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#1
28-11-12, 06:33 PM
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A scary business!
Hello to everyone - I am a new member although sadly not that new generally. Coming from a military family, although not having been in the forces myself I grew up around the army in Aldershot. My father was in the Para brigade in the 50s having been a wartime soldier with the Beds and Herts. My first badges came via the RSM who got them from the QM. In those days only volunteers transferred to the Parachute regiment which meant they gave up their cap badges upon the award of the red beret. Interestingly, and I am sure I'm not going mad, I recall seeing SAS troopers at the time sporting the red beret which always puzzled me as I believe even during the war they had their more famous fawn colour.
I have a small collection having had some stolen when I was at school but now I read of the problems with fakes, forgeries and restrikes and the evident degree of expertise required to tell the difference between issued and "shedware" I may not start adding to my collection. I bought what I think is a genuine glengarry badge of the Middlesex Cyclist Volunteers in the mid-sixties. It cost me ten shillings which at the time was a significant sum for me. The seller said it was gebuine but of course in the sixty or so years that it had existed it could also be a fake!! In hindsight the badges that mean the most are those whose history I know but of course where I have bought badges I am now quite concerned! Anyway, I will enjoy the discussion of what is clearly now a very esoteric hobby and try and learn to sort the wheat from the chaff. Kind regards Passivate 
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#2
28-11-12, 09:34 PM
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Good to hear of your beginnings in Aldershot as a boy with the Paras all around, a lot of us are collectors due to service and family links. I'm not an airborne or SF collector but I think I recall reading that the SAS did wear the maroon beret at that time, the guys on here will no doubt confirm it for you and we have just the man for Glengarry badges so an image of front and rear might be the way forward there. The issue of fakes is a daunting one for any new/re-visiting collector and affects us all to some degree. Good luck with your future efforts though and I hope you enjoy posting on here and learning some of the pitfalls along the way. Regards Ry
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#3
28-11-12, 09:38 PM
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Welcome to the forum, Passivate.
Put some pictures up of the badges that concern you and I am sure that the more knowledgable members will help you out  Don't let the crap pedlars put you off of collecting, there are plenty of nice badges still out there to find. All the best, Phil
__________________
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."
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#4
29-11-12, 07:36 AM
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Passivate,
welcome to the Forum and I hope you benefit from the experience and information it's members posses! Don't be put off by the amount of fakes and copies being peddled by the trade and on auction sites, as there are still plenty of good items to be snapped up and some very trustworthy sellers too, many of which are Forum members (see the Selected Sellers facility above, although it features my listings at present, there are plenty of others who are just as reliable). If ever in doubt then ask on here before you splash out and if not happy with an item you purchase don't be afraid to return it as even those who state "No Returns" often bend with just a wee bit of pressure! Enjoy! Andy
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#5
29-11-12, 09:22 AM
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If it's any consolation, I'm not aware of fakes of any of the 26th Middlesex (Cyclists) badges be they cap or shoulder belt plates. It'll be nice to see some photos.
Last edited by Keith Blakeman; 29-11-12 at 11:17 AM.
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#6
29-11-12, 10:00 AM
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Here goes - dreams shattered!!
Many thanks for your kind words of welcome. I will try and attach a few pictures for various reasons. The 19th Hussars was quite cheap bought at a Farnham Maltings fair ten years ago. The Middlesex badges as described bought in the sixties. The Lancers Reserve Regiment (?) collar badge was a present from a former Welsh Guards QM who was very good to me and gave me many a number of pre-WW2 badges, many of the collar dogs I do not know to this day.
The AEC badge and the Scottish Horse I now think are suspect. the former I bought around forty years - against my Dad's advice as he felt buying such things that had been issued free was a mistake! It never looked right from the day I paid my hard earned money for it. The Royal Scots Fusiliers I think like the AEC and Scottish Horse was unissued and therefore looks like a fake although I would value second opinions. One final point. I was given some years ago unissued shoulder flashes, which i think are excellent but again because they were not issued and are in really good condition others may feel they are fake. Is it better from a collectors perspective now to own an unissued item or one culled from a uniform? Anyway, I look forward to your opinions, many thanks. Sorry if this posting should be somewhere else. Just seen the maximum file size. I will just put up the Middlesex badge and re-post elsewhere. Passivate
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#7
29-11-12, 10:53 AM
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Welcome, that looks like a nice badge to me. Lets see what others have to say.
__________________
Leave to carry on Sir please.
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#8
29-11-12, 11:02 AM
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Kind regards Passivate
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#9
29-11-12, 11:16 AM
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#11
29-11-12, 02:50 PM
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26th (Cyclists) ORs Glengarry. 1908 became 25th Btn London Regt..jpg Nice to see another. Regards Brian
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