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  #1  
Old 20-04-18, 09:30 AM
natal01 natal01 is offline
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Default The 73rd Regiment in the eastern cape

About 20 years ago a friend of mine was given this large ( 70mm across ) badge. His benefactor had picked the badge up while digging around one of the old forts near Keiskamashoek. We surmise that it is a martingale from the 73rd Regiment ( 2nd Battalion , Black Watch ) . The regiment saw quite a bit of action in the area during the Frontier Wars of the mid 1800s. Can anyone positively identify this item ?
Regards
Mike
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  #2  
Old 20-04-18, 07:26 PM
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Jeff Mc William Jeff Mc William is offline
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Hi Mike
Yes ! This is an "Other Ranks" shako plate 1839 - 1855 with the crown detached and the badge modified for another use ... possibly, as you say, a martingale.
The 73rd Foot were in South Africa from August 1846 to May 1858 ... quite a long stay, and, as you say, encompassing the 7th & 8th Frontier Wars and the Basutu campaign.
I don't think this modification is contemporary tho'. But a nice "find" anyway. Regards Jeff

Last edited by Jeff Mc William; 21-04-18 at 07:02 AM.
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  #3  
Old 21-04-18, 12:10 PM
natal01 natal01 is offline
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Hi Jeff,
Thanks for identifying the badge as a somewhat modified Shako plate. I guess that we shall never know how it was used and by whom, but it does go to the core of why I collect -it is a tangible link to history. Not particularly valuable to a collector in its altered state, but it excites an urge to investigate the time when the original badge was worn. Sadly British badges have been replicated for so long now that without compelling provenance it is very difficult to know what is real. I feel confident that this significant piece of an original badge is real so I'll start investigating the history of those men of the 73rd and their time in Southern Africa.
Regards
Mike
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  #4  
Old 22-04-18, 09:31 AM
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Jeff Mc William Jeff Mc William is offline
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Hi again Mike
If you can hang-on for a bit I will see what I can "dig-up" for you re the 73rd in South Africa. Regards Jeff
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  #5  
Old 22-04-18, 02:58 PM
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Jeff Mc William Jeff Mc William is offline
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Default A bit of info

Hi Mike
As promised, I am back again with some further information re the 73F which may interest you :
First the shako plate. Here it is in all its glory with St.Edward's crown attached.
Not exactly the same as yours, indeed a different striking as evident from the figure 3 on this badge. Difficult at this stage to know the significance of this .. it could be a different manufacturer, or a different period, since it was in service from 1829 to 1855 and was worn on two different shakos. There are similar differences for other regiments and this does not indicate a modern copy. Next some buttons recovered from the wreck of the "Birkenhead".
Next this rather poor quality .. tho' I think contemporary sketch of a soldier of the 73rd in "Kaffraria" circa 1850. I can't make out the name of the artist and am not too sure of the origins. It could be from the Cory Library Grahamstown or the Africana Museum Johannesburg.
The following is a list of movements of the 73rd in South Africa taken fromWO17 Monthly returns. Not totally complete but an interesting survey.
11th Aug 1846 : 73F arrived Simons Bay o/b HMS "Apollo" from Montevideo.
HQ moved to Cape Town.
Dec 1846 Chalumna River.
Jan 1847 Camp on Kei River.
March 1847 King Williams town.
April 1847 Buffalo Mouth,
Oct 1847 KWT
Nov/Dec 1847 Camp on Comga
Jan 1848 Fort Glamorgan
Feb 1848 Fort Grey
Sept 1848 Port Natal
Jan 1849 - Dec 1850 Cape Town
Jan-Aug 1851 KWT
May-July 1852 Keiskamma Hoek
Oct 1852 Fort Hare
Jan 1853 Orange River
May 1853 Cape Town
Jan 1856 KWT
June 1856 - March 1857 Tamacha
April 1857 Keiskamma Hoek
8th March 1858 East London embarked HMS "Simoom" for India

