Cloth backing patches in ABW
 

Dear All,
I understand that during the Anglo Boer War helmet and slouch hat badges were sometimes worn with a rectangle or diamond of a backing cloth. I read that for most units the backing colour was scarlet, with the RAMC badge being backed in dull cherry, and Scottish badges in tartan.
Is this info. correct? Did officers and other ranks all wear headgear badges?
The books I have tend to show a remarkable lack of unit insignia worn in the field.
I'd appreciate members posting any contemporary photos of headgear badges being worn during the ABW - many thanks!
Rob

Hi Rob

Are you referring to just British units or to colonial units as well?

Regards
Craig

By late 1901, the slouch hat was in wear in a great many British Infantry and Cavalry regiments complete with cap badges, in a great many cases, prior to that, they had worn both helmet and FSC, the latter with a cap badge, the former often with an embroidered "flash" which had normally started out life as a cut down shoulder strap from the home service full dress tunic, as the war progressed, these often began to shrink in size, as men began to sanitise themselves on the battlefield, until they eventually started to disappear altogether.
Metal badges were not usually worn on the helmet, notwithstanding, you do, on occasion, certainly encounter odd examples, in particular, collar badges being worn, in particular by Scottish regiments, on a tartan patch.
Many members of the various SAMIF regiments did wear badges on their slouch hats, often with their own particular squadron/company melton cloth backing, their officers often wore shoulder titles, but, the majority of their rank and file did not, with their badges usually being assumed to be shoulder titles.

Thanks Frank - any pictures you can post?
Craig, Colonial units too, please!
I attach a couple of drawings of the King's Own Royal regt (Lancaster) taken from http://www.kingsownmuseum.com/ko0614o.htm
1st shows an officer in Singapore 1898 - I don't recall seeing a badge worn at the front of any helmets in the ABW, tend to be on the sides. The 2nd shows an officer in 1902.
Any more?
Rob

And there's this famous photos of Canadians
http://prints.national-army-museum.a...a-kopje-1900-c

Have attached a portrait of an Imperial Light Horse man. One can see his slouch hat title quite clearly. I had a go at drawing helmet flashes of various units based on an old article and some photos in different publications that might be of interest.