8th Gurkha Rifles - first class recruit badge

[gurkharifles]

Just received this in the post from Australia. It's highly unusual and not a great deal is known about it. I believe it pre- dates WW1, it's much larger than I expected it to be - some 64mm in height - too large for a pill- box hat - I suspect it was worn on the Gurkha Slouch Hat. Exactly how many Recruits were classified "1st Class" and allowed to wear it - I really don't know. Nor does the Gurkha Museum - who have a drawing of the badge in their book on the insignia of the 8GR - (the drawing is not to scale - so it looks a lot smaller in the book). There's also an article in the IMHS - August 1971, about the badge - which also points out something I probably would have missed. At the bottom of the wreath of laurels is a Thistle - which is apparently a nod to the close association between the hillmen of Nepal and the Highlanders from Scotland.