Pathfinder Badge?

[RichardP]

Hello Gents,
I’ve had this badge for many years it came via my father’s effects, he was in the RAF in WW2 but in a ground trade mainly based in Canada. The badge is as far I can ascertain genuine RAF type/issue, unmarked with a well constructed rear fixing. I vaguely remember my mother wearing it. Is it sweet heart or the genuine article, is their any way of identifying it?
Thanks for any help.
Richard

[David191]

Hi Richard,

It is a fickled web of eagles when collectors consider what is & what is not a Pathfinder badge. There are a couple of great threads on this site, including posts from a chap who works at a Pathfinder museum, that are well worth the read.

The fact of the matter is that any side cap eagle badge could be & was worn, as a Pathfinder badge but without provenance they are just eagle badges.
There is a badge shown in Eagles Recalled by Warren Carroll with a similar pin & rolled C catch to yours but not identical. Generally if you can see where the posts, etc. may have been removed, it may point to a sweet heart badge & not a Pathfinder badge but again, without provenance, its difficult to know.
Badges with lugs, blades, screw posts or pins; they used them all. But were they replacements, extras? You can see the waters start becoming murky...

I have a couple of what I think are Pathfinder badges & one may have question marks against it but the other at least came still attached to an ex-Pathfinder's RAF 60s uniform. That one has lugs! Was the badge awarded to him in mid WW2 or one of a few extras? I don't know? HE considered it his Pathfinder badge & that's good enough for me.

Have a read of the previous posts on this site & see what you think?

If you want yourself a real challenge, try finding one of the Path Finder Force certificates presented with the badge

Best regards,
David

[RichardP]

Thanks David for your prompt and very interesting reply. I will have a root through the Pathfinder threads for further information. Alas no providence on my badge that I can find but I will keep digging.
Thanks again,
Richard