Stuart Brown Posted 30 September , 2003 Share Posted 30 September , 2003 The below cropped image appeared in a local paper where the author is researching the family tree. Any suggestions please as to the identification of the badges which all appear to be the same. I appreciate that the quality is not good and all I can think of is Royal Artillery. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hussar Posted 30 September , 2003 Share Posted 30 September , 2003 It looks more like the Army cyclists corp badge to me? Or one of the cyclist battalions...9th Hampshire maybe?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hill 60 Posted 1 October , 2003 Share Posted 1 October , 2003 (edited) I've had a look at Jean's collection of cyclist badges and those in the picture don't match any of them; that includes the 9th Hampshire's & ACC etc. The badges do look like Artillery badges but the scrolls, in the photo, appear to go down at the ends where the scrolls on Artillery badges, in Jean's collection, appear (to me) to go up at the ends. Edited 1 October , 2003 by Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffsyeoman Posted 1 October , 2003 Share Posted 1 October , 2003 Having looked at the picture closely, I think it is in fact the North Staffordshire Regiment? Doesn't seem sufficiently 'round' or 'upright' to be the Royal Regiment's 'piece'. Just a thought... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pete Wood Posted 1 October , 2003 Share Posted 1 October , 2003 that includes the 8th Hampshire's & ACC etc Lee, Noooooooo..... I'm sure it's only a typo, but you meant the 9th Hants didn't you? The 8th Hants are my beloved Isle of Wight Rifles. They were not cyclists. The 'IoW Gurkas' badge shows a castle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hill 60 Posted 1 October , 2003 Share Posted 1 October , 2003 that includes the 8th Hampshire's & ACC etc Lee, Noooooooo..... I'm sure it's only a typo, but you meant the 9th Hants didn't you? WHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPPPPPSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!! It wasn't me, it was my finger that made the mistake.......damn you, finger (smack, smack!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hill 60 Posted 1 October , 2003 Share Posted 1 October , 2003 Having looked at the picture closely, I think it is in fact the North Staffordshire Regiment? Phil - I don't think it is the North Staffs as the the badges in the photo appear to have a circle in the centre, similer to a wheel, whereas the North Staffs have a type figure of 8 pattern. But then again, I've got a terrible track record with cap badges Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffsyeoman Posted 1 October , 2003 Share Posted 1 October , 2003 I'll stick by my guns (pun not intended) , Lee... Reasoning: 1. The scroll below is has too much downwards curl for the RA badge - there seems to be too much daylight between the bottom of the badge and the scroll. 2. The top adornment doesn't look like a crown - which to me equally rules out Cyclists, which is a very 'upright' badge - this is more spread 3. Gunner badges similarly don't allow much view of the hat behind - especially if they are the one piece, non-rotating wheel - as the barrel runs across. Also - to use John Virgo's 'commentator's eye' - it just LOOKS white metal... Just for comparison. Think I'll stick with N Staffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Brown Posted 1 October , 2003 Author Share Posted 1 October , 2003 To all who have replied, many thanks. I am grateful for your response. I cropped the image to save on space : there is a fourth soldier kneeling, same badge , image below. The author of the letter states that the photograph bears a Derby photographer's name and that the soldiers bear a "keen likeness" to her father and therefore there may well be a family link. The photograph was given to her by a cousin in Leek (Staffs) which may well tie in with Staffsyeoman's suggestion which I admit is beginning to sway me from artillery. I have since checked my photographs and have found a North Staffs picture (distant view) so I will add that below for information , am aware that one image has already been added of that badge. Thank you all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Brown Posted 1 October , 2003 Author Share Posted 1 October , 2003 North Staffs.