Bedfordshire Regiment Volunteer Battalions. HEL......P!
 

How confusing is this?

I now have 4 white-metal badges, which I believe to be to the Bedfordshire Regiment? However despite them bearing the titles, which do you think is which???

I'm pretty sure they are all genuine, the badge which bears the title on the base scroll (BS) 1.V.B.BEDFORDSHIRE is the latest acquisition and is probably a third smaller overall than the other three badges. The three larger badges all appear to be struck using the same die, as they all have the same fault to the first "D" in Bedfordshire on the BS. One plain (Generic Vols?) and the other two having "3R D VOLUNTEER BATTN" and "1S T HERTS V.B." on applied(pinned) Upper Scrolls. Do you think the 1st Herts VB is in fact the badge of the 2VB Beds?

Does anyone have a badge which bears the 2nd Bn title in any form?

Also, what badge did the Militia Bns wear?

....And what did the 4th Hunts Bn wear?

Andy

Regimental structure (From Here)

When the Bedfordshire Regiment was formed on 1 July 1881, it consisted of two regular, two militia and three volunteer battalions, with the regimental depot being based at Kempston barracks:

1st Battalion (formerly 1st Battalion, 16th (Bedfordshire) Regiment of Foot raised in 1688)
2nd Battalion (formerly 2nd Battalion, 16th (Bedfordshire) Regiment of Foot raised 1858)
3rd (Militia) Battalion (formerly Bedfordshire Light Infantry Militia)
4th (Militia) battalion (formerly Hertfordshire Militia)
1st Hertfordshire Rifle Volunteer Corps: redesignated 1st (Hertfordshire) Volunteer Battalion in 1887[11]
2nd Hertfordshire Rifle Volunteer Corps: redesignated 2nd (Hertfordshire) Volunteer Battalion in 1887 [11]
1st Bedfordshire Rifle volunteer Corps: redesignated 3rd Volunteer Battalion in 1887 [11]

In 1900 the 4th (Huntingdonshire) Volunteer Battalion was also raised.

Under the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 the reserve battalions were reorganised in 1908:

The two militia battalions were renamed as the 3rd (Reserve) and 4th (Special Reserve) Battalions.
The 1st and 2nd Volunteer Battalions were merged to form The Hertfordshire Battalion (Territorial Force)
The 3rd and 4th VBs became the 5th Battalion (TF)

The following year the Hertfordshire Battalion left the regiment to become the 1st Battalion The Hertfordshire Regiment.

Bedfordshire Regiment.
 

Andy, as an old "Bedfordshire Clanger" I've taken a great interest in this regiment over the years. The 3rd.(Militia) Bn. Wore the regular pattern bi-metal cap badge, though I have heard of a reversed metals badge but seeing is believing. The 4th. (Herts. Militia) Bn. wore the regular pattern but with "Hertfordshire" in place of "Bedfordshire" on the title scroll, a rare badge. 5th. Bn. (TF). wore the regular pattern but all in white metal like the one you show. I have seen all four of the VBs with attached upper scrolls in a private collection that was apparently started before WW1. If I was still collecting I'd seriously covet the small badge you have there!!.

I have seen a picture of a badge having an upper title like the 3RD VB you show, but with 2ND.
(In fact, I have a bad copy of it, but I do not know who has the copyright, thus I will not post it).

IMHO the one with 1st HERTS V.B. is for the 1st (Hertfordshire) Volunteer Battalion. Thus two different badges for this unit.

Bedfords
 

Andy, lovely Bedford badges, thanks for sharing them.

Rob

4th Herts Militia
 

It's not very often that I have something that I consider worth posting about. My Herts Militia :-)

Thats a cracking badge.

regards

The 1stVB adopted the scarlet uniform along with various head dress. They wore the badge with additional scroll on the Broderick cap and peaked forage cap. The smaller size badge was for the field Service cap.

The 2ndVB wore the grey uniform through to 1908 with first the glengarry and then the FS cap on which they wore a collar badge.

I am getting my information from studying the photographs in JD Sainsbury's The Hertfordshire Regiment.

So although a 2ndVB badge with applied scroll appears in K&K I don't think it could have been worn much if at all.

May I suggest this is the cap badge of the 2ndVB.

Graham.
.

There is a small size w/m badge with 4VB BEDFORDSHIRE on the scroll for the FS cap.

Graham

Latest additions

2VB Beds with pinned title scroll

The rear

All Wm Hert/Stag..

And the rear (sorry for individually posted images) iPhone only permits one image at a time)

Andy

Small 4VB

Small 1VB WM Bedfordshire badge that at first glance I thought was a collar badge.

Worn on field service cap I learn from the thread above, cheers Dean.

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