Rising Sun (badge)

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The Rising Sun badge, also known as the General Service Badge or the Australian Army Badge is the official badge of the Australian Army. The badge is worn on the upturned brim of a slouch hat and is readily identified with the spirit of ANZAC. New recruits into the Australian Army are awarded the badge on the completion of their training.

In 1902 a badge was urgently sought for the Australian contingents raised after Federation for service in South Africa during the Boer War. The most widely-accepted version of the origin of this badge is that which attributes the selection of its design to a British officer, Major General Sir Edward Hutton the newly appointed General Officer Commanding Australian Military Forces. Hutton had earlier received as a gift from Brigadier General Joseph Gordon, a military acquaintance of long standing, a "Trophy of Arms" comprising mounted cut and thrust swords and triangular Martini Henri bayonets arranged in a semicircle around a brass crown. To Hutton the shield was symbolic of the co-ordination of the Naval and Military Forces of the Commonwealth.

The original design which was created in haste was redesigned and proudly worn by soldiers of the First Australian Imperial Force in World War I and the Second Australian Imperial Force in World War II. In 1949, when Corps and Regimental Badges were reintroduced into service the badge was changed again. The wording on the scroll of the "Rising Sun" Badge was changed to read "Australian Military Forces". In 1969 the badge was again modified to incorporate the Federation Star and Torse Wreath from the original 1902 version of the badge and the scroll wording changed to "Australia". In 1991 a new design was produced which returned the design to one similar to that of the original World War I badge. The inscription on the scroll was again changed and now reads - The Australian Army. In 1995 it changed for the last time when Major John Hambridge, the Staff Officer Clothing Support (Technical) changed the metal from 1160 aluminium back to brass, but with a gold plate, raised the crown and replaced the original peircings as it had in 1914, thus returning to its traditional layout.