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Category: Badges |
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The Rising Sun. Australia's most famous
badge. |
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Sub-category index
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This is version 3, the best known
of the Rising Sun badges, the General Service badge of the AIF and the 2nd
AIF. The badge that saw victory in two World Wars. |
Since its inception the basic
form of the 1904 version has remained unchanged although modifications
have been made to the wording on the scroll and to the style of crown.
In 1949, when Corps and
Regimental Badges were reintroduced into service, the wording on the scroll
of the "Rising Sun" Badge was changed to read "Australian
Military Forces".
HM Queen Elizabeth ascended
to the throne on the death of King George V1 and the Crown on the badge was
subsequently changed from a Kings (Tudor) Crown to a Queen's (St. Edward's) Crown on the 1956
version.
Twenty years later, the badge
was again modified to incorporate the Federation Star and Torse Wreath from
the original 1902 version of the badge and the scroll wording changed to
"Australia" In the 75th anniversary year of the ANZAC landings at
Gallipoli there arose a desire to return to the traditional accoutrements
worn by Australian soldiers during the World Wars and which clearly identify
the Australian Army. The recent change coincides with the 90th anniversary
of the Army which was commemorated on 1st March 1991.
1901 to 2001. The
Army turned 100 in 2001. |
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1902 to 2002. The
Rising Sun turned 100 in 2002. |
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The start of a legend. |
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http://www.martinihenry.com/index.htm |
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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 Martini-Henry bayonets and sword bayonets of the NSW Alexander
Henry sword & socket style, (similar to photos
above )
radiating from a
crown, was designed as a trophy.
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The initial drawing was done by Major J M
Gordon, of the South 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. More
details.
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Belgium. October 1920.
Photograph of a bronze Rising Sun Badge made to be mounted at
Australian Divisional memorials in France and Belgium.
(Donor J.T. Hobbs) |
As
seen above , the AIF had it's own badge with the wording Australian
Imperial Force or Australian Imperial Forces.
The AIF
Badge was used on stationery, headstones, memorials and things like
greeting cards and Christmas cards.
That badge was never issued to troops in any way. |
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WW1
Big brass rising sun badge plaque, Australian Imperial Force, size is
5½" x 5¾" and 4mm thick. Nice original one probably made as
a door plaque. |
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- This Queensland Scottish Regiment
badge (circa 1885) shows that the basic idea of a rising sun was not
new in 1902.
- So does this late 1890s Victorian
Cadet force badge >>>
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to see the obverse of this token.
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This badge, used 1896 to 1903 may
well have been an influence as well. Note the Rising Sun above the
crown.
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These 1858
& 1859 trading tokens
(unofficial coin) from Melbourne Victoria clearly shows a 'Rising
Sun" atop the unofficial coat of arms. see
below |
Australia,
J. McFarlane, equivalent to 1 penny (1 cent). McFarlane had a grocery store on the corner of
Elizabeth and Lonsdale streets in 1850-51. He had these penny tokens
made in England, probably in 1850. The reverse of the token has the
legend Peace and Plenty, and shows a female figure representing the
colony of Victoria, with a lion representing the Imperial power bringing
peace, and a sheep representing the plenty brought by agriculture.
Tokens were often produced by private firms as advertisements, and used
as legal tender due to the shortage of small change in Australia in the
middle of the nineteenth century. By 1862 all tokens were removed from
circulation in the colony. This type of unofficial coinage was also
issued in NSW, Tasmania and possibly elsewhere. |
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This badge shows that in
1901 the idea of a "Rising Sun" was identified with
Australasia in general and Australia in particular by many in the
Empire.
Note that the rays are very very
similar to the rays used on the later version of the Australian General
Service badge.
Image by Frank Green from his private collection.
to
enlarge |
- 4th County of London Imperial
Yeomanry (King's Colonials) formed in 1901 as a yeomanry
regiment with HQ at Charing Cross, London, from overseas volunteers
resident in England, with "colonial" squadrons:
- A Squadron (British Asian)
- B Squadron (British American)
[i.e. Canadian]
- C Squadron (Australasian) see
badge above
- D Squadron (British African)
[i.e. South African]
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The current
Rising Sun badge is the 7th version. This is the first.
