WW1 Dominica Defence Force brass cap badge.

A scarce brass cap badge issued to the Dominica Defence Force, the colonial home-defence militia on the island of Dominica during the early 20th century. The badge features an imperial crown above a radiant rising sun over the sea, framed by a laurel wreath, with the scroll “DOMINICA DEFENCE FORCE.”

The Dominica Defence Force supported local security, training and recruitment for the British West Indies Regiment during the First World War. Although the unit itself did not deploy overseas as a formed battalion, many Dominicans enlisted through the militia and later served abroad with BWIR units in Egypt, Palestine, Italy and on the Western Front.

The Defence Force continued in smaller form into the inter-war period and performed civil defence, port security, ceremonial duties and hurricane emergency roles under British colonial administration.

Badges from Dominica are significantly harder to source than those from larger Caribbean colonies due to the unit’s small size and limited production. A desirable example for collectors of British colonial, Caribbean or island militia insignia.