Canada. Two First War Cef Machine Gun Corps Cap Badges

Canada; First cap badge is bronze, unmarked, 52.3 mm (w) x 43.5 mm (h), both lugs intact. Second cap badge is bronze, 52 mm (w) x 44.5 mm, with a replacement slider, spots of greening. Light contact, near extremely fine.

Footnote: When war came in 1914, millionaire Raymond Brutinel, a French army reserve officer who was living in Montreal, in collaboration with a prominent lawyer, Clifford Sifton, hit upon the idea of mounting machine guns on armoured cars, thus providing the double threat of firepower and mobility. Sifton took the idea to the Minister of Militia, Colonel (later Sir) Sam Hughes, who enthusiastically endorsed the plans and authorized the organization of the 1st Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade.