Royal Irish Fusiliers fur cap badge.

[5th Battalion]

Hi, I recently aquired a R.I.F fur cap badge which came with a very old moth eaten red velvet backing. Is this correct for the badge? I would like to leave it on but only if correct. Any comments would be most appreciated. Many thanks in anticipation.

[FROGSMILE]

1 hour ago, 5th Battalion said:

Hi, I recently aquired a R.I.F fur cap badge which came with a very old moth eaten red velvet backing. Is this correct for the badge? I would like to leave it on but only if correct. Any comments would be most appreciated. Many thanks in anticipation.

It’s an officers second pattern glengarry badge.  They were slightly smaller than a fur cap grenade and had the red backing.  There was no red backing to the fur cap grenade.  The red backing to glengarry grenades was long standing and for the soldiers pre 1881 pattern badge showed through the incised precedence number cut through the ball of the grenade.  You are very fortunate to have such a superb badge, not that many have survived.  Royal Regiments had in addition to the red backing a red insert behind any central device, while for non Royal the central insert was commonly black, as per example image on glengarry.

Edited 14 March by FROGSMILE

[5th Battalion]

Wow, thanks for your rapid response and most comprehensive description on a subject I am not too familiar with. Moth eaten or not it will be staying with the badge.Thankyou once again.

 

[FROGSMILE]

Just now, 5th Battalion said:

Wow, thanks for your rapid response and most comprehensive description on a subject I am not too familiar with. Moth eaten or not it will be staying with the badge.Thankyou once again.

 

It’s a superb badge and very rare to be complete with its correct backing, you’re most fortunate.