SAS UK or Aussie?

[Alain Conradi]

Hi guys,

This SAS wing has been in my collection for many, many years. I guess it's here for over 40 years, coming from the collection of my late father. He (and I) always tought it was Aussie. I even once got contacted from an Aussie collector who offered me a lot of money for it because it was supposed to be old and rare. Lately I've been told it isn't Aussie at all. So it would be great to find out where it comes from and from which period. The back looks terrible, my late father had the bad habbit of glueing stuff on frames. Need to find a good way to clean this without damaging the badge.

Cheers,

Alain

[3battalion]

Hi Alain,

At first glance it doesn't look like an Australian wing. How wide is the wing in cm?

Paul

[arrestingu]

...looks like a copy of British SAS Territorial para wing.

[Alain Conradi]

Paul,
Width of the entire badge is 8,2 cm, from wingtip to wintip 6,2 cm. It is in my possesion between 30 to 40 years. Many years ago I got contacted by an Aussie collector (to bad I don't know his name anymore) who offered me a lot of money for the wing. He told me it was an old and very rare Aussie SAS wing. I declined saying that if he as an Aussie already offered so much money, how would I ever be able to find another one.

[Alain Conradi]

Originally Posted by 3battalion

Hi Alain,

At first glance it doesn't look like an Australian wing. How wide is the wing in cm?

Paul

Paul,
Width of the entire badge is 8,2 cm, from wingtip to wintip 6,2 cm. It is in my possesion between 30 to 40 years. Many years ago I got contacted by an Aussie collector (to bad I don't know his name anymore) who offered me a lot of money for the wing. He told me it was an old and very rare Aussie SAS wing. I declined saying that if he as an Aussie already offered so much money, how would I ever be able to find another one.[/QUOTE]

[lifeochil]

Julian Tennant in Western Australia would probably know. He co-authored 'ANZAC Elite' with Cliff Lord.

[castagain]

Agree, Julian would be the best source for confirmation. Looking at John O'Connor's book "Australian Airborne: The History and Insignia of Australian Military Parachuting," I'd say this wing closely resembles the wings shown on page 406: Australian SAS parachute badge made locally for 3 SAS Squadron on active service in Vietnam, Type 2, 1970. Also resembles wings #301-305 in Julian's book, also attributed as locally made in Vietnam for 1 and 3 SAS Squadrons, 1966-70.

Stay well,
Donovan

[Alain Conradi]

Originally Posted by lifeochil

Julian Tennant in Western Australia would probably know. He co-authored 'ANZAC Elite' with Cliff Lord.

Am already in contact with Jules, he doesn't know either :-)

[3battalion]

I think Donovan may have nailed it with it being a locally made Vietnam era wing.

Good collecting

Paul