AATTV Night Owl Badge

[slick_mick]

Australian Army Training Team Vietnam "Night Owl" badge - worn by AATTV instructors and South Vietnamese army students who graduate from the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) night operations training course. The course was conducted at two bases in the Mekong Delta.



A very rare badge.

Circa 1970/71

[blackdraggon11]

Did this come from a team member and was it his presented one ???????

[rhodesianmilitaria]

Would it be possible for you to post a photo of the reverse please?

[slick_mick]

I'll see if I can find it - its one of 1000s I have that aren't in any order at the moment on my PC.

Mick

[rhodesianmilitaria]

Mick, would it be possible for you to post a photo of the reverse please?
Thanks.

[slick_mick]

Sorry mate - I only have a picture of the front of the badge (its not my badge).

I have seen then with a clutch pin back and also with a single brooch fitting.

Mick

[rhodesianmilitaria]

The reason I asked is that I used to have one similar to the one shown here, but it was not genuine. I have known a number of former AATTV soldiers and none of them had ever seen a genuine one as apparently there were very few issued.
I was also informed that many years ago a former AATTV soldier had cast a number of NOTT badges and had sold them as genuine ones. I was told he lived in Queensland or on an island off the Queensland coast.
I don't know whether the one you have shown is genuine as I have nothing to compare it to.

This was the one I had in my collection but is not genuine.

NOTT badge.jpgNOTT badge_rev.jpg

[slick_mick]

From my understanding, most of these badges would have been issued to ARVN soldiers and only a few to AATTV members.

Quite a scarce badge if you can find a real one.

Mick

[rhodesianmilitaria]

So Mick, is the NOTT badge you posted genuine? I would rate them as very rare instead of quite scarce.

[slick_mick]

No idea - the picture was sent to me by a mate of mine. I haven't seen the back so I can't be 100% certain if its real or not.

Mick

[saumua]

I know of a kiwi veteren who was issued one but dont know if he still has it. Will ask.

[jules118]

Finally managed to get an original example with provenance.

The Night Owl badge belonged to WO2 Ian Caskey (RNZIR), who had previously served in Malaya and Borneo, before being attached to the AATTV and serving as a NOTT instructor. He is second from the right in the team photograph. Also shown are WO2 Caskey's RNZIR cap badge and an original Japanese made AATTV patch (not Caskey’s).

The photograph is from my instagram page where I am documenting and uploading pics of various bits and pieces from my collection. https://www.instagram.com/juleswings_militaria/