4th 5th Border Regiment.

[wardog]

Thanks Keith and Andy P for your opinions. As no one can condemn it for sure, looks like I will be hanging on to the 5th badge - the 4th I think was cheap off ebay several years ago. I do think it odd there are a number of these about in unissued condition. Could there have been a contract that never went to the battalions? Is the slider a match for ones used on any other badges? Perhaps other nickel /wm badges/ TF badges?
Regards, Paul.

[2747andy]

Paul,
It may not be unissued, just not used? Most soldiers would have been issued two badges which would have been replaced if lost or damaged during their period of service. Quite often the second badge would have been kept for best or in many cases only seeing the light of day for kit checks etc!

The other explanation could be that it was unissued unit stock which went to ground on the demise of the unit? In most cases obsolete badges were either backloaded (returned in bulk to supply stores) or simply destroyed/discarded.

I have many such Mint examples of various badges in my own collection, some of which have been sold as reproductions as the seller thought them too new looking to be original

Andy