WW2 British Airborne insignia

[Allan H.]

SAS Badge

[Allan H.]

back:

[Allan H.]

Para Titles and Pegs- these came from a British officer friend of mine many years ago. He told me that they were painted for wear on the "best" walking out BD.

We'll see what the experts have to say.

[Allan H.]

Close Up of the Peg

[Allan H.]

These had been glued into a frame at some point.
THe backs have glue reidue and I didn't get all of the jeweler's felt off of them, but you can get a good idea of the manufacturing.

[Allan H.]

Allan,

Superb Airborne Artillery beret, I haven't seen that one before As I've probably said before, you have a nice collection of Airborne insignia but I've just spotted a rat in there!! The Glider Pilot Wing at the front of the row is a relatively recent copy I believe. Like Des has said, I'd like to see a photo of the same Pegasus and the Parachute title above. It's hard to make out from a distance but they look suspiciously like crude copies.

Thanks, from Jack

Jack,
Thanks for your kind words. I realize that the GP wing is a copy, but was given to me by a Ladbroke vetern (American Glider Pilot) and I never had the heart to tell him I knew it was a fake. He has passed away now and I really ought to toss it out of the frame, but it is hard to do. I put a note on the back of the wing to explain it to whoever sells off my collection when I die.
If anyone else sees something they don't like, my feelings won't be hurt. I'd rather not have clunkers in with the good stuff.
Allan

[Jack Dutton-Roberts]

Hello Allan,

Thanks for posting those extra pictures. In my opinion, the Parachute titles and Pegasus patches are all fakes that have been painted and "spruced up" (excess backing material cut from back) to be passed off as originals.

Thanks, from Jack.

[Jack Dutton-Roberts]

I realize that the GP wing is a copy, but was given to me by a Ladbroke vetern (American Glider Pilot) and I never had the heart to tell him I knew it was a fake.

Ahhh well, nice that he thought of you. It's very touching when something like this happens.

[Allan H.]

Hello Allan,

Thanks for posting those extra pictures. In my opinion, the Parachute titles and Pegasus patches are all fakes that have been painted and "spruced up" (excess backing material cut from back) to be passed off as originals.

Thanks, from Jack.

Jack
I have to defer to your knowledge here. It does disappoint me greatly that the seller would have done that to me. I honestly considered him to be a friend and paid entirely too much for them.
Allan

[Jack Dutton-Roberts]

Here is an original Parachute title. Notice how much neater this is and less crude than your examples.

Des, what do you think of the SAS badge/Pegasus patches/Parachute titles Allan has posted?

Thanks, from Jack.

[Jack Dutton-Roberts]

Jack
I have to defer to your knowledge here. It does disappoint me greatly that the seller would have done that to me. I honestly considered him to be a friend and paid entirely too much for them.
Allan

Sorry to hear about that Allan Could it have been a genuine mistake?

[Marc Sherriff]

The "SAS Badge" looks like a Belgian 2nd Para Bn. IMO!

[ccj]

I don't know much about SAS. SCHOOL ME SOMEONE!!!!!!

PM or over the threadways

The "SAS Badge" looks like a Belgian 2nd Para Bn. IMO!

[DJT]

Allan,

Thanks for posting. Regarding the SAS cap badge, let me start by just saying that my knowledge on things SAS is primarily restricted to NW Europe 1944-45 (and only cloth cap badges were worn then). However this is my feeling for what its worth. As far as I know only French and British SAS guys in North Africa wore a metal SAS cap badge (for use on side caps). They were made locally and the material used was cast bronze. They were quite crude and in terms of rarity would be comparable to LRDG badges if not scarcer (I have no idea how many were made up, it could have been only 100?). Metal SAS cap badges as an actual issue piece only occurred post war. I saw what purported to be an original metal SAS cap badge to a French N.Africa vet in a magazine article several years ago and it looked quite different from yours in terms of design. Marcs comment re: it being post war Belgian could well be true.

As for the Pegasus patches, if you look closely you will notice they are not even matching. The one on the left is definitely a repro without needing to see the rear, the one on the right does have a few promising characteristics but again I feel its bad and as Jack stated they appear to have been doctored up (probably to make them appear to be a set and to also hide their faults).

[ccj]

Close up of some PARA insignia.