Zambia Rifles Anodised Cap Badge

Silver coloured A/A cap badge made by FIRMIN.

Some history:

The silver-coloured anodised aluminium (A/A) cap badge made by Firmin was part of a shift in British and Commonwealth military insignia manufacturing from the 1950s onwards. Firmin, a prestigious British manufacturer of military badges and uniforms, produced these lightweight, corrosion-resistant badges to replace traditional brass versions, which required regular polishing.

The silver anodised cap badge was typically used by regiments with silver or white-metal insignia traditions, such as light infantry, rifle regiments, and certain colonial or commonwealth forces. Anodised aluminium badges were especially popular due to their low maintenance, durability, and resistance to tarnishing, making them ideal for use in harsh climates.

Regiments such as the King’s African Rifles, Northern Rhodesia Regiment, and Gibraltar Regiment had Firmin-made anodised cap badges in silver, maintaining the historical and symbolic designs of earlier badges but with a modern manufacturing approach.

Today, silver-coloured A/A cap badges by Firmin are valued by collectors, representing the transition from traditional brass badges to modern anodised versions in British and Commonwealth military history.