HAC pillbox hat?
 

Hi,
I've bought a victorian pillbox hat with a guilted artillery officer's badge.
By the colour of the cap I would say it is an officer's cap from the HAC, but in all my book, the badge is shown as a Royal Marine Artillery badge!
Whas the badge fitted latter? is it original to the cap?
Thanks.

Pierre

sorry, forgot the picture, if anybody has a photo of man wearing this cap?

Pierre

Can you post an image of the top and the inside?

Mysterious cap!!!
 

extra pictures;

Pillbox cap
 

This picture was found on internet and sold as an HAC Pillbox?
Other ranks!
no ideas?:confused:

I am pretty sure an officer's cap would have gold lace.

perhaps other rank's cap?
 

Yes, you are probably wright.
the uniforms of the HAC -infantry company were very similar to the Grenadier guards. The only think is that the cap seems very well made for an other rank and it seems to be guilted metal (perhaps NCO?).
The guards had a badge on their pillbox caps, but I can't find a picture showing a HAC soldier wearing this cap!
I've added a photo of a pioneer lance-sergeant of the coldstream guards.

Pierre you have to remember that the HAC has always largely been made up of "gentleman rankers". They don't for instance have seperate officers, Sgts, OR's messes. They are also home to lots of ex-regular officers serving in the ranks. Mind you things have probably changed now!

It much more recent than your hat but in the very early 70's I went on camp with their 25 pdr artillery battery as a safety officer. One of the gun detachments was made up of ex-RA officers none below the rank of Brigadier. They employed an ex-AIG (now an obsolete term - these days they are called Sargeant-Major Instructors in Gunnery or SMIGs) as a permanent limber gunner to maintain their gun for them so they could go straight to the bar when they got in from exercise. They were very smart indeed, always reported ready first, made the best tea and egg banjos on the gun position, called 2/Lts "Sir" and saluted very nicely.

Hi folks
 

Hi Eddie,
I didn't know all this.
So these "gentlemen rankers" could wear this badge?
I can find such a badge in the K&K, page 282. #1108 (Broderick cap - 1902 to 1921) Royal Marine Artillery - senior NCO in Guilt.
But nothing about this badge to be wear by the H.A.C (page 423).
thanks again.

Pierre

HAC Pill Box Hat
 

I am at a loss to understand how the artillery got into this act, let alone the RMA, Surely that is the cap badge of the Infantry Battlion of the HAC, in brass as worn prior to reverting to white metal for the Coronation in 1953.

The hat band is most definitely HAC, and although I cannot find an illustration in 'The Honourable Artillery Company' by G. Goold Waker, there is little doubt in my mind that at sometime it was worn by the Infantry Battalion.

Regards,

John

Eddies post of his experiences with the HAC are great, the sort of thing not generally found in reference books, an absoloute gem.

P.B.

I read recently that this style of grenade badge was worn in the late Victorian period by some units of the Royal Artillery on specific head dress, but I do not recall the source. Perhaps '54 Bty' can help, I would be surprised if he cannot quote chapter and verse.

HAC pillbox hat
 

Reference was made to the Royal Marine Artillery in an earlier posting, but their greande badge had flames of seven points, nine on the helmet badge if memory serves me right.

The other ranks cap badge of the Infantry Battalion of the HAC is a grenade with seventeen points of flame, which looks to me like the badge depicted on the pillbox hat.

John