Guards Officer rank stars

[cbuehler]

I seem to recall mention having been made that the unique rank stars worn by Guards Officers were not in wear until after ww1. If this is so, does anyone know the year when this occurred and did they wear the standard stars prior to this?
Thanks,

CB

[Unknownsoldier]

I seem to remember seeing embroidered stars on WW1 service dress, and in metal on older tunices, but I may be wrong....

Tom

[John Mulcahy]

In the Irish Guards the Bath Star was used until 1919, thereafter the regimental pattern St Patrick's rank star was worn.

The source of this data is Mahon, W.W. Col., The Irish Guards Star, Part II,
The Irish Guards Journal, 1987.

Interestingly he says Bath Stars were worn prior to 1919 and not Garter Stars.

Hodges gives 1920 as the date of introduction of the Scots Guard regimental pattern Rank Star.

The other Guards regiments use the Garter Star.

John

[cbuehler]

Thanks all,
This then confirms my understanding. I have seen older Scots and Irish Guards full dress tunics with the Bath star instead of regimental pattern and used to think this was an error.
With regard to the material used, it is my understanding metal rank was used only for service dress, wire embroidery for all others.

CB