Souvenir belt

[Ironside410]

Hello all

I was lucky enough to pick up this webbing belt recently. The majority of the badges on the belt are Scottish units. Unfortunately my photography does show the wonderful patina on the badges.

The family I acquired it from believe it was put together by their grandfather who served with the 1st Battalion of the Black Watch during WW1. Started as a private in 1914 and rose to the rank of Lieutenant by the end of the war.

Dennis

[mooke07]

Thanks for posting Dennis.

A fine belt of mostly Scottish badges as you say with a nice aged finish to the badges which could have been worn across both WW1 and WW2. In your second picture the Highland Regiment badge at the right hand end is a WW2 period badge only. If you look behind it it should have four loops. The Royal Engineers badge is GVR and so is certainly WW1. The South African badge is outside my comfort zone to date but I am leaning on that being a later WW2 period badge as well.

Cheers Dean

[Milmed]

The South African one is indeed WWI as used by the Expeditionary force in Europe, North and East Africa

[mooke07]

Thanks for educating me on the South African badge Milmed, cheers Dean

[Alan O]

The HLI and BW are certainly WW1 and the rest probaly are but as said the Highland Regt is a later addition. It would be interesting to see the back of it.

[Ironside410]

Hello all

Thanks for your comments.

Photo of the rear of the Highland Regiment attached as requested. it has obviously been on the belt for some time as it didn't want to come off.

[Luke H]

Highland Regiment badges have two loops. It’s the Lowland which has four.

What you’ll often see on the Highland are four spots of braze on the cross arms where they meet the outer edge of the circlet.

[mooke07]

Thanks Luke I was relying on my memory between the Lowland and Highland, I'll blame COVID, cheers Dean

[grey_green_acorn]

The belt appears to be made from a 1908 pattern 2 inch wide webbing brace with a sliding buckle and a ‘snake’ brass buckle from the 1914 pattern leather equipment belt.

Pictures from Karkee Web. See http://karkeeweb.com/

Tim

[dubaiguy]

Have you noticed the bottom part of the star below the sphinx on the Black
Watch badge has been cut off. Not unusual but something to be aware of.
Mark

[Home Guard]

Luke,

Do all good Highland Regiment badges have the braze spots on them, or are there good ones without them?

Thanks,

Terry

[Alan O]

I think this badge has been added to the WW1's on the belt at a much later date and it may well be a fake.

[Artynut]

When I saw “Souvenir Belt” I immediately thought of something I had read while researching the badges on a WW1 belt. Many enterprising French people were selling “Souvenir” belts to soldiers during WW! The badges were I believe genuine but many of the belts were made up. The general rule of thumb was eight to ten badges evenly spaced, in a central straight line. Whereas, for the most part, belts put together by a soldier for his own “Trench-Art” or use, were not so meticulously put together and often used buttons, collar badges, shoulder titles and even “Enemy” buttons or badges, along with the badges. There were 39 badges on the belt I was researching including an “Anson” shoulder title. Many of the Regimental hat badges and two of the shoulder titles had a history of being at Gallipoli, and then after, on the Western Front. One can never appreciate the sheer horror, mud and Misery those poor souls had to endure! Yet they did, we should always give thanks for their sacrifices. David J.

[Sonofacqms]

Many years ago when I first started collecting trench art my Father said that when in the 1920's/30's he went with his parents on a trip to France to visit his Uncles grave, the French were selling "Trench art" often made in factory conditions to sell to veterans and families of the casualties, I do wonder whether they have ever stopped . . !

Rob

[Alan O]

Rob

and it is this post war stuff with names of place such as Ypres, Somme etc engraved on them shaped as letter openers, shell cases embossed as lamps etc that you see sold as WW1 'Trench art'. The idea that soldiers had the time or machinery to make such stuff in the trenches is silly. The French had access to huge amount of scrap brass, a willing market of tourists and the need for an income as their land was devastated.

Now my wife's grandfather was in the WW1 ASC in field workshop and he brought back 2 .303 oil bottles that he had converted to oil and grease syringes. Both had a practical use but he had the access to the machinery to convert them and he had a use for them!

Alan