For the British army, the cap badge is the most easily identifiable of
insignia. It represents a distillation of the pride of the regiment, its
various battle honours and symbols born proudly on the metallic emblem
that was worn on all head-dress, even in the age of mechanised warfare.
Identification of the cap badge on faded photographs is a first,
important step in unravelling the military service of an individual; and
for the soldiers of the Second World War, clad in dowdy and
undistinguished battledress, its significance is enhanced still further.
Cap badges have been collected avidly since they were first thought of
in the nineteenth century. Cap badge collecting is as popular now as it
has ever been; yet with a growing number of fakes and forgeries, there
is a need for a book that illustrates clearly the main types, and allows
the collector and family historian alike to understand their meaning.
This book will illustrate, for the first time in high quality full
colour, images of the main types of badges used by the British Army in
the Second World War. With many amalgamations, war-raised units and
special-forces, the insignia of the British soldier has a surprising
range that differs materially from that worn by the soldier of the
generation before. As with 'British Army Cap Badges of the First World
War', this volume will contain contemporary illustrations of the
soldiers themselves wearing the badges, a feature that has been widely
applauded. Employing the skills of an established writer (and collector)
and artist, it will provide a unique reference guide for all people
interested in the British Army of the period.
