Kent Cyclist Bn
 

I'm having some trouble working out which is the correct pattern cap badge for this unit.

Every wm (and gm) Invicta badge on E bay these days seems to be labeled "Kent Cyclist" presumably because this would make them more valuable.

There appear to be several styles of Horse and "Invicta" in plain capitals & gothic script, K&K appears to show the same version as Gaylor who states that it was the same badge as used by the Kent Yeomanry.

Churchill shows the collar badge with the wider scroll (see below) but I haven't seen a cap badge of this pattern although there was a small collar sized badge on E Bay recently with a slider fitted?

Any advice gratefully receaved:confused:Rob.

There was an article in the MHS Bulletin of November 1966 on badges of the Cyclists- picture attached.

Whilst I have to say that errors in other articles by the same author are not unknown, the Kent cyclists badge in the article is described as follows

"This badge was the same as former West Kent Yeomanry,in white metal for other ranks and bronze for officers "



P.B.

John Gaylor does appear to have used some of the (sometimes incorrect ) information from MHS Bulletin articles in his book so caution is needed

It's a real minefield and as you quite rightly point out the books are not much help. I have two distinctively different cap badges one with loops and another with a shank but which is Cyclists or Yeomanry is anyone's guess. What is certain though is that the one you see more often than not with a very think nosed, almost horizontal horse's head is a repro or fake (I won't say restrike as I've yet to see a genuine one like it).

For those with Gothic script I've seen them sold as Dartford School OTC but whether this is correct or not I don't know.

Similar collars were worn by all sorts of public services across Kent, fireman, police, ambulancemen and I've heard even milkmen!

After a spat on another thread I'm tempted not to post pictures but as this is a subject I'd like information on in this case I will. I was actually in Maidstone Museum late yesterday afternoon and they have a very respectable collection of badges on display including a dedicated West Kent Cyclists cabinet with some lovely titles, the cap badge they have has the head at an angle similar to my looped one, hence my putting it as WK Cyclists (if you hang the cursor over the picture).

Thanks for the answers, I'm guessing loops would date your badge to pre WW1? Rob.

I'd have thought so, I suppose closer to 1908 given that shanks were introduced officially in 1906 but being TA and not authorised by ACD orders until 1916 then any time between is feasable.

I have seen various badges described as Dartford Grammar School. Cox shows a picture of the common fat horse ebay fake (lots on ebay as Kent Cyclists or yeomnary) but I believe this is one of his mistakes.

They certainly wore the West Kent horse and I have a text from the late 30s that describes them as wearing badges easily mistaken for the yeomanry's. So 3 options:

1. It was the Yeomanrys badge design together with Roman script.

2. It was very similiar with the Roman script but from a different die (maybe the differently pointed muzzle atributed to the Cyclists)

3a. It was a Gothic scripted horse the same design as the RWK but from a bespoke die.

3b. It was a RWK badge with the scroll cut away.

I would love to know if anyone actually has a attributable one.

Kent Ambulance Service
 

Version also worn by Kent Ambulance Service, image taken from TV documentary sorry about quality.
Tony.