Unofficial collar badge of 6 Light Horse Regiment, AIF : Corporal C H Livingstone

Unofficial left hand collar badge of 6 Light Horse Regiment, AIF. The badge is made of brass with a silver wash finish which has been almost entirely removed from the front surface by polishing. On the reverse is a hinged pin clasp, approximately half of the pin being snapped off and missing. The badge shows the numeral '6' and a standing bird (intended to represent a brush turkey) over a scroll containing the words 'L.H.RGT. A.I.F. FIGHT ON FIGHT EVER'.

This unofficial collar badge was worn by Charles Henry Livingstone who was born at Fremantle, Western Australia, in 1892. In 1912 he travelled to NSW, intending to see the eastern states before returning to his home at Harvey, WA. He was working in Sydney as a tram conductor when war broke out, and enlisted in October 1914, sailing as Trooper 663 with the 1st Reinforcements to 6 Light Horse Regiment. Livingstone landed at Gallipoli with his regiment on 20 May 1915, and served until the evacuation. He continued to serve throughout the Sinai and Palestine campaigns, and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his actions near Dhaheriye, north east of Beersheba, on 3 November 1917. Livingstone was en route to Australia on 'Anzac leave' when the war ended. He was discharged with the rank of Corporal in January 1919, and after a brief period in Western Australia, returned to NSW, where he worked as a tram driver in Sydney for 40 years. In retirement, he moved to Tasmania to live with his daughter, and died at Launceston in May 1985.

Unofficial hat and collar badges were a peculiarity of the Middle East campaigns. Some, but not all, Australian Light Horse and Camel Corps units elected to wear unofficial regimental badges of their own design in place of the 'Rising Sun' general service badge. These badges were privately designed and purchased by Regiments or individuals; some were made to order in Australia or Britain, others were cheaply sand-cast in Egypt.