Its funny you should say that David, I just went downstairs and had a chat to him, Richard's his name. When I asked: 1) what a British vet was doing with american jump wings he smiled at me and said that he had a right to wear them, it was given to him and every one of his unit by Americans, he said "121st (later 101st) Airborne had them shipped to England by the crateful", 2) about where he wore it during the war he said: "only on the Gala Uniform above my ribbons" 3) about the brass material used to make up the badge he said, "yes good brass, everything metal was melted down for the war effort", 4) why the lugs on the badge were post war, he said that these were lost and replaced over time as it was easy to do. 5) why this wasn't taken along with his uniform by the robber, he became tearful and said that he and his friend were given these from the Americans, the one I had in my hand belonged to a friend of his who stepped on a mine and died. He shipped his belongings back to his relatives and forgot to send the badge back. So why do I believe him? He gave it to me for our friendship, I've seen his RSL photos and his belongings from the British 16th PARA division. So given all this, is it a possibility that this was some kind of "sweetheart" wings that was made (maybe not specifically for the paras) for public relations ? There is another possibility and that he's going senile, he IS 86 but remembers locations on a map in italy like suburbs in my city and is as lucid as you or I.