blackened cap badges for N.Ireland

[leigh kitchen]

Originally Posted by Peter Brydon

Regarding the Kings badge which was maufactured in black, the badge shown by Gordon is the one I mentioned.

I have had 2 examples over the years,one recently and the other I got many years ago from the officer who was Brigade Major of 8 Infantry Brigade. A copy of the letter which accompanied the badge is attached,unfortunatly not dated.

The badge was, according to what I was told, made in Hong Kong prior to a tour of Northern Ireland.The badges were not popular and were to be destroyed but the Quartermaster gave 12 examples to the officer I got my original example from.

I dont know if only 12 examples exist but it does appear to be a scarce badge.

P.B.

1 Kings took over from 1 RRF in Londonderry in March 1975, I didn't know about their plastic badge at the time or I would have been looking to "souvenir" one.

[Loski]

I seem to rember there being a woven variation of the Royal Hampshire badge as i recal a guy came into the depot at whittington for discharge and was beasted on muster parade for wearing it and was trying to scrounge an AA badge to replace it.

[badjez]

Here is some of my research on the 'official' & Army Dress Committee (ADC)view of blackened badges.

Stephen


05.09.73. (D2747) At the 217th Meeting of the ADC, the Committee decided to approve the wearing of darkened cap badges by Soldiers of units in, or proceeding to, Northern Ireland. The requirement to be met by units having one of the two cap badges, currently scaled to Soldiers, darkened under local arrangements. This authority was to include the UDR.
Darkened cap badges to be retained by individuals on leaving NI and units were to demand replacement badges.

10.03.75. WOM A/54/MISC/7558 C&T 1c: Director of Clothing & Textiles [C&T1] placed a minute on file regarding the wearing of cloth badges. This had been considered by the ADC. It had been agreed that it would not be placed on the Agenda for formal discussion as, apart from Internal Security operations, the ADC did not consider that cap badges should be worn on operations, and they agreed that no special cap badge should have been provided for the Combat Cap or the new jungle hat. It was noted that in Northern Ireland the only concession to operations was the wearing of a darkened metal cap badge. There was no justification for incurring cost in developing and introducing a new type cloth badge for every Corps and Regiment in the Army.

20.05.75. At the 226th Meeting of the ADC, the Committee were informed of the background to a proposal for the Grenadier Guards to change their cap badge from one of brass to cloth. The current brass badges were difficult to keep darkened when worn on the beret in NI. The dark stain or paint they used soon wore off.
The Committee were informed that this was the third such application made within recent months by units, based upon experience in NI.
Decision deferred whilst consultation was held upon the wider issue.
IMG_7833 of 13.07.11.

10.09.75. At the 227th Meeting of the ADC, the Committee was informed that HQ Northern Ireland thought the present blackened cap badge, worn in NI, was quite acceptable and that no justification existed for a cloth cap badge on operational grounds.
The Committee instructed that this information be passed to Grenadier Gds for such action as they considered necessary, meanwhile, the proposal was held in abeyance.
IMG_7945 of 13.07.11.

16.08.79. (D3087) At the 243rd Meeting of the ADC, the Committee discussed a proposal that The Queen’s Regt adopt a cloth beret badge. It was noted that this badge was already being worn without the Regt having sought prior ADC approval. The Committee were reminded that HQ Northern Ireland had been consulted previously and were not supportive of similar applications. HQ DRA and SO in C had recently rejected similar proposals for the Royal Artillery and R. Signals.
The Committee decided NOT to approve the wearing in the beret of a machine woven (cloth) cap badge by The Queen’s Regt. They were to revert to wearing the authorised metal cap badge.

[MH331]

We painted ours in 1982.

[jeep]

Attached two REME black/blackened badges. The first worn by me in NI 1974, hand painted AA by Gaunt B'ham. The second is a private purchase item and is 'real metal' not AA by Toye, Kenning & Spencer.

[leigh kitchen]

05.09.73. (D2747) At the 217th Meeting of the ADC, the Committee decided to approve the wearing of darkened cap badges by Soldiers of units in, or proceeding to, Northern Ireland. The requirement to be met by units having one of the two cap badges, currently scaled to Soldiers, darkened under local arrangements. This authority was to include the UDR.
Darkened cap badges to be retained by individuals on leaving NI and units were to demand replacement badges."

I arrived in 'Derry on 2nd or 3rd September that year, I think 1 RRF wore black painted badges ( minus hackle) from arrival. Being given spray cans & diy resulted in a nice neat job, when forced to hand them into the Colour Sergeant for repainting they might be sprayed, or they might come back after being attacked with a tin of vehicle paint & a bass broom or similar - a coagulated lump like this:

[red rags]

20 badges in total -
'XMG' - Crossmaglen.
The most interesting was an LI plastic with thin alloy slider, 2 types of D & D (factory blackened), SG's ditto and GREEN painted Para & Glos. Regt.

[leigh kitchen]

Sounds like I need the LI plastic.
Did see a RAOC officer in the early 70's in Strabane, wearing green painted badge on Green beret.
Saw a dark grey RRF, but that was because the bloke had access to grey but not black paint.

[Chris Walker]

Dear All

Attached is a version of a badge commercially made in the early 1970's of a Royal Corps of Signals badge.

I believe it was made in Kent and was advertised in the Wire magazine for PRI's or Individuals to purchase for Northern Ireland tour of duty.

Apparently it is said to be Subdued Plated Parkerised Metal. Other Ranks (Officers had Bullion Beret badges at the time).

I have no reason not to believe this.

Best wishes

Chris Walker
www.signalsbadges.co.uk

[signalman]

I believe that they came into use around 74 as i was in N.I. from start of 72 until late 73 and don't remember seeing any and i was out and about a lot. Phil.

[Toby Purcell]

Being very young and ignorant I used gun metal paint (parkerised) and painted a WW1 all brass 'economy/simplified' RWF cap badge. Heresy I know, but at the time I was bucked that the badge was being used in an operational theatre once again :-)

[leigh kitchen]

Ah, needed one of these then:

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by leigh kitchen

Ah, needed one of these then:

Ah no...all the rest had them...mine was much more classy...spelled 'Welsh' and previously worn in WW1.

[REMEVMBEA1]

Originally Posted by jeep

Attached two REME black/blackened badges. The first worn by me in NI 1974, hand painted AA by Gaunt B'ham. The second is a private purchase item and is 'real metal' not AA by Toye, Kenning & Spencer.

I notice that , as usual, the top of the left hand badge is missing. I can't remember ever having an AA badge that didn't lose that apart from the one that never came out of my forage cap.