balkie

plural balkies

1. A small bar worn as part of the uniform of some soldiers in the South African military.

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

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

   2 more examples

   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 ...

   2009, Ross Hesom, From Boys to Men, →ISBN, page 102

   [...] 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 ...

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