Gaunt's pride

[fougasse1940]

More Dutch Army Gaunt lions, or are they?
Top row, die stamped other ranks: 1. An as new badge, still with its protective coating, small maker mark JRGAUNT LONDON. 2. Same as 1, but patinated. 3. Large maker mark JR GAUNT LONDON. 4. Unmarked badge.

Bottom row, officers: 5. Die cast dead gilt badge with blades. 6. Die stamped dead gilt with slider. Large maker mark JR GAUNT LONDON 7. Die cast bronzed with blades. 8. Die stamped bronze with slider. Large maker mark JR GAUNT LONDON. 9. Chrome plated die stamped with unmarked slider.

For wear on the Forage Cap Instituted by Ministerial Order (M.O.) No.17 of 19 June 1940. Cancelled by M.O. No.253.259 of 27 February 1960. The Forage Cap was only worn by soldiers above the rank of Private 1st class except for members of the Marechaussee (Military Police). Also worn on the Field service cap, Instituted by M.O. No.17 of 19 June 1940. Cancelled by M.O. No.925 of 9 August 1946, and the General Service Cap and Beret, Instituted by M.O. No.13 of 9 June 1944. Cancelled by M.O. No.920 of 9 November 1946.

The brass badges 1-4 were worn by soldiers below the rank of Warrant Officer. 9 is as 1-4 but worn unofficially in nickel, chrome or silver plated by the Cavalry and the Militaire Administratie (Army Pay Corps).

The dead gilt badges 5-6 were worn by General Officers until June 1944, afterwards a gold embroidered lion on black backing for General Officers and Colonels and the dead gilt lion for Lieutenant-Colonels and Majors. Also worn unofficially as a Shoulder Badge on both shoulder straps of Service Dress by Staff Officers.

The bronze badges 7-8 were worn by Warrant Officers and Officers until June 1944, afterwards only by Warrant Officers. Also worn as Shoulder Badge on both shoulder straps of Service Dress by Officers and Warrant Officers not part of the Brigade ‘Prinses Irene’ Instituted by M.O. No.17 of 19 June 1940. Cancelled by M.O. No.920 of 9 November 1946.

5 and 7 with blades were believed to have been worn on the shoulder strap and 6 and 8 with slider as headdress badges, which differs from the standard British practice.

Worn on a 5 x 4 cm oval shaped orange felt Backing on the Beret and GS Cap, but only worn on the khaki beret and by the Cavalry on their black or dark blue ‘Beret Allied Forces’. Not worn by parachutists on the maroon beret, nor by Commandos, who initially wore no backing, then a black tombstone shaped or later a black rectangular backing on the Green Beret and 1944-1947 British trained Dutch O.C.T.U. reserve officers in training who wore a 6cm circular white plastic badge backing.

The design (based on the nationality emblem worn on the left upper sleeve) was to resemble the lion on the shield of the Royal Arms of the Netherlands, the Gaunt made lions are heraldically incorrect, as are the nationality emblems; the lion wears the Royal crown, whereas the lion on the Royal Arms wears a ducal coronet, consisting of three fleur-de-lis and two pearls. The Wartime badges for the Dutch army in exile in the Asian and Pacific theatres from Australia, made by K.G. Luke, Melbourne and Stokes and Sons Melbourne, are heraldically correct.

Based on identical Gaunt buttons with the same incorrect crown and both Gaunt and Stampwerk Amsterdam maker marks, It is believed that after the War the Gaunt badge dies were also continued to be used in the Netherlands by the Dutch manufacturer Stampwerk Amsterdam, Circa 1954 the dies then went on to the Parree company in Horst, where they finally discovered the incorrect crown and made new dies, so the unmarked Gaunt lions may have been made in the Netherlands by Stampwerk Amsterdam instead of by Gaunt in the UK. More research is needed.

Rgds, Thomas.