8th Recce Collars and Cap badges - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

jim a · #1 23-01-10, 01:19 PM

Picked these up at the Regina gunshow last weekend... am missing an arm and a leg now but am happy to have got them.... thanks Geoff...

Moe RCNR · #2 23-01-10, 01:48 PM

Hi Geoff: I obtained my 8th Recce collars recently also. Like you, I took a big hit in the wallet, but how often do you see them available? Are yours maker marked? Mine are not.
Cheers.
Moe.

jim a · #3 23-01-10, 01:51 PM

Moe actually it's Jim... I got the collars from Geoff and was just thanking him... no... these aren't maker marked either... Jim

Bill A · #4 23-01-10, 02:18 PM

My collars are sterling, but no hallmarks or maker marks either. My understanding is that these were made in the UK, and purchased by the officers.

Phillip Herring · #5 23-01-10, 03:30 PM

Just to reassure everyone, my godfather served in the 8th Recce when they were first stood up. He gave me one of his 8th Recce collars. It has no markings on the back.

When I was in high school, I came home one day and my mom told me there was a bag of "army stuff" by the back door for me.
My godfather had dropped off his blue patrol uniform along with his badges and spurs. Included were his 8th Recce cap badge, one 8th Recce collar badge and a few other treasures.

Phil

edstorey · #6 23-01-10, 09:29 PM

I only have this cap badge and a fully badged BD Tunic.

barriefield-brian · #7 24-01-10, 05:07 AM

My collars are not marked. I believe they were all made in the UK. I bought one from Marways and one from E-bay UK. It was listed as an unknown badge, you can bet I jumped at it! My grandfather was the last RSM of the regiment but sadly I do not have any of his recce stuff. I would sure like to find a bd someday. Cheers Brian

Moe RCNR · #8 24-01-10, 02:39 PM

Hi Jim: Sorry for the error, my old eyes are not what they used to be! Does anyone have the officer's cap badge to go with the collars?
Cheers.
Moe.

Phillip Herring · #9 24-01-10, 06:25 PM

My godfather's capbadge appears to be the standard capbadge. He was a Lieutenant when he was posted to the 8th Recce, and although he had the collar badges (as per being an officer), I do not believe that there was anything different about the cap badge. I will post images.
Is anybody aware of a specific officer pattern capbadge?
The best contemporary photograph that I have seen shows LCol Vokes wearing the standard 8th Recce capbadge.

Any thoughts?

Phil

Phillip Herring · #10 24-01-10, 07:17 PM

Here are front and back of my 8th Recce capbadge - impeccable provenance.
The overlay appears to be held on in a "rivetted" fashion, rather than bent over pins.
My godfather left the 8th Recce after a short time and was posted to the RCDs for the rest of the war.
Is it possible that this is a fairly early issue capbadge?
Phil

WJ Miller · #11 25-01-10, 01:10 AM

I see a difference in the badges shown in this thread, though I doubt it constitutes a difference between OR and Officer badges.

How the overlays are attached is different. Ed's badge shows long fastening wires folded over on the back, while Phillip's badge doesnot, the overlay fastening is clipped, flush to the back of the badge? The VIII Recce badges I own have the long folded over wires.

Vern Donaldson's badge he was selling this past week had the long wires too. Another VIII Recce badge on ebay currently has the "clipped" style?? (along with very crudely repaired lugs)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Of the two VIII Recce badges I own I have noticed a significant difference in the thickness of the leafs. One is quite thin with rather sharp edges, the other nearly double the thickness, a very solid badge??

Difference in construction, no differences in the dies??

barriefield-brian · #12 25-01-10, 01:31 AM

The ones I show are a prototype and an officers private purchase. Some regular badges were made of aluminum with brass overlay. Maybe just the early ones? The story was they were made from canteens and belt buckles. I will ask the 8th recce assn. for the story. Cheers Brian

barriefield-brian · #13 25-01-10, 01:48 AM

Here is a pic of the backs. The badges should be thin but strong and the edges are sharp. Cheers Brian

Moe RCNR · #14 25-01-10, 03:06 PM

Hello All: Nice prototype badge, Brian. I had not seen one previous to your example.

I have two badges, one with long folded over wires and thin leaf comparable to the right hand badge, officer's private purchase, in Brian's thumbnail. Both leaf and overlay have a matt finish. The other, also with a thin leaf, has short wires/clipped style with a shiny finish comparable to Bill Miller's e-Bay example.

Does anyone know who the maker was for the OR badges?

Cheers.

Moe.

barriefield-brian · #15 25-01-10, 04:48 PM

Maker for the badges was Goldsmith&Silversmith London. One fellow had some made postwar in Holland out of a Guilder. At the last reunion the one fellow told us they had to supply material for the badges hence the canteens and belt buckles. Others did not so there may be differing styles and materials out there. Cheers Brian