Ordnance Insignia of the British Army

Army Ordnance Department & Corps

Cap Badges 1896 - 1918

The introduction of the new undress cap for other-ranks of the infantry & some corps in 1874 resulted in a new type of badge, which after the reorganisation of the army in 1881 became the main identification of most units. The cap continued to be worn until 1894, but after the 1881 changes, the cap badge we are familiar with today came into common usage, and enshrined in army tradition.

Shield of Arms of the Army Ordnance Department & Corps- 1896

In July 1896, Queen Victoria approved the War Office recommendation that, of the arms of the Board of Ordnance, the shield of arms, but not the crest nor supporters of the motto, be incorporated into the badge of the Army Ordnance Department (AOD) and Corps (AOC). It was considered that the Army Ordnance Department and Corps should be granted the privilege of the use of the arms of their ancestors as the main motif of their emblem. The two cap badges, so created, one for the Army Ordnance Department (Officers) and the other for the Army Ordnance Corps (Junior Officers & Soldiers) were of similar design, differing only in the wording on the scroll,

The AOC badge has ARMY ORDNANCE CORPS on the scroll,
while the AOD badge just has the one word ORDNANCE



Cap Badges 1896 - 1918


Top Centre - (KK 1023) Army Ordnance Corps (Large) 1896 - 1907

Bottom Left - ( KK 1024) Army Ordnance Corps (Small) 1907 - 1918

Bottom Right - ( KK 1024A) Army Ordnance Department 1896 - 1918