Eagle facing right with '8'

[pocawoka]

There are a few discussions about this badge, but none are clear on what it actually is. Does anyone know for sure??

Looks alot like 1st Royal Dragoons but with 8 underneath instead of 105, and the eagle wings are slightly different. A picture of it is attached.

The discussion:
http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...ighlight=eagle
talks about it being an arm or pouch badge, and Irish?

1. What is a pouch badge?
2. Why are there so many variations of the eagle? On the discussion above there are a few different images, are they different ages?
3. Does anyone know what exactly my badge is, or have an idea where I could find out more about it??


Thanks

[John Mulcahy]

I do not know what this badge is.

The Imperial Eagle of the French 8eme Rgt is a badge granted to The Royal Irish Fusiliers in recognition of the capture of that Eagle at the Battle of Borossa on 5 March 1811 by the 87th (Prince of Wales' Own Irish) Rgt of foot - later the 2nd R.I.F. Thus it is fair to assume that this badge if British has an association with the Royal Irish Fusiliers.

A pouch badge is just as it says a badge worn on a pouch. The pouch could be a light infantry or rifles cross belt pouch, or a band pouch etc.

The difference in Eagles among say the Royal Irish Rangers and Royal Irish Regiment are stylistic differences only as you can see from the other posts they wear the Eagle of the French 8eme Rgt on the cross belt pouch to perpetuate the R.I.F. The cross belt originates from The Royal Irish (later Ulster ) Rifles another antecedent regiment of the Royal Irish Regiment.

The badge you have is quite common to find but there is no known (at least not to me) reference to it actually been worn by the R.I.F. or indeed any other regiment. The best I have seen is a suggestion (via a member of this forum "Faugh-A-Ballagh') that it may have been worn on the arms of the regimental police. This following a visit to the regimental museum I believe.

I believe most (if not all) of these badges are reproductions at best and maybe even fake. This based on how easy they are to acquire and the complete lack (for now) of any evidence that the regiment (The R.I.F.) ever wore it.

John

[Faugh-A-Ballagh]

Cheers John! Got in there before me and said what I was going to say - just a bit more eloquently!

John

[cbuehler]

I might add that there appears to be two slightly different versions of this badge.
I have one that I believe is genuine (for whatever it was used for). I noted that most of these badges I see for sale do differ from mine.

CB

[John Mulcahy]

Originally Posted by cbuehler

I might add that there appears to be two slightly different versions of this badge.
I have one that I believe is genuine (for whatever it was used for). I noted that most of these badges I see for sale do differ from mine.

CB

CB

would you care to show it?, I do not care if my own example is fake, but I would love to see versions that others think is OK, not to set up for unfounded criticism but to further my own knowledge.

John

[cbuehler]

Hi John,
My badge is shown in the highlighted thread on the first post up top.
Cheers,
CB