WW1 REGIMENT CAP BADGE - CONFUSION .

[steve140968]

Could anybody please tell me whether a private and an officer of the Middlesex regiment would have worn the same design cap badge during ww1 ? Also did all battalions of the Middlesex regiment wear the same design , thanks .

Steve.

[max7474]

The badges were the same design but of different metals. The officers were bronzed or silver while the soldiers were bi-metal (gilding metal and nickel). In 1915 the nickel shortage saw all brass badges being made for soldiers until 1919. The SNCOs of the Bns after WW2 wore all white metal badges. The Territorial Bns wore the same badges but with blank scrolls in place of the regular battle honours or a couple who had been in the Boer war had South Africa scrolls in place of the regular scrolls. This difference ceased in 1922.

[steve140968]

Thanks Max , so i take it that a private who enlisted in a reserve battalion in August 1915 to then be posted to France with the 16th at the beginning of 1917 would most probably have worn the all bronze variety .

Steve.

[max7474]

No the all brass variety.

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

Although not affecting your Query,the 18th & 19th {Service}Battalions[1st & 2nd Public Works Pioneers]of the Middlesex Regiment wore a Cap Badge with the additional Scroll :~"1st{or 2nd} Public Works Pioneers"under "The Middlesex Regt;"Scroll.

Usually seen in Bi~Metal~by the time "Economy" Badges were being worn, I suspect they wore the all brass Regular badge.

[steve140968]

Thanks guys , that seems to have cleared that one up .

Steve .