Material: Gilding Metal
Size: 35 mm
Description: This authentic military artifact is a standard-issue cap badge worn by personnel of the South African Infantry battalions. The high-relief centerpiece depicts the side profile of a springbok antelope, featuring meticulously textured neck fur and realistic ridges along its curving horns. Encircling the animal is a prominent metal ring lined with a finely detailed laurel leaf pattern that frames a dual-language national motto. The top arch features the English phrase "UNION IS STRENGTH", while the lower curve mirrors the sentiment in Dutch as "EENDRACHT MAAKT MACHT", serving as a powerful visual symbol of national unity during the early to mid-twentieth century.
Reverse: Two copper lugs for split-pin fastening.
Circa: 1915-1953
Notes:
This specific bilingual configuration holds immense historical significance because the use of Dutch rather than Afrikaans text ("Eendrag Maak Mag") specifically dates the original design layout to the World War I and interwar eras, before the language spelling laws were officially updated across the Union of South Africa. The springbok was widely embraced as a proud national mascot, famously accompanying South African forces during heavy fighting across both the European Western Front and the North African desert campaigns.