Indian Army ( AFI ) - Kolar Gold Field Battalion Embroidered Pagri Badge

Kolar Gold Field Battalion (Auxiliary Force India ) cloth pagri badge - golden yellow embroidered on black, but backing faded from sun and wear and slight damage to thread on pick axe head. No moth but some stress marks to fabric from wear. Circa 7cm tall and 6cm wide. Scarce.

The Kolar Gold Fields are believed to be the second deepest gold mines in the world. Situated at a distance of approximately 120km from Bangalore.

The Auxiliary Force (India) (AFI) was a part-time, paid volunteer organisation within the Indian Army in British India. Its units were entirely made up of European and Anglo-Indian personnel.

The AFI was created by the Auxiliary Force Act 1920 to replace the unpopular British section of the Indian Defence Force, which had recruited by conscription. By contrast, the AFI was an all-volunteer force modelled after the British Territorial Army.

Unit history: 1903 formed as the Kolar Gold Fields Rifle Volunteers on 23rd January from a detachment of the Bangalore Rifle Volunteers
1917 became 43rd Kolar Gold Fields Battalion on 1st April
1920 redesignated on 1st October as the Kolar Gold Field Battalion (Infantry).

D44.19

Code: 58801