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Old 15th Jun 2012, 20:56
  #21 (permalink)  
Tankertrashnav
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: SW England
Age: 77
Posts: 3,896
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Nothing to add to the shirt query but no-one seems to have commented on the introduction of staybrite/anodised badges and buttons. Later than 1960, certainly. I went to the far east in March 1967 and was certainly wearing brass buttons up to that point, as were my airmen. On return in January 1969 it was all staybrites and I remember getting a set of "high dome" staybrite buttons for my number one to replace the brass ones, which had gone an interesting shade of green in storage!

Interestingly, in my years of trading in militaria I have often come across RAF "king's crown" (ie pre 1953) anodised buttons, and have never yet had a satisfactory explanation for these - possibly a trial, as many army units, particularly the technical corps, were going over to staybrites at that time. I used to do a good trade in RAF queen's crown brass cap badges with airmen who wanted to replace the tatty anodised badge on their SD cap - but the introduction of the embroidered thing in the 90s put an end to that trade.
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