GHQ India cloth patches

[JerryBB]

I assume these are good period originals for GHQ India, they are on an Indian made BD.

Regards,

Jerry

[ANGLE IRON]

they look good, Kevin

[Destro1918]

As your badges appear to have Gold wire Stars, I would think that they are Officers pattern.

Regards
Destro

[NEMO]

HI the badges are fine good original , these badges could be other ranks OR n.c.o s or officers ,

wire bullion was used across the board in the FAR EAST just depended how much you wanted to spend .

Paul Laidlaw at WD militaria has a stonking set of these for sale at a give away price complete with press studs / badges still tied together as they left the shop , regards Michael.

[JerryBB]

Many thanks to all for the replies. I thought they were good and the BD looks good, though I only have the sellers photos as I am awaiting it's arrival.

I'll check out the site mentioned.

Regards,

Jerry

[JerryBB]

I looked at the set on WD and they are very nice. Also it clears up something for me, as they are mounted with press studs and I think the set on the BD must be done the same way as I could not see any stitching.

Regards,

Jerry

[Mike Jackson]

This sign was described by British staff officers as representing the Star of India sinking from a fiery sky into a sea of ink!

[NEMO]

HI Jerry ,ref: the press studs there are whole chapters of rubbish wrote about these by collectors an dealers who should know better , it is not to aid easy removal of ones insignia if about to be captured ( but this may well have happened )
the truth is a little mundane - in warm climates uniforms quicky soiled with the dust and sweat so constant washing was needed , the badges would have soon disintegrated so several methods of fixing were devised to help quick remove and re attaching , press studs , pins hooks all sorts were used ,you can find them on every thing from formation signs shoulder titles , RAF and para wings even trade badges the habbit goes way back to the british army in India in Victorian times .

regards Michael

[JerryBB]

Originally Posted by Mike Jackson

This sign was described by British staff officers as representing the Star of India sinking from a fiery sky into a sea of ink!

Sounds really pretty!

Originally Posted by NEMO

HI Jerry ,ref: the press studs there are whole chapters of rubbish wrote about these by collectors an dealers who should know better , it is not to aid easy removal of ones insignia if about to be captured ( but this may well have happened )
the truth is a little mundane - in warm climates uniforms quicky soiled with the dust and sweat so constant washing was needed , the badges would have soon disintegrated so several methods of fixing were devised to help quick remove and re attaching , press studs , pins hooks all sorts were used ,you can find them on every thing from formation signs shoulder titles , RAF and para wings even trade badges the habbit goes way back to the british army in India in Victorian times .

regards Michael

I had not heard about them being easily removed before capture and had assumed they were for ease of laundering, same as detachtable buttons etc on KD tunics, of which I have 3 including a named example with a documented history for the RIASC.

Thanks again guys and it's good to see this getting a few responses, which does not always happen!

Regards,

Jerry

PS a few pics of the BD in question, as I said the sellers pics as it is yet to arrive. They do make it look an odd colour!

[peter monahan]

I believe that in some cases badges were also removed when in front line areas, presumably, like the basis for the 'capture' story, to make it harder for the enemy to ID units. Heard this years agoi from an ex-Gurkha officer I knew.

Peter

[JerryBB]

Seems logical, though in this case irrelevant as since it has arrived the patches are sewn on without press studs.

Regards,

Jerry

[Mike Jackson]

I doubt whether any staff officer from GHQ India ventured anywhere near the front line - much to the relief of the Corps, Division and Brigade commanders who were actually fighting the campaign in Burma.