Trying to identify cap badge

[Dahlia]

I'm trying to identify the cap badge in the attached pictures which are from the 1950s/early 60s. My guess is something to do with the Merchant Navy (I think the chap is my uncle) but my internet searches haven't helped that much.

Can anyone identify the badge or point me in the direction of the nest place to look?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Stuart]

It looks to me like a Royal Navy Petty Officer's cap badge from WW2. They do seem to vary a bit, depending on who made them. This one is on a militaria dealer's site, but there are slightly different ones on other sites:

I'd rather not rely on a sales site for identification, but for this kind of thing it's mostly what Google comes up with!

 

[NikiMac]

This photo is of a known Royal Navy Petty Officer's cap badge c 1912 from my family album

 

[Dahlia]

Thank you.

I've tried modifying the google search but it keeps showing "for sale sites". Might give duckduckgo a try.

 

[Stuart]

Perhaps I should say that some dealers are real experts, but online it can be hard to tell for one you find via Google. The same is true for other sites, if they rely on enthusiasts as volunteers (or are forums!). But nothing I've seen suggests that this one isn't what I said

I have found a current (2020) official catalogue of RN badges and insignia, which is slow to load and when it does has only small fuzzy pictures. But it does show the same features, so if there has been no decision to change it since WW2 then this is right. These features are: the anchor has a ring around it, and no wreath (as on CPO) or bigger spray of leaves (officers) outside that. The crown is quite variable, so I think that is much less distinctive.

 

[Dahlia]

Thank you Stuart! I've now found out (from his obituary) that my uncle was in the Royal Navy - the family talk only ever mentioned the Merchant Navy.
Thanks to NikiMac too.