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Remembered Today:

Badge identification - yeomanry


poona guard

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It does look like 1st Royal Dragoons, but the sergeants should be wearing regimental (cavalry) arm badges (on red below) and they’re not, so it would be good just to double check.

The closest I can find is the 1st Royal Devon Yeomanry Hussars.  See lowermost badge below.  Wasn’t  the regiment converted to form a Devonshire Regiment infantry battalion?  However, there does appear to be a scroll on the badge in the photo, which matches with 1st RD.

34857C87-B253-4BC3-A646-F7CA34B2008B.jpeg

66B3C3FC-2E41-4179-B5E6-B23FEFF5688B.jpeg

8460B0C3-D86B-4E65-BE28-DC8AD1AF0813.jpeg

Edited by FROGSMILE
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There is this badge but I am unsure of what age it is. '1st Royal Devon Yeomanry' written on the scroll. Very similar to the Royal Dragoons badge posted above by @FROGSMILE  ; Link here...https://www.bridgemanimages.com/en-US/english-school/drum-banners-and-cap-badges-royal-1st-devon-yeomanry-hussars-now-96th-devonshire-yeomanry-brigade/chromolithograph/asset/5205363

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1 hour ago, Bob Davies said:

There is this badge but I am unsure of what age it is. '1st Royal Devon Yeomanry' written on the scroll. Very similar to the Royal Dragoons badge posted above by @FROGSMILE  ; Link here...https://www.bridgemanimages.com/en-US/english-school/drum-banners-and-cap-badges-royal-1st-devon-yeomanry-hussars-now-96th-devonshire-yeomanry-brigade/chromolithograph/asset/5205363

That’s a brilliant spot Bob because it has the Tudor crown so it’s either Edward VII or George V and might well be the answer to our conundrum.  The absence of cavalry arm badges doesn’t chime with the regular cavalry 1st RD, whereas at that time (WW1) not all Yeomanry regiments had yet adopted arm badges.   As I thought, the 1/1st  Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry Hussars Yeomanry were converted to infantry by merging with the Royal North Devon Yeomanry to form 16th Battalion Devonshire Regiment on 4th January 1917 in 229th Bde, 74th Division and I suspect the photo shows the Reserve squadron(s) in Britain.

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Agreed it is very similar but I can find no trace of it in Kipling & King.

The photo was taken in France and shows the 16th with 74 patches.

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8 minutes ago, poona guard said:

Agreed it is very similar but I can find no trace of it in Kipling & King.

The photo was taken in France and shows the 16th with 74 patches.

If it’s definitely the 16th Bn Devon’s then I don’t think there can be much doubt that the badges are Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry, but I agree we need more confirmation.  Kipling and King is good, but there are many omissions and some known errors that have emerged since it was published.

 I can’t find an actual example of the badge so far, but am looking. 

Edited by FROGSMILE
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I had certainly though the picture to have been taken in winter, leaves are not on the trees, somewhere in UK. The architecture reminds me of England but I cannot say for certain. Edit; They look too clean to be near the front line or back areas? No visible medal ribbons though good service strips are shown so later in the war.... Another link with the same picture cigarette card written in French here; https://england1418.wordpress.com/category/1-royaume-uni/50-cavalerie/yeomanry/1st-devon-yeomanry/

Edited by Bob Davies
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6 minutes ago, Bob Davies said:

I had certainly though the picture to have been taken in winter, leaves are not on the trees, somewhere in UK. The architecture reminds me of England but I cannot say for certain. Another link with the same picture cigarette card written in French here; https://england1418.wordpress.com/category/1-royaume-uni/50-cavalerie/yeomanry/1st-devon-yeomanry/

We need to find one of those badges.  I suspect that they were worn only a short time (assuming that’s what we see) and so would be exceedingly rare.  It seems a bit odd that I can’t find an example yet though.  The museum collection (shared) is at Barnstaple: https://barnstaplemuseum.org.uk/collection/

Edited by FROGSMILE
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2 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

We need to find one of those badges.  I suspect that they were worn only a short time (assuming that’s what we see) and so would be exceedingly rare.  It seems a bit odd that I can’t find an example yet though

I agree, though carved on a CWGC head stone for a Captain in my last link. I have not seen another other than these so far.

