Identification of Emblem

[MatP]

Hello

 

We are looking for some assistance to try and identify what battalion an emlem relates to. 

 

Following the death of a family member we have found a emblem on a belt buckle or clasp which was hidden in a box. We know that this will likely belong to a family member but cannot establish which one currently. We have been told that the item predates ww2 and as such will have to have belonged to a serving officer in Ww1. There is now no one living I can ask to find out. 

 

Clearly the horn would appear to relate to infantry however currently I cannot find something that correctly matches the lettering or crown on the item

 

I am hoping there is someone that might help point me in the right direction to establish where this may have come from. As it would be very nice to start looking at the history of the person it belongs to if I can work it out. 

 

Many thanks

 

Matt

[FROGSMILE]

It’s the waist belt plate of one of three possible types of unit.  The most likely being one or other of the two types of part-time auxiliary forces, either a militia battalion, or battalion of rifle volunteers.  The third possibility and a much longer shot is a regiment of the British-Indian Army, although this is less likely as only a very few Europeans below Officer rank were employed by such units.
The bugle horn image was very common and initially associated with just light infantry units, but this practice was quickly followed by rifle corps too, especially during the period between the Napoleonic and Crimean Wars when it was considered ‘premier league’ for an auxiliary unit to be elevated to the status of a rifle corps.

The big clue in trying to identify the precise unit are the initials below the bugle horn, as these usually relate to the geographically associated title of the unit.

I’m confident that the belt plate has no connection with any regular regiment of the British Army.

 

NB.  Both militia and rifle volunteers were explicitly associated with their local area, so if you can indicate the areas where the family lived it might be possible to narrow potential units down.

Edited 28 September , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[CorporalPunishment]

It's Victorian and the letters are ES and, as Frogsmile says, it's most likely to be Militia or Rifle Volunteers.  Pete.

[MatP]

Firstly 

 

Thank you ever so much for the help so far. I have hopefully managed to establish some more details which might help. 

 

If the time period of the emblem is considered to be Victorian this will potentially simplify the possible area it has come from considerably as my family tree has been fairly well researched and the family lived within a small area over this period of history. Having made some phone calls I have established the following. 

 

Between 1800 and 1953 my family were primarily based solely in Suffolk (almost exclusively), further to this predominantly all of the family would have lived within a 35 mile radius of Woodbridge which would cut the area down further. 

 

I have also found quite by accident a footnote that one of the relatives was a lieutenant with the 1st volunteer brigade, Suffolk regiment where he achieved the order of merit for musketry, which would be over the relevant period of time. I don't know if this type of unit would be consistent with the possibility of where the insignia came from. 

 

Hopefully that might help

 

Many Thanks 

 

MatP

 

[Dragoon]

ES, East Suffolk Rifle Volunteers, just a guess??

 

Chris

[MatP]

That looks to be correct then. 

 

I have found the emblems for West Suffolk and 1st Suffolk rifle volunteers which is very similar to the belt clasp. Although I cannot find the east however it stands to reason that it will be the same. 

 

Thank you everyone that has helped. That is genuinely amazing. I am applying for the War Records for the person this will relate to. That has been a great find. It also means I can add some of the history to the clasp so that it has relevance to future generations.

 

Thank you

 

Kind regards

 

MatP

[FROGSMILE]

3 hours ago, MatP said:

That looks to be correct then. 

 

I have found the emblems for West Suffolk and 1st Suffolk rifle volunteers which is very similar to the belt clasp. Although I cannot find the east however it stands to reason that it will be the same. 

 

Thank you everyone that has helped. That is genuinely amazing. I am applying for the War Records for the person this will relate to. That has been a great find. It also means I can add some of the history to the clasp so that it has relevance to future generations.

 

Thank you

 

Kind regards

 

MatP

 

In 1880 all the numbered and rurally dispersed Suffolk corps (actually companies) were drawn together into two administrative battalions to improve coherence.  The 1st battalion comprised 8 companies as per a regular battalion, and the second of these admin battalions uniquely took the number of its senior company, 6th, and also comprised of eight companies with its initial HQ at Stowmarket (later moving to Bury St Edmunds).  

 

The 1st Admin Battalion of Suffolk Rifle Volunteers had its HQ at Woodbridge and was comprised as follows:

Ipswich - A, B and C companies.

Framlingham - D company.

Woodbridge - E company.

Halesworth - F company. 

Saxmundham - G company. 

Leiston - H company.

 

NB.  The helmet plate below relates to the insignia (helmet plate) after 1880, when the uniform became rifle green with black facings (the 6th Admin Battalion adopted grey with scarlet facings).  
 

Prior to 1880 each of the numbered corps had their own insignia and it's quite likely that your waist belt plate relates to the pre-1880 corps insignia.  As an example of how these could vary I include an image of the pre-1880 3rd Corps of Suffolk Rifle Volunteers pouch belt plate (remember that each pre-1880 ‘numbered corps’ was a single company based in a village, or town).

 

Edited 28 September , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[MatP]

Thank you Frogsmile. This has been one of the most interesting days I have had in ages.

 

The family member I have identified was living in Woodbridge at the time so it would definately makes sense that it will be his (or possibly his father, should the clasp be pre 1880 and not have been reissued kit) considering that we know he was a member of the 1st volunteer battalion, Suffolk. 

 

I cannot find any reference that the other family members were involved in this at the moment. So I have a bit more research to do around that.

 

Cheers

 

Matt

[FROGSMILE]

14 hours ago, MatP said:

Thank you Frogsmile. This has been one of the most interesting days I have had in ages.

 

The family member I have identified was living in Woodbridge at the time so it would definately makes sense that it will be his (or possibly his father, should the clasp be pre 1880 and not have been reissued kit) considering that we know he was a member of the 1st volunteer battalion, Suffolk. 

 

I cannot find any reference that the other family members were involved in this at the moment. So I have a bit more research to do around that.

 

Cheers

 

Matt

I know that it must seem confusing, but terminology is important and these units were known as volunteer rifle corps (VRC), and as a whole, the Volunteer Force - VF.  See: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volunteer_Force

 

In July 1881 the regular Army infantry battalions were merged with militia battalions to form territorially aligned infantry regiments and in the years immediately after (there was some resistance) the VRC were also joined with these regiments as Volunteer Battalions (VB).  Thus the 1st Admin Battalion of Suffolk VRC became the 1st Volunteer Battalion Suffolk Regiment, and the 6th Admin Battalion became the 2nd Volunteer Battalion.  After yet another significant reorganisation in 1908 the two VBs became the 5th and 6th Territorial Force Battalions of the Suffolk Regiment and fought in that guise throughout WW1.

Edited 29 September , 2020 by FROGSMILE