Questionable Para and SAS beret Badges and 15th Middlesex (London Scottish) Badge

[Reid10]

Forum Experts,

A recent purchase included some questionable badges I hope you can help with.

The first two, the para and SAS, immediately strike me as fakes. Both are made from a very light material (plastic?), the para badge is too small, and the SAS do not wear a metal beret badge. Maybe something commemorative given out to unit members? Or a novelty sold in the regimental shop?

The second one I am not as sure about. It appears to be a cap badge for the 15th Middlesex (London Scottish) Rifle Volunteer Corps. It has the right design and four thistle leaves. However, it has a broach-like pin back, not lugs. It might be a piece of jewelry, but I wanted to ask for your expert opinions before I give it to someone to use as a broach.

The badge is a little under 2 inches wide.

I collect post-WWII Scottish regimental headgear, so my limited knowledge on this badge is from Bloomer and online sources.

Regards

Reid

[Alan O]

The Para and SAS are 1970's staybrights. The SAS was sealed for the TA regiment. Both were also made in large numbers for the collectors market. £6 to £8 each.

[Reid10]

Thank you, Alan. I really appreciate your expertise. I did not know versions of these badges were made for this purpose in the 1970s. The age makes sense, because the seller said he received them around that time. Based on their construction, it makes also sense they were made as collectibles.

Luckily what I was after was the kilmarnock balmoral that came in the group marked with a Broad Arrow and 1952.

Regards,

Reid

[Alex Rice]

I would not be able to say for sure but just looking at the construction and rear detail, I would think the 15th Middlesex is genuine, just had the original lugs replaced with a brooch.
Cheers,
Alex

[JerryBB]

Both the para and sas badges are anodized aluminium and are not any different from military badges from the period, they might feel cheap and lightweight but are the same as issue badges and the para badge is possibly an issue badge.

[Luke H]

Those thistles are found with both original steel pins and loop fixings for headdress plus occasionally clips for the sporran.

Keith Hook told me in 1951 he knew and met a member of the London Scottish who joined as a very young man pre-1907 and he showed him his original badge from his 7th (London Scottish) Middlesex RVC days. That badge had such a steel pin fixing.

My hunch is steel pin for the 7th Middx RVC and loops for the Boer War era Royal Scottish Reserve Regiment.