Rare Bradfield College O.T.C. (Reading) brass shoulder title.

A rare original brass shoulder title to Bradfield College O.T.C. (Reading), retaining both rear lugs and showing light age toning. A scarce early example associated with one of Britain’s long-standing public school Officer Training Corps units.

Background

The Officer Training Corps (O.T.C.) was established in 1908 as part of Lord Haldane’s reforms to prepare school and university cadets for potential military service. Bradfield College, near Reading, was among the early schools to form an O.T.C. contingent, training pupils in leadership, drill, and fieldcraft.

During both World Wars, many Bradfield cadets went on to serve as commissioned officers across the British Army and Commonwealth forces. Shoulder titles of this pattern were worn from the Corps’ formation until the introduction of anodised insignia around 1940.