Material: Brass
Size: 43mm w × 17mm h
Description: This original, die-stamped brass shoulder title measures 43mm wide by 17mm high and displays the prominent block letters "RGA" for the Royal Garrison Artillery. Worn on the shoulder straps of the standard British Army wool service dress tunic, the solid brass lettering has taken on a rich, dark-honey patina from years of natural aging and exposure.
Reverse: This rear macro view reveals the mechanical construction and field repair of the Royal Garrison Artillery shoulder title. The back of the solid brass "RGA" lettering shows a smooth, flat surface with minor verdigris spotting near the lower seams and a warm, mellow tone. On the left behind the letter 'R' sits an intact, distinctively shaped hexagonal "coffin" lug, which stands completely upright to accept a standard brass split pin. The right lug behind the letter 'A' has sustained a clean break across its top arch, creating two separated metal prongs that are securely bundled together by a dense, knotted cluster of dark grey woolen cording.
Circa: 1902-1920s
Notes:
Formed in 1899, the Royal Garrison Artillery was tasked with manning the British Empire's heaviest guns, including massive coastal defense batteries, siege mortars, and the devastating heavy field howitzers that defined the brutal artillery duels of the Western Front.
This structural analysis reveals that the entire solid brass shoulder title has been forcefully shifted out of alignment, with the letter 'R' noticeably angled and bent backward away from the central 'G'. This dramatic distortion corresponds directly with the fractured top of the hexagonal lug located on the reverse side of the letter 'A'. The combination of the sheared metal loop and the twisted brass frame indicates that a single, violent snagging event or blunt impact occurred, pulling the title sideways with enough torque to simultaneously snap the rear anchor and warp the heavy-gauge brass lettering.