How and when did the idea originate that the A.I.F. badge represents the rising sun? [8 October 1941]

[Editor: This untitled item is an extract from the “Society” section published in The Bulletin (Sydney, NSW), 8 October 1941.]

[How and when did the idea originate that the A.I.F. badge represents the rising sun?]

“Colonel Bungstarter”: How and when did the idea originate that the A.I.F. badge represents the rising sun?

Actually its origin in something like present form was from a trophy of bayonets and swords surrounding an imperial crown which adorned the office of Major-General Edward Hutton when he was commandant of the pre-Federation Victorian military forces.

When the first contingent of Light Horse went to South Africa a symbolical representation of this trophy was used by them as a distinguishing badge. Later on, when defence had been taken over by the Commonwealth, the Light Horse badge was submitted to a Birmingham firm as a basis for designing a badge for Commonwealth forces generally. Owing to a misunderstanding, they deviated still further from the original basis of the Hutton trophy, and a good deal of official discussion followed.

In 1914 Major-General W. T. Bridges selected the modified design for the first A.I.F., and it first went overseas with the 1st Australian Divvy, which he commanded up to his death on Gallipoli, May 15, 1915.

Source:
The Bulletin (Sydney, NSW), 8 October 1941, p. 8

Editor’s notes:
A.I.F. = Australian Imperial Force; the First Australian Imperial Force was created in 1914 to fight in World War One, the Second Australian Imperial Force was created in 1939 to fight in World War Two

Commonwealth = of or relating to the Commonwealth of Australia

the Commonwealth = the Commonwealth of Australia; the Australian nation, federated on 1 January 1901

Divvy = (slang) an abbreviation of “Division” (also spelt “Divvie”)

Light Horse = the Australian Light Horse, which usually operated as mounted infantry, but was also used in cavalry roles; Light Horse units were later repurposed into other roles, such as armoured vehicle units (e.g. the Australian 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment)
See: “Australian Light Horse”, Wikipedia

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