Cap Badge Identification Please From IWM March 1918 Photo

[Rgb]

Hello, I'm trying to identify the cap badge of the chap looking directly at camera at the centre of this photo taken from the IWM collections website.

 

Caption reads: "Battle of St. Quentin. British walking wounded leaving a RAMC casualty clearing station near Bapaume which was captured the next day, 23 March 1918. Note a lorry of the 16th (Irish) Division in the background."

Are those Wales feathers at the top? A cross in the centre? I can't figure it out, any help would be gratefully received.

He looks like a chap I'm researching but I've checked it against those badges and it doesn't match (8th Manchesters / 12th East Surrey). So now it's just a point of frustration for me - I need to know to simply put my mind at rest.

Thanks for any guidance.

[Rgb]

Rifle Brigade? Post Office Rifles perhaps?

The cross seems very square  in comparison though, and the top looks like separate points rather than a crown.

[Michelle Young]

Other possible candidates, Leeds Rifles, 17th and 19th City of London. Calling @FROGSMILEand @CorporalPunishment

[FROGSMILE]

51 minutes ago, Michelle Young said:

Other possible candidates, Leeds Rifles, 17th and 19th City of London. Calling @FROGSMILEand @CorporalPunishment

It looks like it might be 19th London Regiment (St Pancras) to me, but it’s very blurred.  The crown standing proud was quite distinctive.  However they did not favour the black buttons shown.

The 8th London Regiment (Post Office Rifles) is another strong possibility, especially given that he appears to have black buttons.

Edited 9 November , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[FROGSMILE]

We also shouldn’t forget units like the Robin Hood Rifles (see soldier below) and Leeds Rifles.  Both cap badge and buttons appear to be black, so in hindsight that wouldn’t match with 8th Londons.

Edited 9 November , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[CorporalPunishment]

I would rule out the 19th Londons on account of the fact that, in spite of the RB pattern cap badge, they were not a Rifles battalion and did not, to the best of my knowledge, ever wear black Rifles buttons. I think the single curved shoulder titles rule out the Robin Hoods and the Leeds Rifles as well. The most likely one for me would be the 17th Londons, shoulder titles possibly being " County of London".      Pete.

[FROGSMILE]

20 minutes ago, CorporalPunishment said:

I would rule out the 19th Londons on account of the fact that, in spite of the RB pattern cap badge, they were not a Rifles battalion and did not, to the best of my knowledge, ever wear black Rifles buttons. I think the single curved shoulder titles rule out the Robin Hoods and the Leeds Rifles as well. The most likely one for me would be the 17th Londons, shoulder titles possibly being " County of London".      Pete.

Yes I agree about black buttons.  Mentioned them in first post.  I think that 17th London’s is a good call and resolves the matching black badge and buttons neatly.  It needs the formations mentioned in the IWM photo to be examined to see what other divisions were on the Irish divisional boundary, and establish what rifles battalions might’ve been in that vicinity.  The 17th London shoulder title seems a bit shorter in length though - with just 6-letters - than that in photo.

Edited 9 November , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[CorporalPunishment]

There were shoulder titles made with smaller sized letters bearing the full COUNTY OF LONDON title, these are what I think are being worn. By 1918 that type was in use without the T/17 above it.    Pete.

[FROGSMILE]

57 minutes ago, CorporalPunishment said:

There were shoulder titles made with smaller sized letters bearing the full COUNTY OF LONDON title, these are what I think are being worn. By 1918 that type was in use without the T/17 above it.    Pete.

Like these.  Yes, that would fit. 

Edited 9 November , 2023 by FROGSMILE