Cloth Experts - Need Held Dated Rare Despatch Rider Patch???

[Roy]

Hi Chaps,

I was thrilled to have this wonderful and rare Despatch Rider cloth patch arrive today and would welcome opinions from forum members, especially those with expertise in early/WWI cloth.

It's reasonably well documented in period photos that the DR/Wheel badge (a rare patch) dates to WWI. The DR Winged/Wheel in it's various forms (from period photos) dates to WWII.

The patch I present here seems to be an early version of the Winged/Wheel patch and is of a design I have not seen before. To my eyes the construction also looks very early.

So I'm wondering if there is any possibility it could date from WWI or early post war/inter war.

It's a terrific patch and I'm not invested either way but thought I would throw it out for discussion and in the hopes that those members with more knowledge than I on early cloth could offer assistance.

Cheers,

Roy