41
The 79th, Cameron Highlanders
1873 The 79th, The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
1881 The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
Letter Crests
“CAMERON HIGHLANDERS”
79th Cameron Highlanders Other Ranks pre 1871
“CAMERON HIGHLANDERS”
79th Cameron Highlanders Other Ranks pre 1871
Variation in the spacing of letters in the outer ring.
Photo Courtesy of Broadsword Antiques, Glasgow
33
The 75th Regiment of Foot
1862 The 75th, The Stirlingshire Regiment
1881 The Gordon Highlanders
The 92nd Regiment of Foot
1861 The 92nd (Gordon Highlanders) Regiment
1881 The 2nd Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders
Letter Crests
“REGIMENT”
75th Stirlingshire Regiment Officers, worn 1855-1862.
(Ryan.110)
“STIRLINGSHIRE” / “REGIMENT”
75th Stirlingshire Regiment Officers, worn 1862-1881.
(Ryan.111)
75th Stirlingshire Regiment Other Ranks, worn 1855-1871?.
92nd Gordon Highlanders Officers, pre 1881.
Photo Courtesy of Broadsword Antiques, Glasgow
92nd Gordon Highlanders Officers (Variation).
“GORDON” / “HIGHLANDERS”
92nd Gordon Highlanders Other Ranks Pre.1871
“GORDON HIGHLANDERS”
1881 – 1890
“BON ACCORD”
1st Aberdeenshire Rifle Volunteers, became 1st Volunteer Battalion Gordon Highlanders. White metal.
1st Aberdeenshire Rifle Volunteers, in brass, outer ring as per the white metal example.
“2nd ABERDEENSHIRE R.V”
2nd Aberdeenshire Rifle Volunteers, 1860-1880
“SECOND ABERDEENSHIRE RIFLES”
Second Aberdeenshire Rifles, 1880-1883, became 2nd Volunteer Battalion Gordon Highlanders in 1884.
“4th Ab R V” / “ALFORD”
4th Aberdeenshire Rifle Volunteers, became part of the 4th Volunteer Battalion The Gordon Highlanders 1880.
“19th ABERDEENSHIRE RIFLES” / “INSCH”
19th Aberdeenshire Rifles Volunteers, INSCH, became part of the 4th Volunteer Battalion The Gordon Highlanders 1880.
“BANFFSHIRE RIFLE VOLUNTEERS”
Banffshire Rifle Volunteers became 6th Volunteer Battalion The Gordon Highlanders.
39
The 72nd, The Duke of Albany’s Own Highlanders
1881 The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany’s)
The 78th, Ross-shire Buffs
1881 2nd Battalion, The Seaforth Highlanders (Rossshire Buffs, The Duke of Albany’s)
Letter Crests
The 72nd, The Duke of Albany’s Own Highlanders, Officers.
The 72nd, The Duke of Albany’s Own Highlanders.
Other Ranks Pre.1871
The 78th, Ross-shire Buffs Highlanders, Officers.
The 78th, Ross-shire Buffs Highlanders, Other ranks pre-1871. Centre would be a large “78”.
The Seaforth Highlanders Dirk Plate 1881-1890
“SANS PEUR”
(Without Fear)
Seaforth Highlanders Rifle Volunteers, became the 5th (Sutherland and Caithness) Volunteer Battalion the Seaforth Highlanders.
“HIGHLAND MOUNTED INFANTRY” / “ALBANY”
Highland Mounted Infantry, Albany. I’m connecting this partial clasp to the Seaforth’s due to the fact they did raise or contribute companies to mounted infantry units during a few campaigns in the late 19th Infantry. I may be wrong and its a colonial clasp, but information appears very scarce.
45
The 71st, Highland Light Infantry
1881 The Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment)
The 74th (Highlanders) Regiment
1881 2nd Battalion, The Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment)
Letter Crest
71st Highland Light Infantry Other Ranks Buckle c.1860.
Photo Courtesy of Broadsword Antiques, Glasgow
“HIGHLAND” / “LIGHT INFANTRY”
71st Highland Light Infantry Other Ranks pre 1871.
“HIGHLAND” / “LIGHT INFANTRY”
71st Highland Light Infantry Other Ranks pre 1871.
Variation in number style.
Photo Courtesy of Broadsword Antiques, Glasgow
74th Highland Light Infantry Officers Waist Belt Clasp, 1846-1881.
Photo Courtesy of Broadsword Antiques, Glasgow
“HIGHLANDERS”
74th Highlanders Other Ranks pre 1871.
Highland Light Infantry Officers Waist Belt Clasp Post 1881.
