A warrant officer II is a senior NCO rank in the British Army and his badge of rank is worn on the cuff and consists of a crown inside a pair of laurel leaves. Whilst this insignia is normally embroidered and sewn on to the cuff, on occasions it takes the form of a removable brass badge and it is an example of one of these we are looking at today. The King’s crown instantly identifies this example as dating to before 1952:
The red cloth insert is unusual and I am not sure of its significance. On the rear of this badge is a brass plate, shaped to match the badge which helps support it and a pair of split rings to hold the badge firmly to the sleeve:
The lugs of the badge would pass through the sleeve, with the brass backing panel being worn inside the sleeve and the two rings then pass through the loops to hold everything together.
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This is the WO2 wrist badge of a Regimental Quarter Master Sergeant (RQMS). A WO2 not in an RQMS appointment wears just the crown without the wreath. The RQMS is the senior WO2 in a unit and deputises for the WO1 (RSM) in his absence. Your badge is for wear on a leather wrist strap, worn in shirt sleeve order, although since the introduction of Combat 95 uniform where the badge of rank is worn on the chest, wrist straps are rarely seen. The red colour refers to the facing colour of the unit. As a Royal Regiment of Wales WO2, I wore my crown on a green background on the leather wrist strap. I always preferred the wrist strap since although on Combat 95 the WO2 crown is larger than a major’s, I was nevertheless often mistaken for a major and saluted.