This field covers, in the main, headdress badges of many different parts of the world, but also includes cross-belt plates, etc. An interesting example is the parallel existence of regimental badges for the British and Austrian armies, fighting on opposing sides in WW1, something unique to these two countries. Good reference books include: Kipling & King's two volumes on headdress badges of the British Army; John Gaylor's book on cap badges of the British Army; Ashok Nath's book, Izzat: Historical Records and Iconography of Indian Cavalry Regiments 1750-2007 (published 2009 by the Centre for Armed Forces Historical Research United Service Institution of India), a superb rendering of this extremely complex subject, beautifully illustrated.

This plate is engraved with the coronet and crest of the Earls of Scarborough above the initials CVI, all within a border with the family motto 'Murus Aereus Conscientia Sana' and the date 1803. The use of the coronet, crest and motto suggests that it relates to a volunteer unit raised from the Scarborough tenantry.

This eagle is the tombak variety (with a gilt wash), which was worn by both water police and traffic police on the full dress shako. The ordinary police wore the same device in a matte aluminium finish. All traffic and water police insignia is relatively scarce. The water police duties involved patroling canals, rivers and ports.

The badge, for which this pin is the miniature, was instituted on 1 June 1940. It was originally intended as the engineers' assault badge, but was quickly redesignated to include members of the artillery, anti-tank and anti-aircraft units and battlefield medics who served with the infantry and armour in an auxilliary role during an assault.

This was the basic wound badge for the first wound in combat. It was later upgraded by the silver and gold badges for subsequent wounds. It is of pressed steel with 98% of its original blackened finish, a little worn on the arms of the swastika, but otherwise in good shape.

The badge, for which this pin is the miniature, was instituted on 1 June 1940 for the crews of armoured vehicles other than tanks, ie self-propelled gunners, Panzer Grenadiers, anti-tank units, medics and support units within the Panzer division. This badge is 1.5cm high (excluding the pin itself).

Instituted 14 July 1942 primarily as a gallantry award for Ostvolk units - eg Baltic and Russian troops serving with the German army. It was also awarded after October 1942 to German troops serving with these units, provided they already had an Iron Cross, ist or 2nd class.

This badge was worn as an entry pass and identification by dockyard workers, in this case the Deutschwerker Yards at Kiel. This yard would have primarily been responsible for U- and E-boat construction at this point. It is maker marked Hoffstatter Bonn on the reverse.

This little tinnie shows an Austrian forward observation officer spotting for an artillery unit. The top of the badge has 'Col di Lana', which I suspect was on the Italian front. These badges were worn in the caps of the Austrian troops in WW1. This particular example has the maker's details on the reverse, 'Atelier G. Gurschner // Wien 7/2'.

This was the plate for the green cloth Home Service helmet, introduced after the last pattern shako, to be followed by the astrakhan busby. It has the traditional Crimean battle honours, all the Peninsula ones, together with the honour for Lucknow and Ashanti, which latter was granted in 1876.

This was worn on the Home Service helmet, constructed from cork, and, in this case, covered with grey cloth. The crowned portcullis device in the centre is from the arms of the City of Westminster. The QWR, founded in 1860, served with great distinction all through the 20th century's wars.