40
The 60th (The Duke of York’s Rifle Corps and Light Infantry) Regiment
Letter Crests
“TOWER HAMLETS RIFLES”
Tower Hamlets Rifles Officers Silver Hallmarked for 1870,
Maker marked to T B Wilkins Ltd, Birmingham.
Went over to the Royal Fusiliers in 1904.
“TOWER HAMLETS RIFLES”
Tower Hamlets Rifles Officers white metal,
Went over to the Royal Fusiliers in 1904.
“TOWER HAMLETS RIFLES”
Tower Hamlets Rifles Other Ranks blackened brass,
Went over to the Royal Fusiliers in 1904.
“THE QUEENS OWN” / “LIGHT INFANTRY”
The Queens Own Light Infantry, Tower Hamlets Militia.
In 1793 this Battalion completed for service as the” 2nd or Queen’s Own Tower Hamlets Militia”, and was subsequently designated “The Queen’s Own Light Infantry”
In 1864 the Regiment was named “The Queen’s Own Royal Tower Hamlets Militia”, and in 1881, under Territorial organization, the 5th Battalion The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort’s Own).
“SOUTH MIDDLESEX” / “RIFLE VOLUNTEERS”
South Middlesex Rifle Volunteers Other Ranks. Formed 14th October, 1859 at Waltham Green. Joined KRRC in 1881 as a VB but retained designation until it became the 10th Bn. Middlesex Regiment 1st April, 1908.
“37th MIDDLESEX RIFLE VOLUNTEERS”
37th St Giles and St Georges Middlesex Volunteer Rifles formed 1860.
Became the 19th St Giles and St Georges Bloomsbury Rifles in 1880.
Became a Volunteer battalion of the Rifle Brigade in 1881 without change of title.
18
The 53rd (Shropshire) Regiment of Foot
1881 The King’s Shropshire Light Infantry
The 85th (Bucks Volunteers) King’s Light Infantry
1881 2nd Battalion, The King’s Shropshire Light Infantry
Letter Crests
“SHROPSHIRE” / “REGIMENT”, Centre CROWN over 53
(Ryan fig.86) Photo needed
“THE SHROPSHIRE” / “REGIMENT”
Other Rank’s Pre.1871
“THE SHROPSHIRE” / “REGIMENT”
Other Rank’s Pre.1871, Variation in style of “5”.
“THE KING’S LIGHT INFANTRY” / “REGIMENT”
Worn 1855-1881 (Ryan Fig.123)
“THE KING’S LIGHT INFANTRY” / “REGIMENT”
Worn 1855-1881, Variation in details of the bugle and numbers.
(Ryan Fig.123)
Another version is said to exist with the outer ring “AUCTO SPLENDORE RESURGO”, from the Gaunt collection, but may never have been worn. The centre is as fig.123
(Ryan fig.125)
“THE KING’S LIGHT INFANTRY”
85th Other Rank’s Pre.1881
“SHROPSHIRE” / “REGIMENT”
Worn briefly 1881-1882 (Ryan fig.222)
“THE KING’S LIGHT INFANTRY” / “REGIMENT”
(Ryan fig.223) Photo needed
“SHROPSHIRE” / “LIGHT INFANTRY”
Worn 1882-1901 (Ryan fig.224)
Example “THE SHROPSHIRE” / “REGIMENT” seen. Photo needed.
“SHROPSHIRE” / “MILITIA” Officers.
“SHROPSHIRE” / “RIFLE VOLUNTEERS” Other Ranks.
“1st BATt SHROPSHIRE RIFLE VOLUNTEERS” Officers.
(Photo courtesy of Roy @ http://www.britishbadgeforum.com)
“1st SHROPSHIRE RIFLE VOLUNTEERS” Other Ranks.
In 1888, the 1st and 2nd Shropshire Rifle Volunteers became 1st and 2nd Volunteer Battalions, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry.
Shropshire Rifle Volunteers Other Ranks.
“HEREFORDSHIRE RIFLE VOLUNTEERS”
6th order of precedence in the Rifle Volunteers
“HEREFORDSHIRE RIFLE VOLUNTEERS”
1881 it became the volunteer battalion of King’s Shropshire Light Infantry
“HEREFORD” / “MILITIA”
Hereford Militia.
1881 it became the 4th battalion of King’s Shropshire Light Infantry
17
The 51st King’s Own Light Infantry (Second Yorkshire West Riding)
1881 The King’s Own Light Infantry (South Yorkshire Regiment)
1887 The King’s Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry)
105th
1839 The 2nd Madras (European Light Infantry) Regiment
1858 The 2nd Madras (Light Infantry) Regiment
1861 The 105th Regiment of Foot (Madras Light Infantry)
1881 2nd Battalion, The King’s Own Light Infantry (South Yorkshire Regiment) 1887 2nd Battalion, The King’s Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry)
Letter Crests
“KING’S OWN” / “LIGHT INFANTRY”
Officers 1855 Early pattern, perhaps only worn briefly.
