Coldstream Guards

[grenadierguardsman]

Originally Posted by Bill

Toby
Thank you for that full response it makes things much clearer.

Andy
The gilt cypher (as opposed to silver) mounted on a gilt grenade does exist, one came up for sale at Bosley's some time ago. What it is is a different matter! Sorting out which appointment had which badge is still not clear - including the badges with the small grenade stamped under the cypher...

Bill

Another Grenade badge to look out for then. I wonder if its mentioned in any Dress Regs Bill, interesting though. What do you collect Bill ?
Andy

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by Bill

Toby
Thank you for that full response it makes things much clearer.

Andy
The gilt cypher (as opposed to silver) mounted on a gilt grenade does exist, one came up for sale at Bosley's some time ago. What it is is a different matter! Sorting out which appointment had which badge is still not clear - including the badges with the small grenade stamped under the cypher...

Bill

I agree that the grenade fired proper badges are still not fully understood, largely I feel because of similar badges used by the artillery at one point and also Canadian and even Indian Grenadiers.

[Bill]

Hi Andy

I collect badges from The Great War but the Foot Guards badges are particularly confusing.

That Bosley's reference was for Lot 186, Issue 43, 25th Jan 2006 and it reads "Grenadier Guards rare GvR Commissioned Quartermaster's cap badge. Fine gilt example, the ball mounted with gilt Crowned Cypher, reversed and interlaced. Loops" and it is clear that the cypher is mounted not stamped on the ball.

There are many Guards oddities, like the scarcity of OSD bronze badges. The following is a quote from Rudyard Kipling's "The Irish Guards in The Great War" Volume 2, page 5.

"The historic first meeting between the 1st and 2nd Battalions took place on the 30th August [1915] on a march out to St. Pierre, when the units of the different Guards Brigades were drawing in together for combined work preparatory to the Battle of Loos. The veterans of the first were personal in their remarks, deriding the bright cap stars of the 2nd Battalion, and telling them that they would soon know better than to advertise their rank under fire."

Did the Welsh Guards have a bronze version and if not, why not?

The Guards Museum has unidentified badges as mentioned in previous threads, but someone, somewhere has photographs of these badges being worn.

Cheers

Bill