WW1 SA Shoulder Titles

[Brian Conyngham]

Will and I were having a chat recently and decided we need to have a Forum Thread dedicated only to SA WW1 Shoulder Titles.

The great variety available and the need to correctly catalogue them, will definitely make for an interesting and informative subject.

Guys, please feel free to contribute your examples and any comments. We all know that Owens book, great as it is and a fine reference manual, does fall short in places regards descriptions and manufactures.

Regards
Brian

[Brian Conyngham]

Owens 2279 has this as 3rd SA Infantry Brigade but I suspect as there was not a 3rd SA Inf Brigade in France, if is actually the 3rd SA Inf Regt.

This was manufactured by J R Gaunt of London.

Lugs missing but as a scarce example I acquired it as an example.

Regards
Brian

[Roy]

Hi Brian,

Not an area I collect to but certainly a good idea. Thank you for started this, always nice to learn something new, so will watch with interest.

Cheers, Roy.

[Brian Conyngham]

Here is a white metal private purchase 1st Inf Brigade S/T, manufactured by Grigg of Richmond Surrey. There is an "over-stamp" of another name which I cannot work out.
Not in Owens.

1st UPDATE: Badge made by Tiptaft BHAM thanks to Dan. It now appears to have been sold by Grigg of Richmond. SA troops were stationed near Richmond during WW1.

Regards
Brian

[Brian Conyngham]

For a long time it has always upset me to see dealers and auction houses selling the WW2 SA Tank Corps S/T as the WW1 SA Trades Company S/T. Owen 2263 has it as such and sadly this description is being perpetuated.

There never was a SA Trades Company...there was however a SA Miscellaneous Trades Company, hence the S/T would have been SAMTC. I have never seen one but it is possible there are examples out there somewhere?

The SAMTC was formed in 1917, arriving in Bordon on the 28th August 1917 under the command of Capt C.E. Mason S.A.E. On arrival in France it was re-numbered the 84th Miscellaneous Trades Company, R.E. (South Africa) and put to work at the Locomotive Workshops situated at St. Etienne-du- Rouvray, near Rouen.

As the pictures clearly shows this is in fact a WW2 neat casting and I have compared it to the SAAF WW2 casting. As one can see it has the same fonts, is the same size, made of the same material and has the same lugs.

Other WW2 S/T in this range are Owens 2239,2239 (SAMC), 2217 (SACS), 2216 (SAAF).

Regards
Brian

[Frank Kelley]

I regard Colin Owen's book as merely an illustrated catalogue of his own collection, I have certainly never regarded it as a reference book.

Originally Posted by Brian Conyngham

Will and I were having a chat recently and decided we need to have a Forum Thread dedicated only to SA WW1 Shoulder Titles.

The great variety available and the need to correctly catalogue them, will definitely make for an interesting and informative subject.

Guys, please feel free to contribute your examples and any comments. We all know that Owens book, great as it is and a fine reference manual, does fall short in places regards descriptions and manufactures.

Regards
Brian

[Brian Conyngham]

Frank

Unfortunately without a publication such as Kipling and King, the SA Collector has very few sources.

Owens book is of course based on his once amazing collection. Curzons two volumes are good and the type of informative material one needs, but dating from the fifties and long out of print, most collectors these days do not even have copies or know of them. The illustrations were sadly sub standard in many cases. Andrews book has also filled a gap, especially regards SADF badges. Dudley Halls books are also there but difficult to find, low print runs in most cases.

Many ex SADF guys now in their fifties and sixties have taken up collecting but mainly badges from the SADF era. This of course will lead to further interest in the badge collecting field. It is a strange phenomena that appears to happen 30 years after major conflicts. In the 1970's WW2 guys were recording their experiences in a number of books and now the same is happening here. In recent years many publications have come onto the SA market related to the so called "Border War".

Regards
Brian

[redman]

Hi Brian
I think the your shoulder title is stamped, manufactured by Tiptaft, B'ham and over stamped by the retailer.
All the best
Dan

[Brian Conyngham]

Dan

100% correct, I had another good look and can see the name Tiptaft under the Grigg stamping...I had looked at this long and hard but could not make out any name...thank you again.

I always thought Grigg of Richmond was the manufacturer!

More info the better, I have never seen another SA Badge made by this manufacturer.

Exactly what this thread was meant to do!

Regards
Brian

[Brian Conyngham]

Here is another suspected "private purchase" 1st INF Brigade S/T.

It has a OSD bronze finish, unfortunately no makers name.

Regards
Brian

[sabrigade]

Great start Brian!

I arrived home in the early hours of this morning and will start posting tomorrow.

Regards,

Will

[Brian Conyngham]

Will

Good to hear from you and glad you made it back home in one piece. Now to enjoy some home brews and time with the family and friends.

Brian

[Brian Conyngham]

Here is a suspected brass "Private Purchase" S/T. produced for the SA Signal Company (R.E) and worn on the Western front. Manufactured by J.R. Gaunt of London.

Not that common this example purchased without lugs with aim to have it repaired.

Brian

[Brian Conyngham]

Brass voided S/T Owens 1267. Possible "Private Purchase" ? Not that common.

No manufacture marks, damaged version to be repaired.

Regards
Brian

[Brian Conyngham]

This is a seldom seen example of the SOUTH AFRICAN name versions of the S/T series.

Hand fretted badges are rare and producing them took some time. It would appear the example 2293 in Owens is one of these. No two are ever the same due to the technique of making these badges. These cost a lot so were likely to be the property of an officer or senior NCO.

Sadly missing lugs which have broken off, they are to be replaced.

Regards
Brian