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  #1  
Old 31-05-14, 10:20 AM
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Question WM KC Suffolk Regiment

Hi all,

Two all WM KC Suffolk Regiment badges to share. The version with the slider has a non-voided section below the Gibraltar scroll to the 3 castle turrets and is voided between the top of the wreath and the crown. However, the lugged version has voided turrets but is not voided between laurel wreath and the crown.

Ok I am at your mercy - walking out badge and one is no good - slider version?

Don't you love a day with occasional showers, cheers Dean
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  #2  
Old 31-05-14, 10:29 AM
2747andy 2747andy is offline
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I like the one with lugs!

Andy
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  #3  
Old 31-05-14, 11:03 AM
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One of the Battalions was converted to tanks, 142 reg
they wore a WM lugged Suffolk badge in the black beret, not sure on that one though
I dont think there was a WM walking out as the TA badge was another design
but would like to know if anyone knows different, Kev
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  #4  
Old 31-05-14, 11:57 AM
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Thanks Kev and Andy,

The lugged one looks the better badge. I had thought regimental police or walking out badge. The WM Y&L badge post showed it to be a later than I had imagined armoured battalion, 150 RAC, so in this case your 142 reg suggestion fits thanks.

Cheers Dean
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  #5  
Old 31-05-14, 02:57 PM
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My 142nd has the same un voided wreath detail as yours and the slightly larger than usual crown, Kev
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  #6  
Old 31-05-14, 04:52 PM
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Kev,
you have me intrigued with the reference to the single piece WM 142 RAC badge. I am no expert on the subject but i had always been led to believe that the converted units chose to wear there original cap badges but have them modified in the field by the REME by plating the standard badge. If this were the case the Suffolks RAC badge would be a chrome plated bi-metal badge rather than a single piece item. Do you have any further details on the 142 single piece wm badge?
Cheers Dave
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  #7  
Old 31-05-14, 07:34 PM
chief_chum chief_chum is offline
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There is no evidence that members of 142 Regiment RAC ever wore white metal badges. In fact Major 'Taffy' Williams, MBE, who served with the unit in N.Africa and Italy, was adamant that, apart from the officers who wore silver badges, the rest all wore the standard badges they had been issued with as members of 7/Suffolk.

I knew several 7 Suffolk/142 RAC veterans and all bar one still had their original bi-metal badges. I have the original black beret and badge that belonged to the batman of Major Bill Payn. The badge is also bi-metal.

Does anyone have any original documentary evidence which proves WM badges were worn by 142?
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Old 31-05-14, 09:36 PM
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I asked the same question in this thread Taff at post 8 but relating to the Y&L.

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...ad.php?t=39643

There is a strong belief by many that RAC units wore chromed or WM badges but I personally have failed to discover any evidence that this happened.

Ivan
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  #9  
Old 31-05-14, 09:55 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by badger123 View Post
I asked the same question in this thread Taff at post 8 but relating to the Y&L.

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...ad.php?t=39643

There is a strong belief by many that RAC units wore chromed or WM badges but I personally have failed to discover any evidence that this happened.

Ivan
Ivan,
i have only found one written description relating to 141 RAC. I am sure the book in question is called `Flamethrower` by Andrew Wilson. He was in the regiment and describes the events as the thrid person. I cannot find the wording but if memory serves me correctly it does state that the badges were modified in the field by the REME. I will re-read the book and try and find the exact comments.
Regards, Dave
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  #10  
Old 31-05-14, 10:19 PM
chief_chum chief_chum is offline
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Thanks for your reply Ivan.
I suspect that it is a myth which has grown up based on assumptions instead of facts.
Taff
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  #11  
Old 01-06-14, 01:59 AM
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Default WM KC Suffolk

My preferred option is 'walking out'. The TF version of the badge would have been phased out post-1916 and was not re-introduced post-ww1. I 'assume' therefore that the 'walking out' version was worn between the two world wars.

Another alternative is that all wm badges are fakes! Has anyone seen photographic evidence of their being worn, or contemporary paperwork for their authorisation/ manufacture/ supply?

Stephen.
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  #12  
Old 01-06-14, 06:32 AM
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Great thread now developing thanks chaps - where are the photos - there should be some between the wars and Second War photos we can determine if the WM badges were worn and by whom.

Cheers Dean
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  #13  
Old 01-06-14, 07:15 AM
Terry Rayner Terry Rayner is offline
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Hello Dean,
When I looked at your two badges, I thought the slider badge was a fake, then when Andy said he liked the lug badge, I did too, I then had a look at some of my Suffolk badges and I do not have one where the oak leaves touch the crown. I have a white metal badge with lugs similar to yours but it has voids between the oak leaves and the circlet.
Terry
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  #14  
Old 01-06-14, 08:06 AM
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The plot thickens thanks Terry
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  #15  
Old 01-06-14, 08:28 AM
chief_chum chief_chum is offline
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"Another alternative is that all wm badges are fakes!"

Well I didn't like to say! ;o)

All the inter-war evidence points to obsessive regimental behaviour about wearing the correct kit. I have Hawkes' original Suffolk Regiment correspondence file which has plenty of inter-war letters from 1/Suffolk or 2/Suffolk Adjutants complaining that Hawkes have sent the wrong pattern of shirt/mess dress bow tie/etc. One letter tells Hawkes that only one pattern of OSD collar/cap badge is approved for wear and telling them not to send any other variants.

I have never seen any evidence of Other Ranks wearing white metal badges and certainly not for walking out. As soon as a badge became too highly polished, and lost its definition, it was replaced.

When I took on the job of Standard Bearer for the Ipswich Suffolk Regiment OCA in 1990 there were plenty of inter-war men still about.

They gave me plenty of detail on uniforms and insignia and many of them still had original insignia. WM badges never cropped up at all.

The only convincing argument I have seen for them is that they could have been a substitute for silver badges worn on the blue patrols cap by officers with low income. This could certainly be the case during the National Service period although I have a cap given to me by the commander of 5 Platoon in B Company and the badge is silver gilt.

As Dean says, the plot thickens...
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