I am sure that the need for scouting ahead of, and on the flanks of, a unit in war has always existed. On the large scale, it was a cavalry task.
On the unit scale, Baden-Powell of Mafeking and Boy Scout fame perceived a need to formalise and specialise to get the best results.

Ideally, a man appointed scout would be fit, active, intelligent, skilled at using cover,a good shot, able to make a good assessment and report accurately.
Scouts were officially integral to cavalry and infantry units.
Each unit was to appoint a subaltern as Scout Officer with a sergeant as deputy and a few junior NCOs. The best trained were appointed regimental [or battalion] scouts and received the badge with cross bar. At company level there was a small number of scouts, wearing the badge without cross bar. The badge was introduced in 1903 and discontinued in 1921, having been reduced in size in 1907.

There is some confusion regarding scouts serving in India. Native troops and most British infantry had a small S in a small wreath as an appointment badge, whereas most British cavalry wore the Home badge.

During the Great War the role embraced sniping and observing.

Thank you very much for that.

Is this the 'small 'S' in a small wreath' badge to which you refer (approx. 35mm diameter):

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...ctureid=144285

Regards,

JT

A couple of scouts from the Monmouthshire regiment

Yes, thats the badge.

regards

Excellent. Thank you.

Yes, that is the India pattern scout badge. It was also made in worsted, which renders pale on dark on period photos, so may be off-white on a scarlet background when worn on KD.
To my knowledge, this little badge pre-dates all the other "in wreath" badges by a few years.

A Scout from the Northamptonshire Regiment.

A Welsh Regiment Scout out in India.

Do you know if its wartime and if so whether they are Regulars or TF?

Just interested in who wore the large metal badge mostly.

regards

My guess is that it is the 1st battalion, pre November 1914. However, it could also be one of the Territorial battalions that served in the Middle East.

Thankyou

Many thanks, that is very interesting because the fleur-de-lys was not for issue to British [or Indian] infantry [Indian Clothing Regs 1909], so perhaps this man [this unit?] had fairly recently arrived in India and clung to their far-superior badge[s].
Either way, a very unusual photo.

The photograph has had no information added and has a post card back so the date and the location are conjecture on my part. However, it has a British type divided back with the words Post Card rather than Carte Postale so I am leaning towards India rather than the Middle East. It could of course have been taken in Malta or Salonika.

You would think insignia of the large size and in metal would draw fire from a sniper if the opportunity arose. Personally I like the unofficial more drab version, but all credit to anyone who earned the right to wear 'Scout' insignia.

I don’t think it’s India, if I recall correctly the SD cap was not issued to troops on Indian establishment, who instead continued to be issued with the field service cap in drab.