RNAS Armoured Car Division Badge

[MikeW]

The "other ranks" of the RNAS Armoured Car division wore a small (about 1.25" dia) bronze badge on their right lapel, the badge depicted an armoured car and the letters "RNAS".

These things crop up every week on e-bay, always described as "RNAS Armoured Car Division cap badges". There are far more out there than were ever struck for what was relatively small unit. I.e. there are lots of fakes!!

At the rear, they all seem to have the "regulation" two eyes through which a large "split pin" (for want of a better word) is used to secure them - just like an RFC cap badge in fact.

The badge in my collection has a "spring clip" as the securing method - now which method is correct? Are all the e-bay badges correct and I have the only fake in the world?

I would have thought that if someone were going to fake these things, the split pin methodology would be much easier to fabricate than the clip on my badge.


Mike

[insignia]

Mike,

My thoughts are that RNAS Armoured Car division (or branch) badge should have two lugs, rather than a “Slider” on the reverse as they were to be worn on the labels of the tunic.

Assuming that what you meant by a “Spring Clip” is the same as what I would call a Slider, i.e. a vertical strip of metal, then it would be incorrect for this particular badge. As badge fittings like these were designed to facilitate attachment to Caps (Visors). Fakes / Reproductions of the RNAS Armoured Car branch badges have been produced from a number of different dies in England with both lugs and sliders since at least 1980!!!

The cap badge worn by members of the RNAS Armoured Car branch was the standard Royal Navy type.

Hope this helps a little.

[MikeW]

Insignia,

yep, slider is the correct terminoligy.

However, these things were never attached to the cap, always the lapel.


A genuine badge must be incredibly rare due to the small number of personnel involved. I make no claims for mine being genuine, unlike the one currently on the US ebay site.

I was puzzled why I had never seen another with a "slider".


Mike