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Original badge for Australian
Commonwealth Horse, 1902 |
Smaller and
non-identical ACH collar badge |
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- Version 1. Left. This
is believed to be the first ever "Rising Sun" hat badge of the Australian
Army. It was issued to mounted troops in the Boer War. It bore only the
word AUSTRALIA arched above a King's Crown.
- It was made from oxidised
copper.
- There are many reproductions on the
market and not all are identified as such.
- Genuine badges are pressed (not
cast) so the back looks like the image lower left.
- Because it resembled the trade-mark of
a popular brand of jam (Hoadleys) the troops that wore it were referred
to, disparagingly, as Hoadley's Horse.
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- Set of badges for 3rd Battalion
Australian Commonwealth Horse.
- 1 hat badge
- 2 collar badges
- 2 Unit numerals
- 2 shoulder titles (AC for
Australian Commonwealth)
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Australian
Commonwealth Horse (2nd pattern) oxidised brass hat badge with Rising
Sun pattern rays, curved 'AUSTRALIA' over a Tudor crown, and underneath
a scroll with 'COMMONWEALTH HORSE'.
The words on the badge have been
highlighted by rubbing back the oxidization to show the brighter brass.
Badge is mounted on dark green cloth, edged with white stem stitch
embroidery, cut in the pattern of a five petaled Tudor rose.
Badges with this cloth backing were
worn by members of the Australian Commonwealth Horse selected to attend
the coronation of Edward VII in London in 1902. |
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2nd
version 1902 copper |
3rd
version 1904 copper |
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4th
version 1949 brass |
5th
version 1956 brass |
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6th
version 1969 gilt |
7th
version 1991 gilt |
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During WW1 the Rising Sun
was used in a stylised format on formation (TAC) signs for the Corps and
for the Divisions.
It is interesting to note
that 1 & 2 Anzac Corps and 1st Division were the only units to get
the 13 point Rising Sun. All other units got the 9 point Rising Sun on
TAC signs. Cadet unit badges had 7 points.
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1st
Anzac Corps |
2nd
Anzac Corps |
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1st
Division AIF |
2nd
Division AIF |
3rd
Division AIF |
4th
Division AIF |
5th
Division AIF |
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WW1 Collar, non voided, unusual pin back
style, probably private purchase in Britain. |
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Gilt
& silver finished private purchase version from WW1, made in UK
probably for a senior Officer.
Note the scarlet cloth backing.
Donor: Hugh Williams |
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1903
Rising Sun Style, Staff & Instructional Corps Officer's Collar Badge |
1903
Rising Sun Style, Staff & Instructional Corps Officer's Collar Badge,
enameled. |
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1930
- 42 : Australian Instructional Corps. Hat badge & a pair of Collar Badges. |
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Pairing of the RSB and an shoulder title, converted into a badge or
brooch and silver plated. This is how some of the AIF nurses wore their badges. |
1956 QE II version |
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General Service (Rising
Sun) badge as worn as a collar dog, WW2 |
Australian Combat
Division ?. Unit not known to myself or AWM. |
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Light Horse RSB with
slider bar (not a pin) to slip onto front of puggaree.
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This
is the normal method of fixing the General Service badge (Rising Sun) to
the "Hat, khaki fur felt". Twin lugs and a pin. |
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- The "Rising Sun" was used
on some uniform buttons. This one is a good example but is undated
at this stage except that it has to be pre 1953 as it has the Tudor
(King's) Crown.
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- On some versions the 7 major blades
(or rays) were shorter than normal.
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Sterling silver General
Service (Rising Sun) hat badge, 1904 pattern. Badge shows a scroll
with 'AUSTRALIAN COMMONWEALTH MILITARY FORCES', surmounted by a Tudor
crown, with a semi-circle of 'rays' above it.
Thought to have been worn by staff
and light horse officers, but this is unconfirmed.
AWM REL25098 |
- The Rising Sun minus the scroll
was used on many badges to show association with the AIF, as shown
here on a Voluntary Helper's badge of the Anzac Buffet.
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The third and best
known version |
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The 7th and current
version. |
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