BC Regiment, sealed pattern.

[Voltigeur]

An item not often found, a British Columbia Regiment cap badge with an official government tag. Could be an interesting item to have in a Canadian collection as proof a badge was officially put in service.
Jo
As usual: I have no connection with this seller.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Canadian-Cap-Bad...1%7C240%3A1318

[Bill A]

Interesting lot. These sealed patterns that end up on the market really puzzle me. Why are they on the market? Shouldn't the sealed pattern be the one example of a badge that should be in the custody of the War Museum? Or some other publically accessable museum?
The sealed pattern is the prototype that manufacturers create from their dies and submit as a contract sample. Was more than one sealed pattern made? Did each of the contract bidders get a sealed pattern to work from? Or conversely did each contractor that was awarded an order submit an example of their pattern for sealing? Dated 1981, this sounds like a sealed pattern for a "new" order. The Duke of Connaught's Own Rifles British Columbia Regiment badge design has not changed since 1939. However the badge has a slider that has the taper with the circle at the end. Did this require a new sealed pattern, as it was a new fastener? Or was a new sealed pattern needed because it was a new order?
Another question. Why hasn't the regiment added their WW2 battle honours to the wreath? They certainly earned high distinction for their role in the NW Europe campaign.

[DCOR]

Hi, The BCR badge has many different makers due to various government contracts. The last major change in the cap badge was in 1933 when the battle honour “South Africa” 1899-1900 was added.

RL

[Bill A]

Some of my questions have been answered since this post two and half years ago. The practice was to submit several examples for sealing, the number usually being 6. This may vary depending on the type of insignia.
Welcome to the Forum DCOR. Your dating of the badge change to 1933 is in conflict with the General Order approving the South Africa battle honour. It is listed as 1939. Mazeas has been known to have errors, is this another one?

[Voltigeur]

What about the WW2 battle honours ???? Any news about those.
Jo

[DCOR]

Yes, in 1933 the revised cap badge sporting the SA battle honour was issued. It's a Mazeas mistake. No plans are in the making to add the WW2 honours....

RL

[Seathanaich]

Originally Posted by Voltigeur

What about the WW2 battle honours ???? Any news about those.
Jo

I have wondered about this to, Voltigeur. Members of the regiment I have talked to (they're in my brigade) don't know. Admittedly, not many soldiers actually care about such matters. I would think the reason is that they have been armoured since WWII. I don't know of any Commonwealth zipperhead unit that wears battle honours on it's cap badge, so I would think that's the reason.

[Seathanaich]

Originally Posted by Voltigeur

What about the WW2 battle honours ???? Any news about those.
Jo

I have asked members of the regiment, who don't know. Admittedly, most serving soldiers don't often know the answers to such questions.

I would think it's because armoured units don't wear battle honours on their badges, so they haven't added any that came after their conversion to armour.

[DCOR]

I know for the BCR (DCO) an attempt was made in the 1960's to add the WW2 Battle Honours (BH), the reply from Directorate of History and Heritage's was the cap badge would have to be redesigned as only Rifles Regt's are entitled to have BH's on their Cap Badge. The BCR (DCO) was changed from Rifles to Armour in 1942 .