For the British army, the cap badge is the most easily identifiable form of insignia. It represents a distillation of the pride of the regiment, its various battle honours and symbols borne proudly on the metallic emblem that was worn on all head dress, even within the trenches. Identification of the cap badge on old photographs is the first, important step in unravelling the military service of an individual. Cap badge collecting is as popular now as it has ever been; yet with a growing number of fakes and forgeries, there is a need for a book that illustrates clearly the main types, and allows the collector and family historian alike to understand their meaning.