1st Dragoons NCO's Arm Badge

A post-1952, chromed, arm badge for a non-commissioned officer of The 1st (Royal) Dragoons with two lug fastenings (north and south) and a black felt backing. Linaker & Dine 3.7 or Seaman, p39, 8.

Note: This curious badge most obviously has the Queen's crown but also the King's crown on the lion's head.

David Linaker & Gordon Dine, in their book on Cavalry Warrant Officers' And Non-Commissioned Officers' Arm Badges, state this badge was worn by some NCOs in Malaya circa 1960-62.

They describe it as a composite badge, created using "the lion from an old die fused onto a Light Infantry CSM's white metal St Edward's crown".

Peter Seaman, in his book on Arm Badges of the British Cavalry Regiments, similarly states these badges were made using a lion from the King's crown pattern with the rank crown of a Light Infantry sergeant major.

Seaman adds: "Notice that the lion has the King's crown on its head and that its feet don't fit properly on the crown."

Both books describe a white metal badge, although this example appears to have been chromed (possibly later?).

Code: 62124