10. The Australian Rising Sun Badge

The Australian Rising Sun Badge

Saluting their Service - Grahame Old

Australian Servicemen and Women have proudly worn the Rising Sun Badge since Federation in 1901. Through the Boer War, WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and on worldwide peacekeeping operations the badge has been a symbol of Australian Military Service. The distinctive shape of the badge, worn on the upturned side of a slouch hat, is commonly identified with the spirit of ANZAC. There are seven patterns of the Rising Sun Badge. The badge has evolved over time and today Australian Army Soldiers wear the seventh pattern Rising Sun Badge.

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The First Pattern - February 1902

A badge was urgently sought for the Australian contingents raised after Federation for service in South Africa during the 2nd Boer War. The most widely accepted version of the origin of this badge is the one that attributes the design to a British Officer, Major General Sir Edward Hutton the newly appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Forces. Hutton had earlier received a gift from Brigadier General Joseph Gordon, a military acquaintance. The gift, a ‘Trophy-of-Arms’ was made up from mounted cut and thrust swords and triangular Martini-Henry bayonets that were arranged in a semi-circle around the Crown, (see RHS above). It is believed that the first pattern Rising Sun Badge design was modelled on this gift.

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The Second Pattern - April 1902

The second pattern badge added a scroll with the words ‘Commonwealth Horse’ and changing ‘Australia’ to ‘Australian’. This badge was a modified version for the Commonwealth Horse worn by Boer War Soldiers after Federation.

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The Third Pattern - May 1904

The third pattern Rising Sun badge carried a scroll inscribed with the words ‘Australian Commonwealth Military Forces’ and was worn throughout WW1 & WW2. This pattern badge formed the template for all subsequent General Service badges.

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The Fourth Pattern – 1949

The inscription on the scroll was changed to ‘Australian Military Forces’. Corps and regimental badges were reintroduced into the Army, example shown (RAINF)

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The Fifth Pattern - 1954

The fifth pattern badge substituted the Imperial State Crown with the St Edwards Crown. It was approved in 1954 and issued in 1966.

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The Sixth Pattern – 1969

The badge went through another alteration, with the introduction of the Federation Star above a heraldic wreath and the inscription was once again changed to read ‘Australia’. However, this design was never fully issued.

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The Seventh Pattern - 1991

The current design was produced with ‘The Australian Army’ on the scroll and the removal of the Federation Star and heraldic wreath. The Rising Sun Badge was originally called the General Service Badge, but it is now officially labelled the Australian Army Badge. It will, however, always be referred to as the Australian Rising Sun Badge.

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