Hello All,
As I’m sure many of you are aware, the Australian Army Cadets have had an ADF-approved revision to their hat badge in the pipeline for about 18 months now.
Well, the new issue headdress item is now being seen in circulation.
Here is an image of the new hat badge and a comparison image of the superseded item (despite the fact that the previous headdress item is still relatively new).
We have not had the opportunity to query the ADF Procurements Office for advice on collar badge production, however it does seem inevitable that matching collar badge insignia will follow in due course.
Having said all of that… the deletion of the upper scroll work to remove the words “COURAGE, INITIATIVE and TEAMWORK” seems a retrograde step to me. Nevertheless, the High School Unit basis for Cadet Training probably does make the first two words difficult to genuinely build into a Training Program which must function on a shoestring budget. So, deleting that design element and removing the cost of the red vitreous enamel, may well have allowed for the production of a larger and more visible design?
Yours in collecting, research and in writing
Mark Corcoran
corcoran@bigpond.net.au
charliebravobooks.com
Co Author of: “Metal Uniform Embellishments of the Australian Army”
Post 1953 (the ‘QEII’ era) Vol 1 and Vol 2
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To quote an old friend of mine:
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If you are able to read this in English, thank a soldier.”
charliebravobooks 