WW1 Royal Engineers Cap Badge

[Tim B.]

I do not know how else to ask, so...

Here's a partial of a MIC to a sapper in the R.E. I have not looked up the guy in the National Archives yet. I have his VIC, looking for his BWM. I do not see any entries in the War Theatre blocks.

Never realized there were more than one pattern RE badge but, can I see some examples of what this guy would have worn while in service?

Thank you and hope I didn't violate any rules on posting the partial MIC here.

Tim

[Chipper]

Hi Tim

These would be the standard patterns - on the right, the All Gilding Metal pattern introduced 1916 - 1919. Not sure if there were any others during WW1?

Cheers, Tim

[Tim B.]

Hi Tim,

Thanks for being the first to respond and show an example here.

One thing that I am still trying to figure out is what badges were worn on what caps/uniforms and when.

I would expect, in a war theatre especially, that anything shiny would be removed from the uniform. With that in mind, I would expect insignia worn on the field service uniform would be bronzed or subdued as to not show any rank or give some guy with a rifle something to zero in on. Is that correct?

What I've seen so far in photos, the main differences in these R.E. badges appear to be the number in the center?

Tim

[manchesters]

"I would expect, in a war theatre especially, that anything shiny would be removed from the uniform. With that in mind, I would expect insignia worn on the field service uniform would be bronzed or subdued as to not show any rank or give some guy with a rifle something to zero in on. Is that correct?"

No thats incorrect.

The "number" in the centre is the Royal Cypher - that shown being King George the Fifth, the reigning monarch in the time period you are interested in.

regards

[Chipper]

Yep, Manchester's is spot on.

so the "number" in the middle (V) is for George 5th. Later ones (i.e. WW2) have "VI" for King George 6th.

As a rule of thumb during WW1 (as with everything, there is usually no definitive rule) Officers wore bronzed badges, other ranks gilding or bi-metal badges. In 1916, to save time, "ALL Gilding Metal" badges were authorised for 26 Line Infantry regiments, and also for Royal Engineers and Royal Artillery . These were generally single strike badges (i.e. no or very few voids to slow down production) and for the Infantry - badges that were previously bi-metal. In the album section there are several members who have pictures of the 26 regiments this applies to, and the RE and RA will be in there as well, I'm sure.

Cheers, Tim

[ubervamp]

Originally Posted by Tim B.

I would expect, in a war theatre especially, that anything shiny would be removed from the uniform. With that in mind, I would expect insignia worn on the field service uniform would be bronzed or subdued as to not show any rank or give some guy with a rifle something to zero in on. Is that correct?

Hi

After the summer of 1916 Brodie helmets were mass issued, so caps/cap badges were not worn in action

Colin

[Tim B.]

Thanks guys,

Obviously new here and it's a completely different world comparing to other items I've been collecting.

Was looking through some of the albums the other night and spending some time looking/searching through the "gallery" today, which seems to be answering some questions of mine on its own.

I did realize I was wrong on my assumptions about everything being subdued once I started looking at examples like the Royal West Kent badges that appear to all have the horse in silver and one period photo of a enlisted soldier in field uniform verified that.

Learning....

Much appreciated here!

Tim