Guards Machine Guns Badge

[o j kirby]

Hello,

Can anyone tell me if the Guards Machine Gun Regiment cap badge should have a slider or a pair of copper lugs to retain it to the cap?

Owain.

[FROGSMILE]

There was a Guards Machine Gun Battalion and later a Guards Machine Gun Regiment, with each wearing a different badge. GMGB and GMGR officers badges were generally lugged (looped) and the other ranks badge usually had a slider (vertical shank). That is not to say that some makers did not make both badges with alternative fixtures to the norm.

Both badges have been copied widely, especially the GMGB, with relatively good quality dye stamps and you really need an expert to assess whether a badge is genuine. The copies (aka restrikes) come fitted with both types of fixture in their attempt to appear genuine.

Enclosed is a genuine GMGB OR pattern with slider.

[FROGSMILE]

and here is the officers version.

and reverse.

[FROGSMILE]

In the case of the Guards Machine Gun Regiment, officers badges seem to have been fitted with sliders and some badge makers provided the badge with loops. Interestingly the officers version of both badges was produced in silver, sometimes hallmarked and sometimes not.

[FROGSMILE]

and here the ORs version.

I hope this has been of help.

[FROGSMILE]

And here is an unusual, looped version of the GMGB that "might" have been a full sergeants badge, although the jury is still out and that has not yet been corroborated. There is also thought to have been a "staff badge" for SNCOs and WOs on the battalion staff that was enameled like the officers version, but of inferior materials and not precious metal.

and rear.

[FROGSMILE]

and an officers bronze version. Notice the loops and the crispness of the striking.