Identify artillery badge - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

Light-Horse · #1 03-12-23, 11:29 PM

I have an artillery badge, collar badge I believe, with the grenade(burning bomb) on a flat disc. If anyone can help identify this badge I will be grateful.

Home Guard · #2 04-12-23, 01:37 AM

Looks French to me, but let's see what smarter minds than mine have to say.

Terry

cbuehler · #3 04-12-23, 02:41 AM

Looks to be a standard generic grenade for the Fusilier OR shoulder straps, also worn on the collars by some; very badly corroded. I believe it may also have been worn at some time by the RA on the collar and as an arm badge above the chevrons. The round backing plate is not usually seen used for this badge.

CB

Light-Horse · #4 04-12-23, 05:43 AM

Thanks so much guys, now I understand it to be a collar badge and a backing plate, badly corroded and appearing to be one piece. It was said to be from the pre-federation New South Wales Artillery.

kingsley · #5 04-12-23, 07:41 AM

It was in fact worn before federation as an artillery collar badge but was also worn for another fifty years as a sleeve trade badge. It is a very common badge so don't be deceived.

fairlie63 · #6 04-12-23, 11:23 PM

Grenadier, later known as Bomber, Australian Imperial Force, Australia, 1916 onwards.

Also Engineer senior NCO, and for a time an engineer skill-at-arms badge during the 1930s.

Keith

Light-Horse · #7 05-12-23, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingsley

It was in fact worn before federation as an artillery collar badge but was also worn for another fifty years as a sleeve trade badge. It is a very common badge so don't be deceived.

I bought it cheap, because it was said to be associated with N.S.W. Artillery. My GreatGrandfather served in the New South Wales Naval Artillery Volunteers from 1895-1902, when the unit was disbanded. He then served in the N.S.W. Lancers 1st Light Horse, as a Corporal with the qualification of gunner, so he would have worn one of these on his sleeve.

fairlie63 · #8 05-12-23, 11:08 PM

I think NSW NAV wore naval rig rather than Army uniform. NSW Arty and NSW NAV were two different organizations.

Also there was no reason for NSWA to wear blackened or oxidised badges, that was something that came in in 1914.

The shiny metal backing plate suggests the badge was manufactured, possibly by Arendsen of Melbourne, during the early stages of WW2, prior to 1943 when wearing of these sorts of embellishments by senior NCO was terminated in theory.

Keith

Light-Horse · #9 06-12-23, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fairlie63

The shiny metal backing plate
Keith

Not sure what you are seeing there?

This photo from Wikipedia shows a member of the N.S.W. Naval artillery in uniform with the artillery badge on his arm above the chevrons.

fairlie63 · #10 06-12-23, 11:32 PM

My apologies, I didn't enlarge the third photo and didn't realise it was a piece of white plastic backing the metal.

My comments re the oxidised grenade still stand, except that it is probably of Great War era.

Light-Horse · #11 07-12-23, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fairlie63

My apologies, I didn't enlarge the third photo and didn't realise it was a piece of white plastic backing the metal.

My comments re the oxidised grenade still stand, except that it is probably of Great War era.

Is there any reason that excludes this badge from having being used in the Boer war? A number of Australian artillery members served in that war, usually with oxidised badges.