Here you will be able to learn more about the regiments who built the original badges. Click on the links below to find out more about the particular badge…
Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry
6th Battalion, The City of London Regiment
Australian Imperial Force Badge
Royal Corps of Signals
The Wiltshire Regiment
London Rifle Brigade
The Post Office Rifles
The Devonshire Regiment
Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry
(Prince of Wales’ Own Regiment)
As you look at the badge today, all that remains of the original is the Prince of Wales’ feathers. The belt containing the Regimental motto “primus in Armis” and the scroll with the Regimental title together with the crown and lion have long since disappeared.
6th Battalion, The City of London Regiment
(City of London Rifles)
During the First World War, both the 1/6th and 2/6th Battalions served in France and Belgium, while the 3/6th became the 6th (Reserve) Battalion in 1916. Also in 1916 the ‘Rifles’ became part of the KRRC. In 1935 they transferred to the Royal Engineers as 31 Anti Aircraft Battalion.
Australian Imperial Force Badge
(The Rising Sun)
Commander (later Vice Admiral) William Rooke Creswell, commandant of the naval forces of South Australia and Commanding Officer of Her Majesty’s Colonial ship “Protector” then undertook to have the trophy made.
Major General Sir Edward Hutton, the newly appointed first Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Forces used this trophy as his inspiration when he requested a General Service Badge to be worn by the Australian soldiers in South Africa. So it was that in 1902 the first rising sun badges were worn with pride by the troopers of 1st Battalion Australian Commonwealth Horse, which was raised after Federation.
Proudly worn in two world wars, the rising sun, officially known as the General Service Badge of the Imperial Forces, became one of the best recognised and honoured insignia of the allied armies. An integral part of the digger tradition, its distinctive shape, worn on the upturned brim of a slouch hat is readily identified with the spirit of ANZAC.
The Fovant Badges Society acknowledges with gratitude the support of the Australian Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA). DVA, via its Overseas Privately Constructed Memorial Restoration Program, provides an annual grant for the preservation of the Australian Imperial Forces badge (now known as the Australian Commonwealth Military Force badge).
Royal Corps of Signals
The Wiltshire Regiment
(Duke of Edinburgh’s)
The Home Guard
(Wiltshire Regiment)
Early in 1950 members of the Association, Fovant Home Guard Old Comrades, decided to cut out the badge of the Wiltshire Regiment – the cap badge that they had worn during the war as members of the Home Guard – and with the permission of the Colonel of the Regiment, this very fine badge joined the others.
London Rifle Brigade
In 1937 the battalion left the London Regiment and was designated as The London Rifle Brigade, The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort’s Own). The battalion was divided as 1st and 2nd LRB in 1939. The 1st became a motorised unit and in 1941 was redesignated as the 7th Battalion, Rifle Brigade. After serving in Egypt, Libya and N Africa, the 7th became a lorried infantry battalion while serving in Italy during 1944.
Formed in 1939, the 2nd LRB later became the 8th Battalion, Rifle Brigade and served in NW Europe throughout 1944-5.
The title, London Rifle Brigade, The Rifle Brigade was once again assumed in 1947, when the 7th and 8th Battalions were merged. In 1950 a new title, ‘London Rifle Brigade/Rangers’, was adopted upon amalgamation that year with the Rangers. This battalion is now represented by part of the 4th (Volunteer) Battalion, Royal Green Jackets.
The Post Office Rifles
(8th London Regiment)
The 49th became the 24th in 1880 and the following year joined the Rifle Brigade as one of its volunteer battalions. In 1882 a scheme was approved for the formation from within the 24th of an Army Postal Service. The idea of the new unit was for it to undertake all postal duties connected with an army on active service overseas.
The Army Post Office Corps was formed and in 1882 joined the Expeditionary Force in Egypt. The 24th were subsequently awarded the battle honour ‘Egypt 1882’, making the Post Office Rifles the only territorial battalion to be thus honoured.
Members of the battalion also served in South Africa during the Boer War. In 1908 the 24th became the 8th (City of London) Battalion, the London Regiment, and as such fought throughout France and Belgium during the First World War. In 1916 the 24th became part of the Corps of the Rifle Brigade and in 1922 was amalgamated with the 7th London Regiment.
The Devonshire Regiment
The Regiment was raised in 1685 by Henry, Duke of Beaufort, to quell the rebellion caused by the landing of Henry, Duke of Monmouth, in Dorset, and was known as “The Duke of Beaufort’s Musketeers”.
