Army Proficiency Badge: Driver MT

[pinfrin]

Does anyone have a badge or at least a photo ?
The print (attached) shows Crossed Starting Handles.
Badge was likely in use till the 1960's.

[REME245]

Never seen such a badge. What is the source of your drawing?

[Mike Jackson]

Originally Posted by REME245

Never seen such a badge. What is the source of your drawing?

Perhaps it's a wind up?
Mike

[David Tremain]

No need to get cranky!

David

[Mike Jackson]

Originally Posted by David Tremain

No need to get cranky!

David

I promise not to fly off the handle!

[ORISKANY]

The badge is rubbish but the replies are getting better.

[Staffsyeoman]

There was quite a turnover in those badges once, you know....

[pinfrin]

[A] Attd prints of 2 more badges from a sheet which
show over 40 Proficiency & Trade Badges - include

1. Best Swordsman in Squadron
2, Best Swordsman in Regiment
3. First Class Range Taker
4. Best AT Driver ( same as attd but with KC above )
( incidentally there was this genius who discovered that the best
way to keep Mules silent at night was to weigh down their tails
with a rock - they couldn't bray without a raised tail reflex )
5. Mule Driver
6. Best Air Despatcher

[B] Best Swordsman in Regiment:
(approved 30-3-1925 by AM Hidden Captain Inspector of Clothing)
http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30074935

[C] All Ranks except Drivers carried a Sword:
http://www.1914-1918.net/whatcavreg.htm

[peter monahan]

A "Hidden Captain, Inspector of Clothing"? Sounds kinky! Did he hide in the closet and peer out at the clothes while... Oh, never mind!

Seriously though: love the mule story. Could even be true. But what makes you think all these badges were worn in the Indian Army as opposed to the British?

Also, I'd be surprised to find a crossed handles badge in use in the 1960's. I believe even the IA was using electric starters by then.

Peter

[pinfrin]

The IA had some Dodge Power Wagons (3/4 ton,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Power_Wagon)
Willy's Jeeps*, 1 ton Nissan (Jap design) trucks late 50's /
early 60's. Carried starting handles if the electric starter
didn't work - batteries down - low run miles.

*vintage sale
http://bangalore.olx.in/willy-s-jeep...-iid-570402410

There has to be a badge somewhere at least in India with
crossed starting handles. An H. Grail search. Some genius
would have designed it - people have done Leeks, 3 sprigs
of heather (Westmoreland, Cumberland Yeomanry) Garters etc.

[peter monahan]

I've even seen a 'Bombay Pioneers" [I think] stamped, antiqued base metal meant as a shoe buckle for an Italian loafer - the shoe, not the man - sold as an "Indian Army" badge. 'It takes all sorts...' and 'If you [make] it they will [buy]'!

[Hussar100]

I've done extensive searching using every term I could think of, from the sublime to the ridiculous, and I can find no images which match this.

[pinfrin]

[1] John Gaylor (Sons of John Company) in his preface (page viii)
refs a Maj Gen CN Das commissioned 1933 in the RR.

[2] Book written by latter titled ' Customs and Traditions of the IA'
pub. 1984 by Vision Books / Orient Paperbacks, Delhi. VBN 084121:
Following page 136, 5th plate shows a badge with crossed Starting
Handles.

[3] http://www.visionbooksindia.com/authors.asp?n=0136

H. Stuff Works -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjLiGqC_YsI
Handel with King George I ( 1717) -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Frideric_Handel

Worked a 1946 Sunbeam Talbot yrs ago, had a handle.

[pinfrin]

Originally Posted by peter monahan

I've even seen a 'Bombay Pioneers" [I think] stamped, antiqued base metal meant as a shoe buckle for an Italian loafer - the shoe, not the man - sold as an "Indian Army" badge. 'It takes all sorts...' and 'If you [make] it they will [buy]'!

This (?)
http://www.gnmilitaria.co.uk/viewpho...h=15359&phqu=2
[ Not seen this badge in Tugwell's Book ' History of the Bombay Pioneers ' ]
or ok, for a Pouch perhaps ?

[peter monahan]

No, the one I mean was the central medallion, no crown, with two little rectangular loops added at 3 and 9 o'clock for the leather straps that attached it to a shoe. Punched out of thin white metal and antiqued. Only a real griffin would mistake it for a real badge, but there are certainly things out there which look pretty close to issue stuff but aren't.

BTW, story 4) above is funny but probably not true. When the Chindits took mules into Burma, behind Japanese lines, they had the Indian Veterinary Corps sever their vocal cords so they couldn't bray, which seems a lot of work - and not much fun for the mules - if simply tying down their tails would work!