S.A. POLITICAL BADGE TRUTH WILL PREVAIL GENERAL SMUTS?

[WRANGEL]

Hello,

I have in my collection this lapel hole badge which I have not precisely identified. I recognised the map of S.A. (I have lived 2 years in Cabora Bassa - Mozambique when I was a child and travelled a couple of times to Johannesburg and Cape Town) and the motto "TRUTH WILL PREVAIL - WAAREID SAL SEEVIER" both in English and Afrikaans seems to refere to General Jan SMUTS. It looks to be from the 1920-1930s.

Does anyone knows to which organisation this badge belongs to ?

Yours sincerely

Bill

[Brett Hendey]

This is the badge of the Torch Commando, a short-lived organisation of ex-servicemen founded after the Afrikaner National Party came to power in South Africa in 1948. The founder was Group Captain A G (Sailor) Malan DSO DFC, a RAF ace during the Battle of Britain. The National Party had started putting in place the foundation of 'apartheid' and the Torch Commando arranged rallies to oppose this policy.

Brett

[WRANGEL]

Hi Brett,

Thanks for the identification but something puzzles me in your explanation. This badge appears already on the cover of the 1940 book "Speeches of General J.C. Smutts", edited by the Truth Legion in Johannesburg, so how could it be used by another movement 8 years later. I am absolutely not familiar with S.A. political history so do not hesitate to tell me if I am missing a point.

Yours sincerely.

Bill

[Brett Hendey]

Hi Bill

You are not missing a point at all and it seems I may be mistaken. I was given one of these badges many years ago and was told that it had been worn by members of the Torch Commando. Perhaps the emblem was used by them because of the connection with Smuts, who was South Africa's Prime Minister during WWII and until 1948, when he lost power to the National Party. He was much admired by ex-servicemen.

Regards

Brett

[Arthur R]

As the badge bears the motto 'Truth will prevail', it seems likely to have been the Truth Legion's emblem,

[Brett Hendey]

Thanks for that further insight, Arthur. Perhaps the founding members of the Torch Commando shared the principles of the Truth Legion and derived the Commando's name from the central feature of the Legion's emblem?

Regards

Brett

[WRANGEL]

Many thanks to both of you,

I believe it could be the badge of the Truth Legion but I can't find anything so far on the web to confirm this. The University of Witwatersrand holds a large collection of Union Unity Truth and Truth Legion 1932-1948 documents (including flags, photographs, pamphlets, and so on...). I will try to contact them.

Yours sincerely.

Bill