balkie

English

Etymology

Probably from Afrikaans balkie.

Noun

balkie (plural balkies)

1. A small bar worn as part of the uniform of some soldiers in the South African military.
   • 2009, Ross Hesom, From Boys to Men, →ISBN, page 102:

     This was accompanied by a khaki coloured shirt and tie worn with the Unit bere of black with the Unit badge and balkie in place. My intake had not been issued with this step-out uniform since the South African Defence Force was running low ...

   • 2011, JH Thompson, An Unpopular War, Penguin Random House South Africa, →ISBN:

     [...], depicted a Rooikat – worn on the top of the arm, and the same green beret with the bokkop and unit balkie.

   • 2011, Andrew Brel, The Emergency Bouzouki Player, →ISBN:

     [...] light brown shirt with tie, dark brown trousers and a brownish jacket with a balkie or unit crest worn at the top of both arms. The ensemble was finished off with the fetching green beret of II Kommando bearing the unit insignia at the front ...

Anagrams

• Bialek