Forester or Ranger?

[Simon J Emmerson]

Good evening, I'm after some reassurance concerning the cap badge in the photo postcard please. I think he's a Sherwood Forester but I haven't come across many Foresters with blackened cap badges. This makes me wonder if he's a member of the 12th London regiment? 

[GWF1967]

3 hours ago, Simon J Emmerson said:

Good evening, I'm after some reassurance concerning the cap badge in the photo postcard please. I think he's a Sherwood Forester but I haven't come across many Foresters with blackened cap badges. This makes me wonder if he's a member of the 12th London regiment? 

A quick look on the British Badge Forum suggests blackened cap badges were issued to N&D other ranks during WW1

[FROGSMILE]

13 hours ago, Simon J Emmerson said:

Good evening, I'm after some reassurance concerning the cap badge in the photo postcard please. I think he's a Sherwood Forester but I haven't come across many Foresters with blackened cap badges. This makes me wonder if he's a member of the 12th London regiment? 

He would normally have black buttons if 12th London Regiment.  The Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment) did not ordinarily wear blackened standard badges and I can’t recall ever seeing one.  Their 7th Battalion (Robin Hood Rifles), did, but with an entirely different cap badge within a circular wreath.

Edited 20 October , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[OLD ROBIN HOOD]

Greetings from an Old Outlaw.

In the time that I collected Sherwood Forester badges I never came across an officially blackened cap badge other than that of

The Robin Hood Rifles which, as Frogsmile pointed out, is totally different from the badge worn by the other battalions of

the regiment.  I think that the badge on the photo just looks dull.

Old Robin Hood ( late of Sherwood Forest )

[FROGSMILE]

I think it’s an all brass simplified badge as began to be issued in 1916 to speed up production.  The productions alloy specification led to badges that dulled more quickly when not cleaned.

 

Edited 20 October , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[Simon J Emmerson]

16 hours ago, GWF1967 said:

A quick look on the British Badge Forum suggests blackened cap badges were issued to N&D other ranks during WW1

Thank you for your reply and information regarding the cap badge.

6 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

He would normally have black buttons if 12th London Regiment.  The Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment) did not ordinarily wear blackened standard badges and I can’t recall ever seeing one.  Their 7th Battalion (Robin Hood Rifles), did, but with an entirely different cap badge within a circular wreath.

Thank you for your reply as always. 

[Simon J Emmerson]

5 hours ago, OLD ROBIN HOOD said:

Greetings from an Old Outlaw.

In the time that I collected Sherwood Forester badges I never came across an officially blackened cap badge other than that of

The Robin Hood Rifles which, as Frogsmile pointed out, is totally different from the badge worn by the other battalions of

the regiment.  I think that the badge on the photo just looks dull.

Old Robin Hood ( late of Sherwood Forest )

I was wondering if the 2/6th wore blackened cap badges during the rising in Ireland. 

[max7474]

3 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

I think it’s an all brass simplified badge as began to be issued in 1916 to speed up production.  The productions alloy specification led to badges that dulled more quickly when not cleaned.

 

There was not an all brass 1916 economy version of this badge and if there had been they would have had sliders.  The badge shown is a lugged Gaunt made badge which was probably bought by the pre war 8th Bn TF.  The soldier may be wearing one of course using pre war stocks.

[FROGSMILE]

1 hour ago, max7474 said:

There was not an all brass 1916 economy version of this badge and if there had been they would have had sliders.  The badge shown is a lugged Gaunt made badge which was probably bought by the pre war 8th Bn TF.  The soldier may be wearing one of course using pre war stocks.

Thanks Max.  I really just wanted to show how and why an all brass badge might look dull, but your important point about the exclusion of the regiment from the list of official, war office issue, 1916 production badges is noted.  It is possible of course that it’s just an uncleaned and very dull standard badge.

Edited 20 October , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[mark holden]

I am not aware that the Sherwood Foresters ever wore a blackened cap badge. Certainly the late Cliff Housely did not catalogue such a version in his book. I think it’s just a dull version or the quality of the original photo negative.

[OLD ROBIN HOOD]

Greetings from the hideout

I do recall discussing this very topic with Cliff Housley many years ago . He said that he did not believe that a blackened Foresters cap badge 

had ever been officially issued . 

Old Robin Hood .