Cape Medical Staff Corp Badges
 

Hello All

The badge pictured below was worn by the British Medical Staff Corps but was, I believe, also worn by some colonial Medical Staff Corps units.

The Cape Medical Staff Corps wore the same design but in white metal.

Did the colonial Cape unit or any South African unit also wear the brass version at any time?

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...ctureid=141213

Regards
Craig

Definitely worn in NSW in white metal, and I think the NSWPPMSC wore it when they deployed there.

Hi Craig,
The badge you display is that of the British 'Medical Staff Corps' and there was a white metal version worn by the British 'Volunteer Medical Staff Corps'.

I have collected medical insignia for a long time and researched the history of the South African units quite extensively through various archives and museums. As far as the Cape based medical units I have found the following:

1. An ambulance detachment of the KWTVA (King Williams Town Volunteer Artillery) was in existence between 1887 - 1888. The insignia worn consisted of a worsted red cross arm badge.

2. Volunteer Medical Staff Corps (Cape) was reformed in KWT in 1890 and existed to c.1900. They wore same insignia as the original ambulance detachment and also a worsted red cross cap badge with silver wire embellishments, worn on a torrin style side cap.

3. Cape Medical Staff Corps was formed in October 1899 and existed for duration of the Boer war. There were a number of companies formed with 'A' company been the original VMSC of KWT. They wore same insignia as VMSC(Cape) in addition to white metal collar badges as worn by the British VMSC. They also had a unique shoulder title in white metal - CMSC.

Circa 1903 the CMSC was reformed into the Volunteer Cape Medical Corps. A permanent Cape Medical Corps was also formed. These existed until 1913/14 when they became part of the South African Medical Corps.

From photographic evidence it appears that the British VMSC and MSC cap and helmet badges were not worn by any Cape medical units. The first time helmets was worn was with the formation of the CMC in 1903 but then they had there own Helmet plate.

I have included pictures of the insignia i have as worn by the CMSC and CMC units.

Regards
Steven

Thank you Kingsley, that is very interesting.

Regards
Craig

Hi Steven

Thank you for the very helpful information. And that is a really nice set of badges.

Appreciating the amount of research you have done, I am intrigued that you found no evidence of the British design being used in the Cape. Colin Owen shows a white metal example attributed to the (obviously Victorian era) CMSC, while Dr Curson (Regimental Devices...) lists the same badge in brass for the unit.

Of course, a mistake by Curson could have been repeated by Owen, so I will treat those entries as questionable for the moment and hope to find more info at some point.

Regards
Craig

Hi Craig,
Yes I have seen both Owen and Curson's references. I based my assertions on photographic evidence. The KWT museum has one of the finest Cape Medical Corps collections due to the fact that the original units were formed there.

Included in the collection are large group photographs of the unit from inception as ambulance detachment of the KWTVA all the way through to the 1930's. All the photographs prior to becoming VCMC c.1903 show two uniforms. A navy blue tunic with red trim for privates, same but with silver wire trim for NCO's and frock coats for officers. everyone wears a torrin style side cap with a red cross embroidered badge. An alternative khaki drill uniform is also shown as used in the Bechuanaland campaign and during the Boer War. Here the headdress is a slouch hat, again with same embroidered red cross badge.

We need to remember that the British Medical Staff and Medical Staff Corps, and later RAMC (post 1898) were in South Africa looking after the medical needs of the British garrison prior to WWI. So these MSC badges were used in South Africa but not by any South African formed unit. That may explain the occurrence of these insignia here and the confusion in Curson's book.

I have both the brass MSC, white metal VMSC and brass AHC version, but include them with my British medical collection.

Steven

Hi Steven

Thanks for all the information. The British connection in SA does make sense and I will treat the badges in the same way.

Regards
Craig

Good Morning Everyone......

Here is a badge, a collar I think, that has been put on to a rosette to be worn on possibly a slouch hat......

The banner on the bottom scroll it reads "MEDICAL STAFF CORPS" and on the top scroll it reads "TRANSVAAL".....

The badge is Owen 1561.....

Mike

Hi Mike,
Nice badge on rosette. This is of course a standard Transvaal Medical Staff Corps badge of the period 1903 - 1914.

I suspect the rosette may be related to a group of Nurses that were employed within the TMSC. I am aware that they wore the collar badge of the TMSC on there uniform, but seen your rosette makes me think maybe this was the full badge they wore. I have unfortunately not come across any photographs of these nurses in uniform yet.

Regards
Steven