Tim Roper of SteelArt is an up and coming metal work sculptor from Shropshire. Having already made a smaller gauntlet for the Bovington Officers’ Mess, his unique work was already known to us. It was felt important that every serving soldier in the RAC should make a personal contribution to demonstrate a clear sense of interest and commitment to the wider RAC and Bovington as its home, and they did. And the remaining money was generously provided by a number of sponsors and supporting organisations whose names can be found on the plinth under the Gauntlet.

The Gauntlet is not of course the badge of the RAC, which is the same “within two concentric circles broken and barbed at the top… the whole ensigned with the imperial crown” designed by Abram Games and approved by the King in 1942 to replace a rather mundane “RAC surrounded by a crown and laurel wreath”. But despite the iconic and unmistakeable design, the badge has never competed well against the many and various badges of the regiments of the newly formed RAC and after the war was only to be seen on correspondence from HQ DRAC or worn at the Junior Leaders’ Regiment. Today the situation remains much the same, although the RAC Badge is now worn by RAC personnel on the right upper arm when away from their parent regiment on an RAC appointment. 

Variations of the badge are worn by the Indian, Pakistani, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand Armoured Corps. The gauntlet is a heraldic device indicating strength, power and loyalty, so suits the RAC well. The fact that mailed fists were worn by knights during the middle ages and by Cromwell’s Ironsides is not just a coincidence but a strong association. At the Armour Centre in Bovington the “fist” is used alone, making it inclusive to all non-RAC arms and services, but throughout the army it depicts armour and is still the sign of 20 Armoured Infantry Brigade The 2.5m high Gauntlet is stainless steel, is made in three sections and weighs 500kg. It is the only art the RAC has commissioned and is impressive, especially when lit at night. All things being equal, it will be here 100 years on.