This silver pouch badge belonged to the 20th Burma Rifles and was worn between 1922 and 1937. It is designed as a displaying male Burmese peacock, the national bird of Burma, mounted above a scroll bearing the regiment’s title. Other ranks wore a brass version of this pattern, but officers’ badges were produced in silver, as seen here.
The origins of the unit lie in the 2nd Battalion, 70th Burma Rifles, raised in December 1917 during the First World War. After the Armistice the battalion was deployed on garrison duties in the Middle East. In 1922, as part of the post-war reorganisation of the Indian Army, the 70th Burma Rifles were amalgamated with the 85th Burman Rifles. The 2nd Battalion of the former 70th then became the 2nd Battalion, 20th Burma Rifles.
This example comes from the Field Marshal Sir John Chapple Indian Army Collection and is held in the National Army Museum’s Study Collection.
Image and object information courtesy of the National Army Museum.
