Ww1 unit mystery cap badge

[FROGSMILE]

The local yeomanry cavalry regiment to the areas you’ve defined was the Duke of Lancaster’s Own Yeomanry.  I think that is very probably the cap badge he is wearing but with just the lower half showing and the ducal coronet at the top obscured by the caps top folded down slightly (he’s wearing a 1915 soft cap).  
The regimental collar badge was a plain brass rose and the arm badge a representation of the ducal coronet.  However, the appearance of the badge in the photo is too small, and it seems unlikely to be a collar badge, so all-in-all the jury is still out I think.

 

Edited 27 May , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[Dragoon]

1 hour ago, PhilB said:

Any comment on the other item on the front of the cap?

PhilB has a point, the chap may not even be wearing a cap badge, there is glare or some sort of damage to the photo to the right of the cap, it's very similar to the thing in the cap badge area, it may just be damage on the photo in the place where the badge should be , what do others think?

 

Chris

[Dragoon]

Canadian General Service..??

[FROGSMILE]

40 minutes ago, Dragoon said:

PhilB has a point, the chap may not even be wearing a cap badge, there is glare or some sort of damage to the photo to the right of the cap, it's very similar to the thing in the cap badge area, it may just be damage on the photo in the place where the badge should be , what do others think?

 

Chris

Yes I saw that Chris and at first thought it might be a recruiting favour (ribbons, etc), but after squinting at it I concluded it’s more like a flaw.

 

19 minutes ago, Dragoon said:

Canadian General Service..??

 

The shapes right but as with the previous options I think it’s too big.  The badge in the OP photo is no bigger than collar insignia.

Edited 27 May , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[4thGordons]

I actually don't think it is a flaw and think it is more like a flag day flag/recruiting/fundraising ribbon as I suggested above.

 

In general the print appears to be largely damage free but is slightly glossy creating the difficulty with glare (which also accentuates the texture of the photographic paper) when photographed and conceals the detail

Chris.

[FROGSMILE]

44 minutes ago, 4thGordons said:

I actually don't think it is a flaw and think it is more like a flag day flag/recruiting/fundraising ribbon as I suggested above.

 

In general the print appears to be largely damage free but is slightly glossy creating the difficulty with glare (which also accentuates the texture of the photographic paper) when photographed and conceals the detail

Chris.

I had another careful look and having second thoughts now, it does seem to be superimposed, which would fit with a flag or favour.  It’s not really relevant to making an ID though and we’re on the cusp of flogging this to death for no gain.

 

A final thought from me is the Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry, which was the other yeomanry unit in that part of the world.  

It was headquartered at Penrith with the squadrons being headquartered as follows:

 

A Squadron: Kendal (with drill stations at Carnforth, Kirkby Lonsdale, Ulverston and Windermere)

B Squadron: Penrith (Keswick, Temple Sowerby and Cockermouth)

C Squadron: Whitehaven (Workington, Maryport and Barrow in Furness)

D Squadron: Carlisle (Wigton and Alston).

 

Like most yeomanry regiments of that time there was a first line unit and second and third line duplicates.

 

In July 1916 the second line, 2/1st Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry, converted to a cyclist unit under orders of 14th Cyclist Brigade, at Cupar near Fife. The Brigade was renamed 10th Cyclist Brigade in October 1916.  It moved to 

 Lincolnshire in late 1917 and Ireland in 

May 1918, where it remained until the end of the war. 

 

I’m not sure if the timeline chimes with the post cards referred to by Ruth?  Also the cap badge doesn’t fit, again because of size, and the collar badge seems too perfectly oval when compared with whatever’s on the cap in the opening photograph.

 

Edited 27 May , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[PhilB]

It is possible that this man is second line yeomanry and I imagine that they might have been at the back of the queue when it came to ordering new badges. That being the case, his badge could be, say, a collar badge pushed into service. I can only see it as either a small crown or three feathers which doesn`t match any regular badge.

[Dragoon]

4 hours ago, PhilB said:

It is possible that this man is second line yeomanry and I imagine that they might have been at the back of the queue when it came to ordering new badges. That being the case, his badge could be, say, a collar badge pushed into service. I can only see it as either a small crown or three feathers which doesn`t match any regular badge.

I've mentioned in other posts that I've several Yorkshire Dragoons photos of, first line, wearing collar badges as cap badges, some wear black versions of the cap badge some the brass, so quite a mix.

Going back to this chap on the thought of collar badges as cap badges, the North Devon Hussars wore just a crown as a collar, and I believe there was another Yeomanry Regiment that also did, but I can't remember which one.

Tough one this!

Chris