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenwoodman Posted 1 October , 2003 Share Posted 1 October , 2003 I'm not a badge specialist by any means, but the mention of Leek took me to the The Old Leek Battery's history "Over There". There are plenty of illustrations of gunners wearing caps, and their badges show a great deal of differentiation, including ones that resemble those put up by Stuart originally. There is one illustration of an RA territorial with his uncle who is in the 5th N Staffs, which may help to decide whose badge it is. The photos put up by Stuart seem to show a circular "hole" in the centre of the badge, with a "pin" or "hub" in the middle, which would suggest a wheel. The Old Leek Battery was 231st Bde RFA 46th Division TF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Sweeney Posted 1 October , 2003 Share Posted 1 October , 2003 Struart, Can you post the whole image. In your second image it appears one man is wearing a Patt 14 belt. Infantry equipment is highly unlikely to have been issued to Artillery personnel of the RFA. Joe Sweeney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Brown Posted 1 October , 2003 Author Share Posted 1 October , 2003 Joe, As requested. I think I should have posted this in the first place. Richard, Thank you for the Leek Battery tip. Stuart Brown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest A Mafia Man Posted 1 October , 2003 Share Posted 1 October , 2003 Just a thought. Don't the Royal Artillery wear their lanyards on the opposite shoulder to other regiments ? i.e. their right. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 1 October , 2003 Share Posted 1 October , 2003 How about Lancashire Fusiliers? Check out this page from Hellfire Corner. Or this one. Basic design is a grenade, with the flame top and a lion and "Egypt" motif in the round centre of the grenade. Below that a scroll that does not bend down or up, but is straight, and then angles up at 45 degress on each side to touch the round grenade body. Blimey, hard to describe, but I reckon it's not unlike the one the 4 lads are wearing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 1 October , 2003 Share Posted 1 October , 2003 How about the Honourable Artillery Company (Artillery) - this would explain the lanyard on the left arm instead of the right. Cheers - Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Brown Posted 1 October , 2003 Author Share Posted 1 October , 2003 How about Lancashire Fusiliers? Thanks for that Chris another possibility as is Ian's. The lanyards and belt (Joe Sweeney) might be clues but my knowledge in those departments is little. I am sharing the frustration that the author of the letter is ! I have mailed the paper to pass on some bits on a few RA and one North Staffs from Derby with the required surnames and if I get any feedback will post it here. Lancashire Fusileers badge...(good description Chris) (cannot seem to control the sizing) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest A Mafia Man Posted 1 October , 2003 Share Posted 1 October , 2003 Here is another picture of Lancashire Fusiliers ! The 5th 6th 7th or 8th Bn's Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffsyeoman Posted 1 October , 2003 Share Posted 1 October , 2003 Really, it's not a Gunner badge, RA or HAC. (I used to wear one!) The barrel of the 'piece' makes a distinguishable horizontal line across the wheel and I don't see it there. Nor is it Lancashire Fusiliers - the scroll is curly, not angular - and the LF badge has no voiding. The badge in the picture clearly shows hat behind, therefore voiding present. Having enlarged the larger picture, there's definitely a Knot in there. My only doubt was that it might be SOUTH Staffs - but the larger picture shows it's not a crown above (double hence not Gunner). And the Leek corroboration? I'm sticking to my .... errr, I won't say guns... or pieces.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 1 October , 2003 Share Posted 1 October , 2003 Really, it's not a Gunner badge, RA or HAC. (I used to wear one!) Ah ha so you were one of the Ubique boys - as in not 'everywhere' but 'all over the bl**dy place'. Cheers - Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffsyeoman Posted 1 October , 2003 Share Posted 1 October , 2003 And now, "Grid Square Removers to the Gentry" (copyright 40 Field Regt RA, MLRS purveyors of this parish..) Sorry to bang on.. have just saved, enlarged (ahh the joy of picture viewer in Windows XP) and the chap on the right... there are definitely three dark segments in the 'curl' - a Stafford knot. Oh heck, send the picture to Quincy, or Amanda Burton - they always have the right answer!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewThornton Posted 2 October , 2003 Share Posted 2 October , 2003 For what it's worth, I have looked at the photo and I am more or less certain that the four chaps are North Staffords, not Gunners, HAC or Lancashire Fusiliers. They are certainly not Artillerymen as they wear 1914 Pattern Leather Equipment belts, something gunners were not issued with. I think StaffsYeoman is correct with his identification, and coming from Staffordshire myself I can spot a Stafford Knot from a hundred paces! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Evans Posted 2 October , 2003 Share Posted 2 October , 2003 I agree, North Staffords. Both North and South Staffords incorporated the Staffordshire knot in their badges but the Souths was surmounted by a crown, not feathers. Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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