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From: "Tom Patterson" <>
Subject: [WW1] Aust GS Badge, Rising Sun
Date: Tue, 7 Aug 2001 14:11:32 +1000

Hello All
About the Rising Sun badge. Contrary to what has been mentioned so far on
this matter, the Australian Army instruction on Military Traditions and
Customs has a several pages on this and I quote: "It does appear that the
badge as we know it today had its beginning in the early 1900s, although a
number of people have been credited with the origin (Usually General Sir
Edward Hutton, Col. Cox Taylor and Mr C F Gaunt) the principle originator is
not fully revealed. Some writings state the basis for the design was taken
from the display of trophies over the doorway of Sir Edward Hutton's office
at Victoria Barracks, Melbourne, others state that is was taken from the
badge of the "Australian Rifles" designed by Capt,. later Colonel Cox
Taylor, yet designs were submitted by Mr C F Gaunt of Birmingham who was
asked to submit drawings of a badge. He actually submitted 3 pencil drawings
of which one is believed to have been accepted.------------- Before leaving
the subject it is appropriate to clarify the origin of the term "Rising
Sun". Statements have been made that the badge represented "an emblem of a
new nation rising in the Southern seas at the time of Federation of the
Australian States". However, this statement has always been refuted.
There is nothing in the design of any of the badges to indicate any line
with the "Rising Sun" in Heraldry. The origin of the "Rising Sun" title
given to the badge, curiously enough, is connected with a brand of jam.
Until about 1906 the only building near Victoria Barracks, Melbourne, was
"Hoadley's Jam Factory" which produced the well known and universally
advertised "Rising Sun Jam". Large quantities of Hoadley's jam were issued
to Australian troops in South Africa and the similarity of the badge of the
Australian Commonwealth Horse to Hoadley's trademark caused the returned
servicemen to be given the satirical name of "Hoadley's Horse", from such a
simple beginning, it is suggested that the universally known expression
"Rising Sun" sprang." unquote
As this work runs into 2 foolscap pages anyone who would like a full
transcript of this just let me know at and I will
send you one, but I won't send it as an attachment.

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• [WW1] Aust GS Badge, Rising Sun by "Tom Patterson" <>