr9266]

Originally Posted by Brian Conyngham

Hi All

I have had these for a few years now and was just wondering what your comments are, also by whom and where they were worn? Not sure of the periods as well. Apart from the 2 X gun layers, and the range finder they came from a large collection in Cape Town, South Africa.

I wish to display these but not being clued up with RA badges, I do not wish to make mistakes with the captions.

Regards
Brian

Brian, 54Bty(marc) is proberly the man you want on these.
Jerry

[54Bty]

1. Prize Badge for Gun laying.
2. Gun Layers badge.
3. Range Taker
4. Officers No.1 Dress Collar Badge.
5. If old no idea, if new 1980-1990 mistake worn on the band uniform.
6. Never seen, as far as I know not worn by Padres.
9. Air Observation Post Pilot (Dress).
10. Possibly 33rd Airborne Regiment RA or current 21 (Gibraltar 1779-1783) Battery RA.
11. Air Observation Post Pilot (Undress).

Marc

[Brian Conyngham]

Marc

Thanks a million for the feedback, they are all so well made really nice to have these in my collection, as for the "padre's" badge I to cannot find it anywhere, but thought that due to it's small dimensions it might be a mess dress badge for a padre?

5. If old no idea, if new 1980-1990 mistake worn on the band uniform.

Yes this is new, what do you mean by "mistake"?.

Regards
Brian

[54Bty]

They were made with the wrong colour (red) backing, a few were sewn to the bands Tunics before the mistake was pointed out.

The Royal Regiment of Artillery do not have a Padre outside of the RAChD, and those in the RAChD do not wear grenade collar badges.

Marc

[Brian Conyngham]

Marc

Sorry to sound like idiot but what should the backing colour have been?

One other question, the gun layer prize badge, do you have any history regards the background of them ie how many were issued a year and are they still being issued?

Regards
Brian

[grumpy]

I don't think the gun layer badge with date was an Ordnance issue: not in vocabs etc. so probably a TA/TF artefact. Never seen one before, looks kosher.

[54Bty]

As 'grumpy' has written they were a Territorial thing (not awarded any more), and I do not have any other information on them. Although the L in a wreath of laurel also started life as a Prize badge circa 1881, became an appointment badge for all Gun Layers in 1901.

Marc

[Brian Conyngham]

Hi guys

Once again thanks for the feedback.

I found the 1923 gun layer badge way back in the 1980's in a "junk" come army surplass shop where it was in a cake tin with some military badges and comemorative bits and pieces. The owner of the shop could not understand why I got excited when I saw it, those were the days! Even purchased a German Para helmet from the same shop for 2 pounds, it was covered in dust and had been hidden under a pile of WW2 era uniforms.The guy had no idea as to it's origin.

Marc, one other question what was the correct backing colour for the RA band badge?

Regards
Brian

[54Bty]

Originally Posted by Brian Conyngham

Marc, one other question what was the correct backing colour for the RA band badge?

Regards
Brian

It is a collar badge and the background should be dark blue, like the officers one.

Marc