33rd Foot Collar Badge?

An intriguing, brass badge with two lug fastenings (north and south). Churchill 915.

Note: Churchill states this badge is commonly thought to have been worn by the 33rd Foot, and notes it is identical to the centre of the post-1881 helmet plate centre for The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding).

However, he states "there is no evidence that it was worn on the collar pre or post 1881" and speculates a more likely attribution is the 5th (Wellington Rifles) New Zealand.

Churchill adds: "Despite seeing a torn out section of a sample/pattern card annotated 'West Riding Regt, 1896, facing to the left', there is no evidence of such a pattern in the Army Clothing Department pattern room journals."

He also notes a similar badge, sealed 6th August 1920, was for side hat ornament.

Code: 59512