{"product_id":"british-army-hotchkiss-gunner-hg-proficiency-2-part-brass-arm-badge","title":"British Army Hotchkiss Gunner (“HG”) proficiency 2 part brass arm badge.","description":"\u003cp\u003eBritish Army Hotchkiss Gunner (“HG”) proficiency arm badge, sometimes described by collectors as a trade or sleeve badge. More precisely, it was a skill-at-arms\/proficiency badge, rather than a regimental or rank badge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe wreathed “HG” indicated a first-class qualified Hotchkiss gunner—a soldier who had achieved the required higher standard following instruction and examination on the Hotchkiss machine gun.¹ A period badge summary records that, from 1917, first-class marksmen for the Lewis and Hotchkiss guns wore “LG” and “HG” respectively with laurel sprays.²\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWho wore it?\u003cbr\u003eThe badge is particularly associated with:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e• British and Indian cavalry machine-gun sections\u003cbr\u003e • Yeomanry and other mounted units\u003cbr\u003e • The Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry)\u003cbr\u003e • Some armoured or mounted formations equipped with the Hotchkiss\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe British .303-inch Hotchkiss Portable Machine Gun Mk I was manufactured in Britain during the First World War specifically for issue to cavalry units, according to the Imperial War Museums.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was normally worn on the left forearm or lower sleeve. There is also some photographic evidence of variants worn above right-arm chevrons, possibly by instructors, although this was not the usual position.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDate\u003cbr\u003eThe most likely official period for this badge is approximately:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1917–1921, with some examples reportedly continuing in use considerably later.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe HG badge was declared obsolete in 1921, when “LG” was repurposed to indicate a general light-machine-gunner qualification. Specialist references suggest that the old HG badge may nevertheless have persisted in a few cavalry units until they were mechanised or dismounted—possibly as late as about 1940.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gradia Militaria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54121318744392,"sku":"10200","price":15.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0924\/1103\/5976\/files\/IMG-2539.heic?v=1790183511","url":"https:\/\/www.gradiamilitaria.com\/products\/british-army-hotchkiss-gunner-hg-proficiency-2-part-brass-arm-badge","provider":"Gradia Militaria","version":"1.0","type":"link"}