Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith Blakeman
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.
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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.