WW1/2 British Indian Army 2nd Queen Victoria’s Own (Madras) Miners & Sappers hat badge.

WW1/2 British Indian Army 2nd Queen Victoria’s Own (Madras) Miners & Sappers pugri fitting hat badge.

The corps served through both World Wars — there's a documented history covering France and Iraq in 1914-1920, and a further one covering 1939-1945. At Indian independence and partition in 1947 the unit was allocated to the new Indian Army, eventually becoming today's Madras Engineer Group, still headquartered in Bangalore and still known affectionately as the "Thambis."

The motto around the rim — Honi soit qui mal y pense ("shame on him who thinks evil of it") — is the motto of the Order of the Garter, commonly used on British royal/crown-associated badges. The king's crown on top (rather than a queen's crown) suggests this example dates from after 1901, most likely George V-era given the "2nd Queen Victoria's Own" title only formalised in 1911. The theatre-made cast-brass construction with two lugs, rather than a die-struck slider badge, is typical of badges produced locally in India rather than by a UK maker — very consistent with a Madras Sappers piece.