Material: Cloth
Size: 50mm w x 37mm h
Description: This item is a genuine Second World War British Indian Army cloth formation sign arm patch measuring 50mm wide by 37mm high. Embroidered on a heavy, tightly woven black cotton canvas backing, the design displays two crossed Nepalese kukri blades rendered in a contrasting off-white or cream cotton thread. The blades are depicted with their characteristic forward-curving silhouettes and stylized handles, facing upward in a defensive heraldic cross configuration. The reverse of this particular specimen shows trace remnants of period paste or uniform thread and carries a hand-written collector's note in ink reading "93rd Brigade".
Circa: 1942-1947
Notes:
While the handwritten note on the reverse references the "93rd Brigade," official British War Office and Indian Army insignia registries confirm this specific combination of white crossed kukris on a plain black background was the official formation sign of the 63rd Indian Infantry Brigade (later renamed the 63rd Gurkha Infantry Brigade). Formed in India in 1942, the brigade fought extensively under the 17th Indian Infantry Division throughout the brutal Burma Campaign against imperial Japanese forces. The handwritten ink inscription on the back likely stems from an early veteran or veteran's family misidentifying the unit, or a collector conflating it with the 93rd Indian Infantry Brigade, which served under the 25th Indian Division but utilized a completely different unit insignia. The choice of crossed kukris paid homage to the elite Nepalese warriors who made up the core striking battalions of the brigade, including the 1st and 7th Gurkha Rifles.