British Indian Calcutta and Presidency Battalion Cast Cap Badge (1926-1947 Pattern)

British Indian Calcutta and Presidency Battalion cast cap badge (1926–1947 pattern), an original example of British Indian military insignia associated with the Calcutta and Presidency Battalion.

The badge features the distinctive insignia of the Calcutta and Presidency Battalion in cast brass, reflecting the unit’s role within the auxiliary military forces of British India during the late colonial period. Designed for wear on military headwear, the badge served as a visible symbol of unit identity and loyalty to the Crown.

The Calcutta and Presidency Battalion formed part of the volunteer and auxiliary defence forces established to provide local military support within British India. Based in and around Calcutta (now Kolkata), the battalion was composed largely of locally recruited personnel and volunteers who supplemented the regular British and Indian Army garrisons. Units of this nature played an important role in local defence, internal security, and wartime support during the interwar years and throughout World War II.

Cap badges of this pattern were worn between 1926 and 1947, the final decades of British rule in India before the Partition of India and independence in 1947. As a result, surviving insignia from the Calcutta and Presidency Battalion represent an increasingly scarce and historically significant area of British Indian militaria.

Manufactured in cast brass with original attachment fittings to the reverse, this example represents an attractive and collectable piece of British colonial military history.

Dimensions

Approx. 40–55mm height

Condition

Good overall original condition, with well-defined cast detailing and an attractive age-related patina. Light wear, minor surface marks, and signs of service use and storage may be present. Reverse fittings remain intact and secure. No significant damage or repairs evident.