Officers Bullion Brigade Beret Badges

[JerryBB]

Originally Posted by grey_green_acorn

Welsh Brigade and worn into the early 1970s by the RRW until introduction of the larger type POW feathers.

Tim

thanks Tim, I asked because I am not sure I ever fully understood this example I own.

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by JerryBB

thanks Tim, I asked because I am not sure I ever fully understood this example I own.

The red backing isn’t right for the Welsh Brigade. That’s an unusual example Jerry as you have implied. The 2nd Gurkha Rifles wore a similar, oft nicknamed “cricket stumps” Prince of Wales feathers on a scarlet background, but in black metal. I wonder if your badge has a civilian application. That can be a stumbling block with emblems that are not exclusively military.

[cavalryman]

Hi Andrew, Thanks for posting the photo of the East Anglian Brigade Badge,

might not be the easyist task finding some of them.

Best regards John

[norfolk regt man]

Originally Posted by cavalryman

Hi Andrew, Thanks for posting the photo of the East Anglian Brigade Badge,

might not be the easyist task finding some of them.

Best regards John

Hi John, that’s the only one I have seen, and I still don’t have it. It’s the same size as the large other ranks cap badge.

[eddie]

Originally Posted by JerryBB

thanks Tim, I asked because I am not sure I ever fully understood this example I own.

Hi Jerry,
Here’s my one with a green backing, which I thought was a brigade badge for the swb and your red backing the Welch regiment, I’m not 100% sure. (Had my one off the co when in army cadet’s early 80s).
Dave

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by eddie

Hi Jerry,
Here’s my one with a green backing, which I thought was a brigade badge for the swb and your red backing the Welch regiment, I’m not 100% sure. (Had my one off the co when in army cadet’s early 80s).
Dave

That’s an interesting thought Dave. It would make sense as the RWF backing was a very dark Navy blue when worn on officers, scarlet banded forage caps. Unfortunately I’ve never seen colour photographs of the SWB and WELCH caps with the badges fitted, they seem to always be in black and white. It’s frustrating. I think you might well have cracked it though. Of course the officers forage cap badges of the two non Royal regiments were in frosted white metal rather than bullion, so subject badges would only have been worn on berets by those two regiments, whereas RWF officers wore them on both, cap and beret. I’m puzzled by the latter though as since ww2 the usual backing for officers badges had been scarlet, so for the brigade beret badge dark blue, if adopted on that headdress, would’ve been a departure. More research needed.

If correct, the backings would have been in accordance with associated facing colours:
RWF - Dark blue.
SWB - Grass green.
WELCH - Red (the Welch Regt wore white facings, but probably chose red as that had been the 41st Regiment’s facing colour in 1815, and as a nod to the crimson collars of the officers mess kit over impractical white. It had also been a colour within the regiment’s ribbon/flash as used on tropical helmets, etc. of white, red, green. These three colours represented the 1881 facings, the old 41st facings and the 69th facings.

[JerryBB]

Originally Posted by eddie

Hi Jerry,
Here’s my one with a green backing, which I thought was a brigade badge for the swb and your red backing the Welch regiment, I’m not 100% sure. (Had my one off the co when in army cadet’s early 80s).
Dave

Thanks Dave, that makes sense.

Jerry

[JerryBB]

added a black backed example along with a gaunt "silvered" example

[JerryBB]

this group shot of instructors with a major from the 1st welch/welsh brigade appears to have the black backed bullion badge but in the 1st RWF group shot he appears to have the metal badge?

[Mike H]

Originally Posted by JerryBB

this group shot of instructors with a major from the 1st welch/welsh brigade appears to have the black backed bullion badge but in the 1st RWF group shot he appears to have the metal badge?

Got to agree on that Jerry. I wonder where the first image is taken from ? He appears to have a Somerset TA,Somerset & Cornwall LI Sjt behind him. Sash over left shoulder. Dont think the sash over the left shoulder was adopted by the Brigade until they became a Regiment.

[JerryBB]

the 1st bn RWF welsh brigade that is the larger group shot is St David's day 1962 pic by the garrison studios tidworth

[Mike H]

SCLI Sjt on the left,not sure on the right. 2nd R.Anglian seated. IJLB cap badge on the 2 rear men . I wonder if they are Junior Leaders .

[Pixie]

I haven’t seen an embroidered East Anglian Regt, but I can definitely show a small silver & gilt version alongside the larger one. Apologies for the lighting, not helped by tarnishing.

Rachael

[Mike H]

Originally Posted by Pixie

I haven’t seen an embroidered East Anglian Regt, but I can definitely show a small silver & gilt version alongside the larger one. Apologies for the lighting, not helped by tarnishing.

Rachael

Thats nice Pixie,i bet without sharp eyes youd probaly think it was a Royal Anglian .

[cavalryman]

Hi Jerry, Mike & Rachael, Thanks for the updates,

photos are very clear.

best regards John