Notice the lack of “THE” in the title.
Conforms to the dress regulations.
Ryan shows a similar example to the above but with a Crown above the bugle and the title “THE KINGS OWN” above “LIGHT INFANTRY”,
See further on for an example with the 51 removed.
(Ryan fig.80) Photo Needed
Ryan shows another example similar to fig 82 below, but with the title “THE KING’S OWN” above “LIGHT INFANTRY”
(Ryan fig.81) Photo needed
“THE KINGS OWN LIGHT INFANTRY”
51st The Kings Own Light Infantry Officers 1855-1881 (Ryan fig.82)
“THE KING’S OWN LIGHT INFANTRY”
Officers 1855-1881
Similar to above, with slight differences to centre and a apostrophe in KING’S.
“THE KING’S OWN LIGHT” / ” INFANTRY”
Officers state dress? 1855-1881
(Ryan fig.83)
“THE KINGS OWN” / “LIGHT INFANTRY”
Other Ranks pre 1871
“MADRAS LIGHT INFnt”
105th Madras Light Infantry Officers 1861-1881
(Ryan fig.157
105th Madras Light Infantry Other Ranks 1861-1871.
Photo with outer ring needed.
“THE KINGS OWN LIGHT INFANTRY”
This is an interesting clasp, I have recorded a number of examples of this, it is a pre-1881 clasp with the number 51 removed from between the bugle strings. This suggests it was continued to be worn post 1881. The bugle rather than horn is unusual.
It is possible the numbered example recorded by Ryan fig.80 was one of these unmodified, and she just made a small mistake in the layout of the outer title as she used an old auction description.
All examples I’ve see have matching benchmarks, so the centre is not a mismatch. No apostrophe in KINGS.
“THE KING’S OWN LIGHT INFANTRY”
Officers 1881-1887
Motto Cede Nullis (Yield to none)
(Ryan fig.218)
“THE KINGS OWN LIGHT INFANTRY”
No Apostrophe Officers 1881-1887
Versions of the above clasp exist with and without the apostrophe in “KINGS”.
“THE KINGS OWN LIGHT INFANTRY”
Officers 1881-1901
No crown but larger bugle/rose and motto, matching and never altered, a number of examples have been noted without a crown.
Motto Cede Nullis (Yield to none)
(Ryan fig.219)
“THE YORKSHIRE” / “LIGHT INFANTRY”
Officers 1887-1901
(Ryan fig.220)
A kings crown version has been recorded.
(Ryan fig.221) Photo needed
“THE YORKSHIRE” / “LIGHT INFANTRY”
The Yorkshire Light Infantry 1st Volunteer Battalion 1887-1901
All white metal.
“THE YORKSHIRE Lt INFry” / “1st VOLr BATTn”
The Yorkshire Light Infantry 1st Volunteer Battalion 1887-1901
All white metal.
“9th WEST YORK” / “RIFLE VOLr CORPS”
9th West York Rifle Volunteer Corps
(Extremely rare clasp only worn for a few months.)
Raised 17th November 1859 at Wakefield, renumbered the 5th in July, 1860. Became 1st VB King’s Own Light Infantry (South Yorkshire Regiment) in 1883.
15
The 50th, or the Queen’s Own Regiment
1881 The Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent) Regiment
The 97th, or Earl of Ulster’s Regiment
1881 The 2nd Battalion, The Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent) Regiment
Letter Crests
Officers 1855-1881
note no apostrophe in “QUEENS”.
Officers 1855-1881
note with apostrophe in “QUEEN’S”.
(Ryan fig.79) (Photo courtesy of N.Bristow Collection)
50th Other ranks 1855-1871
(Photo courtesy of N.Bristow Collection)
Officers 1855-1881
“THE EARL OF ULSTER’S” / “REGIMENT”
(Ryan fig.141)
Officers 1855-1881
“THE EARL OF ULSTERS” / “REGIMENT”
Another variation exists with no apostrophe in ULSTERS.
(Photo courtesy of N.Bristow Collection)
Another version exists without “THE” in the title
(Ryan fig.140) Photo needed.
Other Rank’s 1855-1871
“EARL OF ULSTER’S” / “REGIMENT”
Note lacks “THE” in the title.
