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#1
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WW2 badge query
Hi,
My uncle was killed in 1944 whilst serving with the 4th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry in Normandy. On his headstone the SLI crest contains the roman numerals Xlll. Can anybody please tell me what the numerals 13 signify? Many thanks in advance, Geoff Whitmore |
#2
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Hello Geoff, welcome to the Forum. Your account is active and open for posts.
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Res ipsa loquitur |
#3
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The SLI was created in 1881 by merging two Regiments of Foot or Light Infantry as they were then known.
The senior one was the 13th Light Infantry and it remained as part of their traditions a numeral on badges, stationary etc . regards
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Simon Butterworth Manchester Regiment Collector Rank, Prize & Trade Badges British & Commonwealth Artillery Badges |
#4
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Were the 13th not a 2 battalion regiment at the time of the 1881 reforms, thus escaping amalgamation?
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#5
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Possibly Leigh, I am unsure of the specific Regiment just generalising about the 1881 changes.
I think the poster will understand. regards
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Simon Butterworth Manchester Regiment Collector Rank, Prize & Trade Badges British & Commonwealth Artillery Badges |
#6
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Yes, thus the XIII applied to both regular battalions of the new regiment.
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Henk Interested in the lineage of the unit your badge represents? Try: Regimental lineages |
#7
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Thank you for your replies, much appreciated. Another question though. Having now read up a little on the 13th Foot and the siege of Jellalabad I see that the 13th were awarded the title 'Prince Albert's own' on their return to the UK.
If I am right it appears that the regimental badge dropped the numerals Xlll in place of the letters PA and this remained the Somerset Light Infantry's crest into and through the 2nd world war. So I'm wondering why the CWGC have used the very old version of the regimental crest on the SLI headstones and not the later version which would have been in line with when my uncle fell? |
#8
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Thank you everybody.
Can anyone think why the CWGC would use the old Somerset Light Infantry badge with numerals on the headstones of WW2 graves rather than the newer badge with the letters PA which was in use at the time of the second world war? |
#9
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Welcome to the Forum. I don't know the answer to your specific question, but the CWGC sometimes use a bit of artistic licence with the badge designs used on the gravestones.
Rgds, Thomas |
#10
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Quote:
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#11
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Having said that....a quick google shows there are also RFC gravestones with the RFC cap badge, so maybe back to the artistic licence theory? Mike
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#12
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Thank you very much everybody for your replies, much appreciated.
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Tags |
4th battalion, sli, somerset light infantry |
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