Royal Naval Division: BENBOW

[Blue Puttees]

Was BENBOW the only RND Battalion to have it's own cap tally?

http://www.jackclegg.com/RND.htm

[manchesters]

As far as I am aware they all had them, but Benbow and Collinwood continued to wear them when the others got cap badges.

regards

[leigh kitchen]

They all had Bn tallies, Benson & Collingwood however were never issued metal cap badges as they were disbanded post Gallipoli & prior to the RND taking the badges into wear (was it May 1916?).

[Blue Puttees]

Thank you Simon and Leigh.

How rare are these tallies? Have they been reproduced/faked?

[Sonofacqms]

The RND wore the appropriate shoulder title with a numeral above it as a cap badge before the individual cap badges were issued.

I have an "ANSON" title with the number "8" which came with the cap badge and a pair of titles, this was worn by a former member of the Benbow Btn after the Gallipoli campaign when it was disbanded until cap badges were issued.

The most common RND cap tally is I think "ROYAL NAVAL DIVISION" although these are hard to find, the other Btns all had their own individual tallies which were worn with brass shoulder titles and are very scarce, as to whether they have been reproduced, I would be surprised if some enterprising scoundrel has not had an attempt to copy them, but I have yet to see any.

Rob

[leigh kitchen]

A "RND" tally was also worn.

[Sonofacqms]

Having visited my collection, I notice that among the items from the man who was originally in BENBOW is a cap tally with "HMS" only on it. This is tied with a knot (is that the term) and I cannot establish whether this was the original issue before BENBOW or worn afterwards.

Maybe someone can help?

Rob

[Blue Puttees]

I have been talking to numerous collectors and dealers, and the consensus is that the Battalion tallies are extremely rare.

Does any forum member have one in their collection?

When is the last time anyone saw a Battalion tally for sale?