Difference between OR and officers cap badges

[Moe RCNR]

Hello Everyone: I am new to this website and still feeling my way around. I have been collecting Cdn. Armoured for over 12 years. I have some questions concerning OR cap badges and officers badges to the following 3 Cdn. armoured regiments. Hopefully, some one, with more knowledge than I, can help me.
South Alberta Regiment
Governor General's Horse Guards
Calgary Regiment (Tank)
Beside the usual differences between ORs and officers, such as, flat-backed, better striking and the inclusion of precious metals, what are the differences between one and the other? No one among the collectors that I know can explain the differences. I have not seen, in person or pictures, examples of these 3 officers badges.
Cheers.
Moe.

[bgpipes]

Check the badge index. All three of those badges are in the cavalry section. "bgpipes"

[WJ Miller]

Hi Moe,

I have had an interest in collecting CAC badges for about 10 years and it seems to me that separate issue of "officers" badges in armoured/cavalry is not as common a practice as it is for infantry units. Even in armoured units that did have different officer issues, they were not that commonly worn.

I know that for the South Alberta's that coloured bullion badges were commonly worn on berets of the (senior?) officers. I flipped through Donald Graves' book on the SAR and there are many photos of officers wearing bullion. (pg. 2, 66, 76, 80, 181,182, 339) There is a colour photo portrait of Maj. Currie, VC and he is either wearing the Bullion badge or an enameled/coloured brass badge. (the badge in the photo is somewhat indistinct). I have never seen SAR bronze OSD and not sure it even exists? A portrait of Lt. Col. Wotherspoon on pg 69 shows bright bi-metal/brass on the SD...

From the various SARbadges I have handled and own, there is a quality difference in the strikings and weight. Some being very heavy and crisp, others being lighter weight with "mushy" or indistinct lettering and details in the shield, indistinct back. Some badges I have are marked Scully others are not, but all appear to be struck from the same dies??

GGHG? Can't say I ever paid too much attention to this unit. However, I am positive I have seen coloured bullion badges for wear on berets. Never seen or heard of bronze OSD or other types of metal beyond the WM version...

The Calgary Regiment I do not think had specific officers badges. The Other (All?) ranks badge was already very well made. A well crafted, well sculpted 4 piece badge made by Scully. Pristine examples of this badge are really quite stunning, IMHO ...much nicer than the post war KOCR badge.

The few WW2 officer portraits I have seen form the Calgary Regiment (Tank), show them wearing this regular bi-metal badge (on both berets and SD caps?) There is a version of the badge where the metals are reversed, but still brass and WM. Perhaps, this reversed badge, was a form of "officers" badge, they are certainly far more scarce than the regular "Calgaries" badge?

I too would be very interested to hear/see of any other badges for officers of these regiments.

[Moe RCNR]

Hello: Thanks to "bgpipes" and Bill Miller for the info. I now have 2 more holes to fill in my collection.

"bgpipes": Until I saw the photos in the photo index I was unaware that the Calgary Tanks had a reversed metal badge. I noticed that the copyright belongs to you; are you a long time collector?

Bill: I have Donald Graves regimental history of the SAR; why I didn't think of checking it out I don't know; perhaps too many birthdays! I agree with your comments completely. The Canadian Grenadier Guards are another regiment whose officers seem to prefer wearing the bullion badge. Perhaps you could post the enamelled SAR badge to the badge photo index?

Another question, if I may: What is the story behind the word "Canada" on one of the 8th Recce badges? Was this a general issue to OR's and officers? Was it a personal purchase? Is the maker known?

Cheers.

Moe.

[servicepub]

Originally Posted by Moe RCNR

The Canadian Grenadier Guards are another regiment whose officers seem to prefer wearing the bullion badge. Cheers.

Moe.

I am not aware of a metal CGG officer's badge having only ever seen the wire embroidered badge worn on the beret and on the Guards Pattern Service Dress cap.

[Doug N]

Back to the three units originally mentioned...

The South Alta Reg't did have a gilt & silver officers badge. Mine is flat backed & Scully marked. Before reading this thread, I was unaware of their bullion & enamel badges. Looks like I have some holes to fill too.

The GGHG officers also had a bullion badge. There seem to be modern replicas of these in circulation - larger size & lesser quality than the period pieces. Like Bill, I have never seen a GGHG badge in sterling or frosted plate - too bad, it would be a stunner wouldn't it? I do have an example of the badge in brass, which I assume to be OSD.

Bullion badges exist for the Calgary Reg't. I have never seen one in precious metals, though I did see one at auction years ago marked sterling. I thought that badge looked skunky, so I didn't bid.

I believe (but can't prove) that the 'reverse coloured' Calgary badges are early issue & that the badge changed upon the 1936 assignment to an armoured role. Even if this is true, it wouldn't automatically discount the 'reverse' badge as a defacto officer piece. There have been a few units where officers have continued to wear an obsolete pattern, thus having a distinctive badge.

[Moe RCNR]

Hi again: I am enjoying this website more every day! Glad to have found this number of collectors who have an amazing amount of knowledge.

As to the enamelled SAR badge, I had a closer look at the pic that Bill provided and compared it to the "regular badge", besides the enamelling the shape of the shield is different and there is a cross at the top of the shield, also the wheat is a different pattern. Lovely badge and it sure would be nice to add it to my collection.

Would it be possible to have a pic of that gilt and silver, Scully marked, SAR badge on this site?

Thanks everyone for the info.

Moe.

PS: still looking for an answer to the 8th Recce "Canada" question.

[Doug N]

sure thing.

[Moe RCNR]

Hello: Thanks for the pics Bill N. I appreciate it. Really nice badge.

In a previous post I made an error in IDing Bill Miller's enamelled badge as different to the "regular", I meant to say the bullion badge on Page 182 of Donald Graves "History of the SAR".

Another question, does anyone know if the Three Rivers Regiment published a regimental history of their service in WWII? Especially one published immediately after the war or around/before 1955-57 or so? I have one authored by Charles Prieur and published by the Regimental Association within the last few years, but it seems to me that I heard of another published some time ago.

[Moe RCNR]

Sorry about the error Doug N in misnaming you as Bill!