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4 minutes ago, Bob Davies said:

I agree, though carved on a CWGC head stone for a Captain in my last link. I have not seen another other than these so far.

The other thing to examine is which Reserve Cavalry Regiment the Devon Yeomanries were a part of and see if the 1st RD were also in it.

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As far as I am aware the Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry cap badge with title scroll was only worn by officers. I have never seen an image of other ranks wearing the pattern with scroll. I am confident that the men in that photo are 1st Dragoons.      Pete.

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Here’s another photo showing a mixture of Devonshire Regiment and Royal 1st Devonshire Yeomanry.  I haven’t found any badges with scrolls other than for the 1st RD, only a button. 

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203F9298-7AFA-4114-A996-93E7A4833764.jpeg

Edited by FROGSMILE
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22 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

Here’s another photo showing a mixture of Devonshire Regiment and Royal 1st Devonshire Yeomanry.  I haven’t found any badges with scrolls other than for the 1st RD, only a button. 

5848846C-1DBB-47FE-A986-9F197686E971.jpeg

50045ED5-434E-48F1-B39F-DB9702577133.jpeg

1E189BC4-588B-4F6B-994E-BE08E6D55C50.jpeg

203F9298-7AFA-4114-A996-93E7A4833764.jpeg

You just can't help but feel pity for the unfortunate beast that is the object of their obvious amusement.     Pete.

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12 hours ago, CorporalPunishment said:

You just can't help but feel pity for the unfortunate beast that is the object of their obvious amusement.     Pete.

Yes, it’s a bit outnumbered and looks rather like a scene from ‘Warhorse’.

Edited by FROGSMILE
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24 minutes ago, poona guard said:

Has anyone seen the missing badge other than on a cigarette card? I can't find an officers badge like that either.

I’ve not been able to find one yet, but it seems odd given the appearance on the card and the design on the button.  The Barnstaple museum should hold the answer.

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Just now, poona guard said:

Has anyone seen the missing badge other than on a cigarette card? I can't find an officers badge like that either.

The only other place for the cap badge I have found is on CWGC head stones. There is no differentiation between Officers and ORS. Courtesy of 'find a grave' J Parnell is buried at

ST. MARYCHURCH (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD, TORBAY

South of Chancel.

United Kingdom

t image.png.fc2b1172c30c48b6929da855ad7205c3.png

Edited by Bob Davies
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6 minutes ago, poona guard said:

Brilliant, it was obviously used so why are there actual examples?

The jury’s still out on the actual issue of metal badges in that format Dave.

Edited by FROGSMILE
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3 hours ago, Bob Davies said:

The only other place for the cap badge I have found is on CWGC head stones. There is no differentiation between Officers and ORS. Courtesy of 'find a grave' J Parnell is buried at

ST. MARYCHURCH (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD, TORBAY

South of Chancel.

United Kingdom

t image.png.fc2b1172c30c48b6929da855ad7205c3.png

Isn't it unusual to have the royal lion facing right?

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Does ook odd, Dai - collar badges, yes (opposed pairs); dunno about cap badges though.

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Just now, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said:

Isn't it unusual to have the royal lion facing right?

Here is the Officers Head stone, facing right as well.image.png.720e31f0c5a7c9a153ab162534bf63c5.png The only picture of an Officer I found wearing the cap badge was Captain Edward Hain KIA Galipolli 1915. However there is no lower scroll to be seen. Link here;https://www.winchestercollegeatwar.com/RollofHonour.aspx?RecID=209&TableName=ta_wwifactfile

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