Post your WW2 Australian Insignia.

[AIF]

Hi Mark, It's a nice original WW2 era Stokes and Sons Melbourne made hat badge.

[Watchdog]

Hi Mark, It's a nice original WW2 era Stokes and Sons Melbourne made hat badge.

Thanks for that mate.

I have stared long and hard at these and although I an usually quite good at discerning differences
I admit I can not for the life of me tell the difference between WWI / WWII badges. Maybe it the something to do with the overall format of the design that fools the eye or that I only own the one and am comparing it with photgraphs on a monitor screen. I have heard it said though not with any great authority that the difference is in whether the mark is STOKES AND SONS or STOKES AND SONS MELB / MELBOURNE

Is it down to the difference between slider and lugs or are there other differences? I also included the split pin because I have never seen that style on other badges. Its' design is far more complicated than the usual bent brass wire type I have seen on just about every other Commonwealth badge from WWI to date.

Regards

Mark

[AIF]

The pin is not one I've seen before either.
Stokes did also make rising sun badges in WW1 and probably in the inter war also so there is a chance that it could be earlier. The dies are the same, I think the earlier ones were all brass though and later were copper.

[Watchdog]

The pin is not one I've seen before either.
Stokes did also make rising sun badges in WW1 and probably in the inter war also so there is a chance that it could he earlier. The dies are the same, I think the earlier ones were all brass though and later were copper.

Thanks that gives me a more clear picture. This one definately has a more "copper" shade to it and does seem like unalloyed copper on close inspection. Any idea why that would be? Perhaps it is something to do with Australia having large copper resources although there is also plenty of zinc with which to make copper/zinc alloy ie brass. Maybe some other logistic reason such as production speed as brass alloy is a far better material all round for stamping things like badges.

One of the reasons I thought this might be WWI is because there were thousands of Australian (also NZ and Canadian) troops in UK during WWI (there are many war graves in the area where I now live) far more than in WWII

I think I have just spied a nice WWI type offered by a dealer I trust. It is a bit expensive but if I get it I will post the two side by side for comparison.

Regards

Mark

[AIF]

I thought I might try and get this thread active again with a some pieces I have picked up over the past few months.

First up are some variations of slip on Australia titles as well as a nice pair of Majors rank slides.

[AIF]

Also picked up a few 9th division colour patches that came in a bulk buy.

[Watchdog]

Knowing that I was after one of these a good friend found this but not being a collector and it was to be a gift figured it was a good idea to get it cleaned

Thankfully it was cleaned with ultrasound so there is absolutely no wear to the badge as a result! It did come in a nice jewellers box though

Still, I am very grateful and as you can see it is re-patinating slowly!

I believe these are all WWI manufacture as there was a need for re-supply in UK and there were many Australian troops in UK unlike WWII when circumstances and logistics were much different.

Any further info on these badges would be much appreciated.

Regards

Mark

[reneblacky]

Nice one Mark certainly WW1 Jerry B post one up here - Australian WWI insignia, British made by Tiptaft B'ham

[AT P Sweep]

Also on my Wish list ~ only ever seen one which was dug locally ~

Noice!

[BruceV]

Great thread! A few patches from my collection.

1) 2/48th Bn (attributed to Cpl Robert Kennedy DCM)

2) 2/6th Cavalry Regiment

3) 2/10th Bn (with attached collar and title)