Natal Mounted Rifles cap badges and titles

[Frank Kelley]

!

Originally Posted by iaindh

Frank,

I actually suspect the previous owner was brutally murdered; The hair is the only link I have to the owner and so I am loath to part with it

[Alex Rice]

Originally Posted by loupie1961

Already posted on another thread in this forum: a black beret with the SATC beret badge but also the flash of the NMR: quite an interesting combination, as one would think that even as tank troops, the NMR would have retained their own badge?

Hi Loupie
That flash is for UMR, not NMR. Not sure if they wore the armoured badge up North or their own badge. Maybe they wore the armoured badge and just left the flash on for individuality?
Cheers,
Alex

[Alex Rice]

Originally Posted by Brian Conyngham

Alex

The problem I have is that the only place one wore collar badges were on the "stepout" jacket or older "bunny" jacket and unit badges worn on berets/caps. Standard dress on the Border was "browns" with no collar badges and no badges on bush hats, it is of course possible for the band members to have taken dress uniform but where and when would they have worn them? Definately not on patrol or on over border attacks. No one went on Patrol wearing berets or caps.

I would be interested to find out more please do follow up with the NMR guys.

I feel these blackened badges were from the WW2 era.

Regards
Brian

Hi Brian

Not having been there I could never say for certain, I just have what I've been told. The other thing is that there were guys in both these units still wearing bunny jackets into the '80s so they may have had them with them. I've seen photos of them being worn in the messes. I'll definitely try to get more info though, I'll be seeing some of the old hands next Saturday.
Cheers,
Alex

[Brian Conyngham]

Alex

I have been doing a bit of digging and found a picture of Senior CTH NCO's wearing their headress in SWA in a base camp but their badges appear to be of the chromed version!

This is very unusual but doubt they would have been allowed to go on patrol like that! So my appologies for being sceptical BUT believe me I went with DLI and they all wore bush hats and their OC was a sod regards traditions.

It would be interesting to know what other units wore traditional headress in SWA?

Please find out more from the NMR guys.

Bunny jackets into the 80's appears very strange as the traditional 70's "stepouts" faded out in the early 80's replaced by the "cravat, stable belt and white puttie" era of dress.

Brian

[Frank Kelley]

No hairs one this one!

Originally Posted by iaindh

Frank,

I actually suspect the previous owner was brutally murdered; The hair is the only link I have to the owner and so I am loath to part with it

[iaindh]

Hi Alex,

I also saw it wasn't NMR but wasn't sure what flash it was. My own thought was that maybe they were transfered to the SATC and kept there own flash, actually as you suggested.

regards, Iain

Originally Posted by Alex Rice

Hi Loupie
That flash is for UMR, not NMR. Not sure if they wore the armoured badge up North or their own badge. Maybe they wore the armoured badge and just left the flash on for individuality?
Cheers,
Alex

[iaindh]

You've just cut it out!

Originally Posted by Frank Kelley

No hairs one this one!

[Alex Rice]

Originally Posted by Brian Conyngham

Alex

Bunny jackets into the 80's appears very strange as the traditional 70's "stepouts" faded out in the early 80's replaced by the "cravat, stable belt and white puttie" era of dress.

Brian

Hi Brian
I'm not sure but I think the bunny jackets were kept on in the bands because the step out jackets were cut too long for were with a kilt and sporran. In the 80's NMR started tailoring the step out jackets for wear with kilts so they were cut away in the front. If I remember correctly at least one of the battalions of the TS were still wearing bunny jackets into the 90's.
Cheers,
Alex

[Frank Kelley]

Not the best of photographs perhaps, but, I certainly did not, I'll do a better photo for you, it actually belonged to and was worn in Italy by the gentleman on the right!

Originally Posted by iaindh

You've just cut it out!

[iaindh]

Just joking, I have the more recent beret badge with it's original backing.
Nice that you have the history with the badge.

NMR large beret.jpg

Originally Posted by Frank Kelley

Not the best of photographs perhaps, but, I certainly did not, I'll do a better photo for you, it actually belonged to and was worn in Italy by the gentleman on the right!

[Brian Conyngham]

Frank

Very nice, I must dig my ST variations out and compare.

Brian

[Frank Kelley]

Hello Iain,
It seems that particular shade of green has been all enduring and stood the test of time with the regiment.
Regards Frank

Originally Posted by iaindh

Just joking, I have the more recent beret badge with it's original backing.
Nice that you have the history with the badge.

Attachment 105185

[iaindh]

Hi Frank,

yes, didnt you show an QVC NMR helmet badge with a green Melton backing cut in a circle with pinking shears, once? (On another forum!)

regards, Iain

Originally Posted by Frank Kelley

Hello Iain,
It seems that particular shade of green has been all enduring and stood the test of time with the regiment.
Regards Frank

[Frank Kelley]

Hello Iain,
Sadly, I am not really a badge collector, I just collect medals, unlike many on here, I cannot put my hand on things quickly, I don't display any of it, I just seem to have stuff packed in a drawer or a box etc and I don't know whats there until I actually open them, so I can't say without looking.
That said, I do quite like badges, I now wish I'd bought more when they could be had for a lot less money than today.
Regards Frank

[Alex Rice]

Hi Brian
Spoke to one of the guys who played in the band to see NMR off to the border and he doesn't remember anyone with blackened badges. The troops wore browns with berets and chromed badges, as per normal. No collars.. Don't know about the officers though. Looks like that blackened title may be WWII then?
Cheers,
Alex