WW1 Manchester Regiment Cap - Pals?
 

Hi all, I am new to the forum and was hoping to tap into your collective expertise and wisdom to find out more about a Manchester Regiment cap I have. I believe it to be WW1 period as it has a Pals badge (unvoided) which is sewn into the band and doesn’t look like it’s been tampered with. If it is an authentic Pals regiment hat does anyone have any thoughts on why it would have been made in Bombay. I think the Manchester’s were in India at the start of the war but if they were the regulars why would it be a Pals badge.

All and any thoughts much appreciated.

Hello Joann, welcome to the Forum. Your account is active and open for posts.

Joann,

The badge is an original other ranksManchester Pals cap badge from what I can see of the front (although a recently sold identical one from the front was in fact a cast copy-the first I have seen).

The Service Battalions that wore it served only in Europe.

However the cap is an Officers and he would not have worn an other ranks cap badge.

The fact that the cap was made in India also point to the fact that the badge and the cap didnt start life together and the badge should not be on it.

regards

Hi Simon, that’s really helpful thank you.

Are there any tell tale signs to detect an original badge from a cast? Would you say the hat is WW1 period?

So many questions sorry!

Hi Simon, thank you so much that is really interesting and very helpful.
Is there any way to tell a real badge from a cast? I take it you think the hat is authentic to the period though?

Regards

Joann

Like this one? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lovely-Ma...8b86%7Ciid%3A1

Another ‘lovely’ Ron collection badge.

The fake ones have blurred detail at the rear and are not crisp as a real one is. They also have ground off highlights at the rear edges. The one Luke shows is yet another type and ALL will soon be on reputable dealers websites because they probably dont know they arent real!!

As for the cap, its old, but how old I couldnt say.

regards

If I’m not mistaken this hat was part of an auction lot (the auction had several lots of hats) - there were some real monstrosities in some of the lots ! Like Simon I’m not convinced that the hat and badge have been together all that long. I’m not a massive fan of the “bloom” on the front of the badge , I’d have to see the rear to be more certain....
PL

The cap is from the interwar period, or even into ww2; not ww1. It is missing the leather chinstrap, but otherwise appears to be a nice cap, being that Indian made examples are somewhat scarce.

CB

I would agree based on the limited pictures of the cap it is inter war/WW2. I would need to see more pictures to be more certain

Mark

ditto as regards mark and cb's comments, I refrained from commenting because of the insufficient pictures, especially not showing all the cap and in particular the underneath views. I have a few Indian made caps and they often appear with traits that UK makers have stopped using and can be difficult to date accurately as they sometimes can look older than they are, but from the pics shown I would have said interwars.

Hi all,

Thanks for all your comments I really appreciate the advice even though it may not be telling me what I want hear - that’s life!

Apologies for the quality of the photos I don’t know enough to know what’s helpful. I’ve added a few more as I’d be really grateful for any further advice particularly any expertise on Indian hats.

Is it a slider or lugs that are sewn into the band?

Hi Phil2m it has lugs.

The peak is typical of WWII or later caps