Terry Carter Posted 6 May , 2004 Share Posted 6 May , 2004 Why is it only British headstones have regimental badges and Australian, New Zealand and Canadian burials do not? Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 6 May , 2004 Share Posted 6 May , 2004 Indian and other colonial headstones also have regimental badges. However, the Dominion governments decided on a national symbol for their army units (springbok, maple leaf, kiwi and the Oz rising sun badge). They had separate badges for air and naval units. They did not always have the same traditions relating to the regimental structure as the UK (I know that was not universally so). It was more important to them to stress their 'nationality' and the contribution of their nation to the sacrifice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 6 May , 2004 Share Posted 6 May , 2004 I think also, in the case of the CEF, that there were so many different badges (260+ infantry ones alone) it would have been a nightmare to co-ordinate the engraving of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 6 May , 2004 Share Posted 6 May , 2004 I don't think the number of badges was a consideration although hundreds of variations of the maple leaf would have been a challenge! The Australians didn't really have regimental badges for their troops overseas - just to balance the Canadians! The desire to portray their nationhood and their contribution was far more important to the Dominions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 6 May , 2004 Author Share Posted 6 May , 2004 Terry and Paul Thanks for the answer Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Warnes Posted 7 May , 2004 Share Posted 7 May , 2004 The Australians, AIF (WW1) and 2nd AIF (WW2), joined as part of a volunteer army specifically for overseas service and and therefore served under the rising sun, which was the AIF badge. The colour patches identified the divisions/corps. Regular and militia units for home service used corp or local unit badges. Now the Australian Army uses both the rising sun and corp badges on the service headdress, the slouch hat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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