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The start of a legend. |
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| The famous
Rising Sun Badge, selected as the Army's General Service badge in 1902 but
now the badge of the army, originated in South Australia. The original
concept, a collection of bayonets and sword bayonets radiating from a
crown, was designed as a trophy. The initial drawing was done by Maj J M
Gordon, of the Sth Australian Permanent Artillery in 1893.The working
drawing for the trophy was called 'Australia - Rising Sun'. It was used
as the General Service badge of the Army in 1914-18 as displayed above
left with the words Australian
Commonwealth Military Forces. The current
Rising Sun badge is the 7th version. To
see them all, Click here.
As
seen below the AIF had it's own badge with the wording Australian
Imperial Force. Headstones had the
AIF Badge. Details.
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| Of all the badges
served under by
Australian servicemen, and they are many, none can be more proudly
displayed that that of the AIF (centre)
or the 42nd Bn (left & right, both thumbnails). Two matters of
interest here. There appears some doubt as to whether the correct wording
was "Australian Imperial Force" or "Australian Imperial
Forces". While no badge was ever struck for use by the troops the AIF
badge was used on headstones and memorials, in both World Wars. The word used was "Forces" on headstones and "Force"
on memorials. On documentation the word used was
"Force". |
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The Female Relatives
Badge 1914/18 was
issued to the mothers and/or wives (or nearest female relative) of members of the AIF on active service.
The wording reads;
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(around upper)
(in the oval)
(around lower)
(in the ribbon)
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Issued by Dept of Defence
AIF
to women of Australia
For Duty Done. |
| There was a similar badge
for relatives of sailors. It was round, not oval, and the circle
contained an anchor where the AIF is on this version. |
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