Chromed Royal Armoured Corps

[Luke H]

Appreciate this is in all likelihood just another chromed badge but as it looks unworn felt it worth asking.

Does anyone know of any book reference or regimental history regards the first pattern Gm Royal Armoured Corps badges ever being chrome plated?

Thanks in advance.

[CAM]

No, but I would also be interested in the response.

Chris

[Home Guard]

Just an observation, but since the slider is also chromed, or it looks it in the picture, I would say it has been chromed. But you are far more the expert than I am Luke.

Terry

[Alan O]

It is clealry a genuine badge but has been plated after leaving the factory. Whether this was contemporary or later is impossible to tell. Before anyone starts on band, RP, NCO's or any other speculative role attribution there is nothing that I have read or heard about that anyone in the RAC wore anything other than the brass version.

The wearing of chromed badges on 'walking out' side caps was a thing: but much later in the war. When this badge was worn the khaki side cap was the norm. It was not until later in the war that the RAC regiments adopted the beret by which time the 1941 w/m mailed fist badge was a much more suitable badge to stand out from the darker beret.

[manchesters]

Originally Posted by Home Guard

Just an observation, but since the slider is also chromed, or it looks it in the picture, I would say it has been chromed. But you are far more the expert than I am Luke.

Terry

I think the clue is in the thread title, oh, and the post too.

Regards

[fearnaught]

Hi, the RE and later REME had access to chromium plating equipment and as a little earner or favour would plate badges, which pre-war was used a lot in jewellery but proscribed during the war. Many of the badges were therefore give as sweet-hearts or gifts. During the war units attached to armoured formations and infantry units converted to RAC also sometimes had their badges chromed. Consequently there is a lot of confusion as to whether a badge was worn or given as a gift. In the case of the early RAC badge I would say it is probably the latter but who knows? hope this helps Mike

[Luke H]

Thanks gents.

Deemed it worth asking due to the RAC’s adoption of the white metal badge, thought there could be an outside chance some existing stock may have been chromed to resemble Wm perhaps as an interim.

Plus as the detail is so sharp and crisp I felt it may not have been worn first then chromed later like so many sweetheart or display plated badges.

But without any documentary or photographic evidence I entirely agree with the conclusions that it is very likely just the latter and a display piece or gift.

[magpie]

Obviously can't tell if they have been plated but clearly shows the change over of the two badges.

[Luke H]

Thanks Andy, very interesting photo seeing the two badges worn side by side.

[KLR]

I remember that there was a series of "chromed" (?) badges in a display at Bovington !?

[Alan O]

I went 4 years ago to the Tank Museum and they do show the cap badges of all of the RAC Regts in WW2 including the infantry transfers in their main hall. However there are enough photos to show that the wearing of the infantry badges was not universal, in either chrome or brass/bi-m. There are photos on the forum of RAC badges being worn alongside infantry ones. Personally I think the bagdes varied as there was no consistent policy and RAC regiments did swop over and back again in some cases.

[rac1944]

Originally Posted by magpie

Obviously can't tell if they have been plated but clearly shows the change over of the two badges.

What is also very interesting about this photo is the 1st pattern badge being used as the border illustration. From the research I've done recently on the timing, May 1942 seems to be approximately when the 2nd pattern badge really started to get to units so a mixture could still be expected.

Thanks for posting this image, really useful one as evidence on the timing.
John

[rac1944]

Originally Posted by Alan O

I went 4 years ago to the Tank Museum and they do show the cap badges of all of the RAC Regts in WW2 including the infantry transfers in their main hall. However there are enough photos to show that the wearing of the infantry badges was not universal, in either chrome or brass/bi-m. There are photos on the forum of RAC badges being worn alongside infantry ones. Personally I think the bagdes varied as there was no consistent policy and RAC regiments did swop over and back again in some cases.

I'd strongly advise anyone looking into which regiments wore the RAC or their parent infantry badge to scour this forum and basically ignore the banners and posters at the Tank Museum. They are based on well out of date info and to be fair it would be a lot of money to change those large banners to correct them.

There was a policy of sorts in as much as the WO dictated that no war raised infantry battalion would be allowed to wear their parent badge and must wear the RAC one. That was in part to try and push the concept of the RAC as the ultimate single corps of tank authority but as we know, regimental pride has usually been more than strong enough to fend off such moves.

As Alan aludes to, even to the extent that despite that WO instruction, several regiments pursued campaigns to be allowed to wear their parent badge and replace the RAC one. 150RAC started to wear the Y&L badge from Aug 44 (149RAC possibly from the same time - the two were brigaded together); 151 RAC adopted the Kings Own badge from at least Feb 43; 153RAC adopted the Essex badge from Jan 43. On the other hand 155RAC were forced to change over from their DLI badge to the RAC one from July 42, 146RAC had a similar chop and change but dates are hard to pin down.
John

[KLR]

Good to see the proper details.
Do you know whether the Kings Regt (Lpl) wore (chromed or not) badges when in the RAC ?????
thanks

[Alan O]

Great insight. I was not suggesting that the banners were correct as there are plenty of photos that show the RAC badge in use but as you say some regiment did chop and change what cap badges they wore during the war. Any chroming was at best regimentally approved at best.