Argyll Light Infantry Tank

[Bill A]

An ARGYLL LIGHT INFANTRY "TANK" badge, Canadian army reserve, WW2. (A bit of an oxymoron for the regimental name.) This is the modified badge, which took the Argyll Light Infantry and added the TANK tablet. These are reproduced.
Note the reverse of the die which shows the mirror of the TANK. Many copies do not have this. The badge was also rhodium plated, and the lugs show the plating as well. The unit, as a TANK regiment got away from the brass badges and used plated badges as being more in keeping with the armoured role.

[GregN]

Very nice and super rare. I've never examined a real one to know what it looks like vrs. a fake.

G

[Pylon1357]

I usually take great pride in my powers of observation, however Bill A, many thanks for the heads up on the word 'TANK' being mirrored on the reverse of this badge. I took a look at some images and noted the fakes right off by lack of the mirror.


Funny how I never clued into something so obvious before. Many thanks.

[WJ Miller]

Killing time this afternoon... found these photos of my badge on my laptop. Odd how the plating on these badges does not cover the entire back surface

Bill M.

[WJ Miller]

Listed as an "Original", it isn't.
ebay listing

Surface lacks distinct details, lettering is wavy/ragged, the word "Tank" doesn't show through to the back.

[Bill A]

I saw that listing as well. That badge appears to be a cast badge, not a struck one.

[GregN]

Guys, I'm still inclear on this badge. Are there 2 versions? One with a separate tank tablet soldered on and another with the tank incorporated into the design?

Greg

As an aside I saw one at the last gunshow, cast and flat backed with a nice W.Scully, Montreal stamp on the back. The seller who is a great guy had labled and priced as a fake

[Bill A]

The badge had TANK added to the die and the badges are struck, not cast. There should be the "negative" of the TANK striking on the reverse.
Greg, the badge you are describing, is it the brass ALI badge? Or the ALI TANK badge?

[GregN]

Bill, I'll have to get back to you on that, I think it was a ALI TANK, but I can't be sure.

G

[DavidS]

if it was an ALI badge, not "TANKS", with Scully stamped on it, it is/was a good badge. The pic. I sent in for the CanBadge project (M31) is a cast Scully ALI badge. picture

[Bill A]

I concur with DavidS on the ALI brass badge. This issue came up at the CSMMI convention 3 or 4 years ago. A display of suspect badges was discussed, and the brass ALI badge was confirmed as good by long time collectors and dealers.
The ALI TANK badge is more of a concern as repro than the ALI badges.

[boots and saddles]

That's an awfully nice badge David(if that's a repro ,it's a beauty) The ALI badge is also reproed heavily. So Bill does anyone know if the tank badge was legitimately plated or Regimently done because of preference.(Is regimently a proper word) maybe I just added another word to the English language,

[Bill A]

Ray, There is a tradition that cavalry / armoured badges were done in white metal. Upon conversion to a Tank regiment, the unit may have wanted to reinforce their changed role with an appropriate finish on the badge. I don't know who had the badges plated, but it was legitimate.
This is an interesting point, as the Calgary Regt Tank was a bimetal badge, the Ontario Regt Tank kept their brass badge, and the Essex Regiment Tank was primarily a white metal badge, and last but not least the New Brunswick Regiment Tank was also brass. So I may have my notion of cavalry/tank badges being wm misconstrued.

[Voltigeur]

Bill, Three Rivers bi-metal, Fort Garry bi-metal,Sherbrooke Fusiliers bi-metal.
Jo

[Bill A]

Thanks for those additional units Jo. The Sherbrooke Fusiliers were a wartime created unit and converted to armoured in 1942. They were never designated as a "TANK" regiment like the Three Rivers Regt or Ontario's etc. The Fort Garry's were cavalry then armoured and were not a converted infantry battalion.