Missed out on rare OSD today

[Jibba Jabba]

My friend had this badge in stock for a very long time and a collector bought it today who explained that it was only worn for 3 years.

The badge is the QE2 crowned cast officers bronze with two blades Suffolk Regiment.

Is this a badge worth making a big fuss over?

[Jibba Jabba]

With 32 reads and no repsonses am I to assume no one here has one in their collection so they are thus not willing to speculate?

[Mike]

tiny numbers if definitely issued?

ORs QC bim allegedly struck but never worn, OR's anodised 55-58/9, Is the Suffolk anodised one of the scarce ones, Bosleys material? if so OSD should be much harder to find again?


Problem is OR's QC bim should be rare - maybe just a single batch struck so must have been restruck in quantity? Thing is if the OR QC Bim's were legitimately struck in large quantities then they would strike proportional quantities of the others like OSD surely?

A common badge but never worn like the QC 8th Kings Hussars I am informed, so should the OSD be as relatively common?

[Alan O]

The Offrs badge would actually be more common because of the small numbers required. The reason that some of the ORs badges in a/a and/or with Q/C are so scarce is because existing stocks of metal/K/C badges were used up before ordering new ones in a/a or with q/c. Thus many regts were still wearing metal k/c badges on amlagmation or rebadging in 1958. Hence the reason that the 8th Hussars Q/C or a/a ORs badge was not worn by the regt. Both the q/c Suffolks and the 8th hussra q/c have been reproduced on an industrial scale.

Offrs badges however were made in smaller numbers so stocks would soon run out. Also many offrs badges were bought from tailors/outfitters (still the case today for Offrs Mess Kit and SD). consequently newly commissioned offrs would arrive in Bn with the new q/c badges. This is documented in the 8th Hussars case in another thread.

So I believe that it is probable that while the Suffolks ORs were still in metal k/c badges in 1958, it is not that unsurprising to find that some of the Offrs would have had q/c badges.

Alan

[Mike]

Originally Posted by Alan Owen

Both the q/c Suffolks and the 8th hussra q/c have been reproduced on an industrial scale.


Alan

and from the original dies / manufacturers I would guess, ie true restrikes, although any original strikings made in good faith never made it out to the regiment in the first place. Dies probably still going strong to this day.


so was the suffolk anodised actually worn, or did they stick with the KC bimetal version to the end?

[Alan O]

Gaylor states that it was never worn. I have yet to find anything that refutes that.

The local TA Bns wore a new design for the Suffolk and Cambridgeshire badge in the 1960s so unlike other TA regts there was no requirement to keep the old design in use in a/a.

Alan

Alan

[Mike]

ok, that's interesting so, the "as worn" type collector would only hold an officers badge QC OSD or S&G for this regiment for this period.

I am sure the regulars (1st Btn) were based overseas during this whole period - Trieste & Germany from '53 then on to Cyprus August 56-May 59. And one TA Battalion (4th) not counting the Cambridgeshire.

Or some collector framing up their Suffolk "Cyprus" General service medal collection would include the KC Bim version and / or the officers QC.

[Mike]

OK, so now I'm a little bit better educated, Jibba Jabba's missed QC OSD would be a very nice item to hold in the collection. Possibly as worn by officers supervising the fight against EOKA terrorists (or freedom fighters depending on your point of view) 50 years ago.

Just out of interest Martin Bell served with them in Cyprus

[Jibba Jabba]

Thanks for the replies. I dropped a clanger then, oh well cannot have every toy in the toy box.

The badge has blade fixings at 9 and 3.

[badjez]

Only picked this thread up today.
I have a number of QC Suffolks including OSD with blades and with lugs.
The Sealed Pattern is in the Keep at B St. Edmunds and shows lugs if I remember rightly. My bladed version looks less than convincing. Having discussed this with the Suffolk collector/WW1 expert 'the Khaki Chum', he believes that the QC badge never reached the regular Bn. He knows the last Regular Officer commisioned and he wore KC! The QC bi-metal has been frequently re-struck. The silver gilt with long lugs can be seen occaisionally and the a/a is still open to bedate as to authenticity. Personally I think these may only have been worn briefly by the TA Bn until 1960 and Cadets.

Steve.

[Mike H]

Originally Posted by Mike

I am sure the regulars (1st Btn) were based overseas during this whole period - Trieste & Germany from '53 then on to Cyprus August 56-May 59.

This is what i was told as well Mike.
I was also told that there was a genuine a/a QC cap badge in the museum.I havent visited the museum,at the time i was told the displays were in storage.Obviously i dont know if the regiments still have seperate museums or it has all become 1 large Royal Anglians museum.So i cant say 100% wether what i was told is true or not.

[badjez]

The Suffolk Regt museum is still going strong. It had a makeover a couple of years back and is still a good traditional museum. Lots of insignia on display. It is situated in The Keep, Bury St. Edmunds and is opened by the OCA. These men are excellent and love to explain matters. Recomended.
Steve.

[Mike H]

Have you ever visted Badjez? do you know anything with regard to an a/a badge in the collection

[Sonofacqms]

An old friend of mine who was with the Suffolk Regt in Cyprus, told me that the QC versions were sent to them and ended up in the latrines. I do have a QC OSD in my collection, but they do not turn up often here in East Anglia, if I see one on my travels JJ I will let you know.
As for A/A versions of O/R's, I have never seen one in all the years I have collected Suffolks.

QC (post 1952) OSD cap badges certainly exist with both lugs (blades/tangs) and loops. Another example is the Sherwood Foresters whose regular and TA officers (and WO1s) adorned, but only for a short while until replaced by silver and gilt. QC bronze collar badges were also worn (with loops only) to match the bronze of the cap badge. My personal view is that OSD badges are a good area for the badge collector - especially the new badge collector - as re-striking and bronze toning are so difficult for the forgers. Happy collecting. David