The Buffs - White Metal - Must be a fake?

[Gliners]

I picked the white metal Royal East Kent Regiment badge a few years ago at the start of my cap badge journey. The front looks crisp, but the rear shows that it is sand cast. A fake right?

Can anyone send me an image of an original for future reference? Plus I assume that a white metal or silvered badge whould have been worn by an officer or senior NCO?

Thanks for your help,

David.

PS - I have also attached photos of a bronze example which looks good to me, but wouldn't mind an opinion.

[rubicon]

David,
I also have a Buffs cap badge cast in white metal with lugs which looks like yours.
Your samples are very small and I have much trouble to make them out. Could you send larger pictures? I'll do compare with mine. The Buffs cap badge in white metal was worn during WWII by 141th RAC personnel and if I have well understood a thread of this forum at a time for walking out. Cheers. J-F

[Gliners]

Thanks J-F - Please find attached below larger images...

[rubicon]

Hello David,
Here is my Buffs white metal cap badge. It is cast made like yours and I can distinghish some differences between them, so we are sure they do not come from the same mould! Mine is not a reference and is probably a dud candidate for the scrap box... I bought it to fill the gap of the 141st RAC cap badge.
So I wonder how is made the original Buffs white metal cap badge which was worn by the personnel of the 141st RAC from 1941 to 1945. If anyone has one original for sure, please show it up! cheers. J-F

[Gliners]

Hi J-F,

Yes, our 'silver' badges are similar and a little different. My one is certainly warming a spot in my collection for the real deal. Like you I would love to lay my pork pies on an original specimen! Thanks for posting your images - very helpful.

Cheers,

David.

[Luke H]

Originally Posted by Gliners

I would love to lay my pork pies on an original specimen!

Hi David,

lol pork pies is actually cockney rhyming slang for 'lies' mate I was always told not to tell 'porkies' when I was a nipper... its your minces ('mince pies') which is your eyes.

About this badge do we know if the badge was actually struck in white metal or was plated? My uncle has a genuine Buffs which has then been plated in WM this I guess could have been done at anytime before, during or after its service life its hard to say. But if the badge is a war time produced piece its possible it was done the cheapest way possible I guess using existing brass stock if it were available... just an idea.

Both of your badges are not what I would expect from an ORs badge, I would expect to see a die struck badge rather than a casting (I must say I prefer yours David it looks well made and more the part)... perhaps Malc could tell us if these are more likely officers badges?

Cheers,

Luke

[Gliners]

Luke - you caught me out mate.

I was born and bred in north London and can't speak cockney to save my life! Thanks for your thoughts on the Buffs badge

Cheers,

David.

[Alan O]

I have always presumed that the 141 Buffs were nickel plated under local arrangement using the standard brass ones. A production run of w/m ones in WW2 would have been really small - would this have been authorised?

Alan