Hope this is of some interest and use. Regards Jeff

73F ORs Albert SP.jpg 73F buttons from Birkenhead ex G.Everson.jpg 73F in Kaffraria (2) .jpg
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  #6  
Old 22-04-18, 03:07 PM
natal01 natal01 is offline
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Hi Jeff,
Thanks for going to all that trouble. You really have me going on a hunt now.Interested to see that they were at Keiskamashoek in the early 1850s. I'll let you know what I can unearth on the 73rd in SA.
Regards
Mike
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  #7  
Old 08-12-19, 12:49 PM
Fred Young Fred Young is offline
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Default 73rd Foot in South Africa

Good Day Gentlemen,
Was doing Google research and came across this thread. I am investigating my Great-great-great Grandfather's involvement in this regiment in South Africa in the 8th Frontier War. He started off as an Ensign around 1853 and finished up in the British Army around 1858 as Captain and Adjutant of the 2nd Battalion (73rd Foot) to get married and settle in South Africa. My wife and I have done extensive research on him but details of the regiment in SA are sketchy. I have even visited Balhousie Castle in Scotland to get info, but to no avail. We still have his ceremonial sword in our possession. If you have any pointers on where to get more info I would greatly appreciate it. He was Allen Allicocke Young, originally of Orlingbury, Northamptonshire, born 1833.
Best regards,
Fred Young,
Gordans Bay, West Cape
South Africa
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  #8  
Old 11-12-19, 02:34 PM
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Toby Purcell Toby Purcell is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fred Young View Post
Good Day Gentlemen,
Was doing Google research and came across this thread. I am investigating my Great-great-great Grandfather's involvement in this regiment in South Africa in the 8th Frontier War. He started off as an Ensign around 1853 and finished up in the British Army around 1858 as Captain and Adjutant of the 2nd Battalion (73rd Foot) to get married and settle in South Africa. My wife and I have done extensive research on him but details of the regiment in SA are sketchy. I have even visited Balhousie Castle in Scotland to get info, but to no avail. We still have his ceremonial sword in our possession. If you have any pointers on where to get more info I would greatly appreciate it. He was Allen Allicocke Young, originally of Orlingbury, Northamptonshire, born 1833.
Best regards,
Fred Young,
Gordans Bay, West Cape
South Africa
Although intended for families researching service in India, the FIBI Wiki site is the best resource that I know for regimental information: https://wiki.fibis.org/w/British_Army#Regiments
The site is extensive with a great many useful links.
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  #9  
Old 11-12-19, 03:13 PM
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rmarsden rmarsden is offline
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For an account of the 73rd in SA see The Highland Furies by Victoria Schofield
ISBN 978-1-84916-550-1, pages 391-415.
Ron.
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  #10  
Old 11-12-19, 03:22 PM
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Toby Purcell Toby Purcell is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by natal01 View Post
Hi Jeff,
Thanks for identifying the badge as a somewhat modified Shako plate. I guess that we shall never know how it was used and by whom, but it does go to the core of why I collect -it is a tangible link to history. Not particularly valuable to a collector in its altered state, but it excites an urge to investigate the time when the original badge was worn. Sadly British badges have been replicated for so long now that without compelling provenance it is very difficult to know what is real. I feel confident that this significant piece of an original badge is real so I'll start investigating the history of those men of the 73rd and their time in Southern Africa.
Regards
Mike
I have seen this type of badge before in a book, although I’m sorry to say I cannot recall which one. What I do remember is that it was a common modification for a specific period to enable a part of the badge to be worn on undress headwear of some kind (probably a knitted woollen forage cap, but that’s just my speculation). The crown part was fitted with a tang to go through the loop of the lower part and then both parts were secured by a pin inside the shako. The suggestion of a Martingale seems unlikely to me, in any case, as the thin loop would be under too much strain from the stout leather used in saddlery.
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Last edited by Toby Purcell; 11-12-19 at 03:28 PM.
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