Other Rank’s 1855-1871
“THE EARL OF ULSTER’S” / “REGT”
(Photo courtesy of N.Bristow Collection)
“THE QUEEN’S OWN” / “REGIMENT”
Officers 1881-1902 (Ryan fig.217)
note with apostrophe in “QUEEN’S”.
“THE QUEENS OWN” / “REGIMENT”
Officers 1881-1902 ?
note without apostrophe in “QUEENS”.
The right version with Silver Lion and Crown as per dress regulations, the left with a Gilt Lion and Crown.
1st Volunteer Battalion – former 1st Kent Rifle Volunteer Corps
3rd Volunteer Battalion – former 4th Kent (Royal Arsenal) Rifle Volunteer Corps
West Kent Light Infantry Militia
(Photo courtesy of N.Bristow Collection)
Militia Officers Silver Hallmarked for Birmingham 1885,
Possibly former 1st Battalion, West Kent Light Infantry Militia
Quo Fas et Gloria Ducunt – Where Right and Glory Lead
Volunteer Rifle Corps
(Ex Hugh King Collection)
11
The 49th, or Princess of Wales’s Hertfordshire Regiment
1881 Princess Charlotte of Wales’s Berkshire Regiment
1885 The Regiment granted the title ‘Royal’
The 66th, or Berkshire Regiment
1881 2nd Battalion, Princess Charlotte of Wales’s Berkshire Regiment
Letter Crests
“PRINCESS CHARLOTTE OF WALES’S”
49th Princess Charlotte of Wales’s Officers worn 1855-1881 (Ryan Fig.78)
I have seen a slight variation, with a dividing Star at the bottom of the outer ring. (Photo needed)
“PRINCESS CHARLOTTE OF WALES’S”
49th Princess Charlotte of Wales’s Other Ranks worn Pre.1871
“THE BERKSHIRE” / “REGIMENT”
66th “THE” Berkshire Regiment, Worn 1855-1881
(Ryan Fig.101)
“BERKSHIRE” / “REGIMENT”
No “The”, Worn 1855-1881
(Ryan Fig.100)
66th Other Ranks Pre.1871
“THE BERKSHIRE” / “REGIMENT”
Worn 1881-1885 (Ryan Fig.215)
“ROYAL BERKSHIRE” / “REGIMENT”
Worn 1885-1901 (Ryan Fig.216)
“ROYAL BERKSHIRE” / “REGIMENT”
Rare variation with a different style of Dragon, I have also observed this dragon on a “The Berkshire Regiment” clasp.
Comparison of the two dragon variations, it may possibly be due to two different makers supplying the 1st and 2nd Battalions, given that the two styles of dragon were used in both “THE” and “ROYAL” versions of the clasps.
“ROYAL BERKSHIRE” / “MILITIA”
Royal Berkshire Militia became 3rd Battalion the Berkshire Regiment in 1881.
“1st BERKS RIFLE VOLTr CORPS”
1st Berkshire Rifle Volunteer Corps Other Ranks, became 1st Volunteer Battalion Berkshire Regiment in 1882.
“BERKSHIRE VOLUNTEER RIFLES”
Berkshire Volunteer Rifle, Officers, became the 1st Volunteer Battalion the Berkshire Regiment in 1882.
“BERKSHIRE VOLUNTEER RIFLES”
Berkshire Volunteer Rifle, Other Ranks, became the 1st Volunteer Battalion the Berkshire Regiment in 1882.
7
The 48th, or Northamptonshire Regiment
1881 The Northamptonshire Regiment
The 58th, Rutlandshire Regiment
1881 2nd Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment
Letter Crest
“NORTHAMPTONSHIRE” / “REGIMENT”
48th Northhamptionshire Regiment
Worn 1855-1881 (Ryan Fig.77)
“MONTIS INSIGNIA CALPE” / “LVIII REGt”
MONTIS INSIGNIA CALPE – ‘By the sign of the Rock’
58th Regiment pre 1855?
“RUTLANDSHIRE” / “REGIMENT”
58th Rutlandshire Regiment
Worn 1855-1881 (Ryan Fig.91)
“THE RUTLANDSHIRE” / “REGIMENT”
58th Rutlandshire Regiment, Other Ranks Pre.1871
“RUTLANDSHIRE” / “REGIMENT”
58th Rutlandshire Regiment without “THE” in the title, Other Ranks Pre.1871
“NORTHAMPTONSHIRE” / “REGIMENT”
Northamptonshire Regiment
Worn 1881-1901 (Ryan Fig.214)
“NORTHAMPTONSHIRE” / “RIFLE VOLUNTEERS”
2nd Northamptonshire Rifle Volunteers, became “B” company of the new 1st Corps in 1880. Became 1st Volunteer Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment in 1887.
by