8th Light Horse Regiment

[Paul Wilson]

G'day. Ive just joined up on here, & i am looking for some help please to find any Australian 8th LHR badges or related photos etc for sale, as my Grandfather was in this unit in WW1 & i am in the process of creating a framed memorial of him, to give to my mother as an 80th birthday gift.
No family members have any idea where his original medals are. Any help whatsoever would be truly appreciated ! Cheers, Paul

[Lancer 17]

G'day Paul

If your grand father was in the 8th LH during WW1 he would have worn a rising sun as regimental badges were not worn.

If he was in the 8th LH Malita proir to WW1 he would have worn an 8th LH badge

Jeff Cossums book on 1900 to 1930 badges lists the 8th LH badge as being enamel on brass and it is rated as rare. The badge is a garter with a rearing horse in the centre with a Kings crown on top and AUSTRALIA in a scroll below. The 1930 to 42 period malitia badge is different with a horse between 2 wattle bows with a Kings Crown and 8 and a motto in a scroll below all in white metal or oxodised.

Try doing a Google search to see if one is for sale anywhere, it will be expensive if you can find one.

Regards

Phil.

[Paul Wilson]

Thanks Phil

Thanks for your reply mate !
With a lot of help from some very kind individuals just recently,
I have managed to track down a very small light blue enamel on brass
8th light horse AIF regimental association badge that has a scroll
underneath that reads "more majorum" (i think)
Is this the badge that you were refering to, or is there another badge.
If so, any idea where i can source a photo online so i know what to look for ?

Cheers, Paul

[lettman]

Paul,
If it's for general display your best option is to make up a copy of the 8 ALH's cloth colour patch: a rectangle divided diagonally, light blue over yellow. You can find it on Slick Mick's website or in other locations.

[slick_mick]

The majority of the 8th Light Horse members wore the standard Rising Sun badge during WW1.

Very early in the war, a very small handful of officers also wore unofficial collar badges.



They are extremely rare - I have never seen one for sale.

The AWM states this:

Description
Officers' unofficial silver and enamel collar badge of 8 Light Horse Regiment, AIF. The badge shows a prancing horse within a circular blue enamelled garter. Within the garter are the words '. LIGHT . VIII . HORSE . AIF'. At the bottom is a blue enamelled ribbon containing the word 'AUSTRALIA', and the whole badge is surmounted by a King's crown highlighted with red enamel. On the reverse is a hinged vertical pin clasp, and the impressed maker's marking 'STOKES & SONS MELB'.

Summary
When 8 Australian Light Horse Regiment was raised in 1914, it was decided that a unit badge, based on that of their 'parent' regiment, the 8th Australian Light Horse Regiment (Victorian Mounted Rifles) should be produced. The badges, which were made for officers only, were produced in small numbers in enamel and sterling silver by Stokes and Sons of Melbourne. 8 Light Horse Regiment suffered heavier casualties than any other Australian Light Horse unit during the First World War, primarily because of its involvement in the ill-fated charge at 'The Nek', Gallipoli, on 7 August 1915, where it suffered 234 casualties in less than 15 minutes. Since the badges were only produced for the original officers of the Regiment, (ie not for later reinforcements) twelve of whom were killed at the Nek, their rarity is understandable.

The 8th Light Horse (Indi Light Horse) had 2 badges however:

This one:



and a super rare officer's version which I don't have a picture of I'm afraid.

Mick

[Paul Wilson]

Thank you very much for your help gentlemen
It is very much appreciated !
Cheers, Paul

[SHAUNC]

I have 2 8th Indi Colar Badges can anyboady tell me what they would be worth.