Quote:
Originally Posted by cbuehler
Thanks Luke,
That at least has some semblance of an explanation. But what about the collars on Capt. Frizell, which do not appear to be bronzed (although this could be a result of the photo ). Assuming they were bronze, were there matching OSD collars (presumably with lugs, which I have never seen) to go along with the cap badge? And the placement of the badges on Rickard's collars? I would presume the missing collars on Newsom are a result of his incarceration?
I suspect that many of the other WW1 period photos I have seen would indicate that Shamrocks still not always worn even after their adoption.
CB
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CB
I take a great interest in the Royal Munster Fusiliers. From the archival research I have managed to do I too see that there was a relaxed attitude among officers towards uniformity of insignia.
Regarding OSD collar badges, the collar badges initially authorized for wear on the 1902 OSD jacket were as described in regulations as: “on the collar, in bronze as for forage cap but in pairs”. The same size as the cap badge, I find them difficult to acquire but they were quite widely worn judging by the photographs I have seen.
By the start of the Great War we see a pronounced change in the collar badges worn in OSD by the regiment. By 1914, most officers of the Munsters had largely adopted the small vertical collar badges. In almost every photo I have seen they appear non bronzed and thus I assume were the silver and gilt versions (by this time also most of the regiment had abandoned the large bronzed badge in the OSD cap in favor of a silver and gilt collar badge sized device)
However, photos of the 1913 pattern OSD jacket exist with both the 1902 pattern bronzed collar badges and the smaller silver and gilt badges in use during the Great War. A variety of collar badges were thus worn during the great war on the OSD jacket.
An unusual design is a mid size badge which I have not found any photographic evidence for.
Regarding the position of the of collar badges work by Rickard (2nd Bn) , he was not alone I have photographs of at least three others wearing them thus, all 1st Bn, Capts. Nightingale, Hume-Henderson and Maj. Wilson.
Attached of some relevance a page from an article that I wrote for the RMF assn. journal of officers insignia showing collar badges worn in OSD (images not to scale) and a short survey of (n=39) of collar badge types worn in OSD c.1910 - c. 1916 taken from various image sources. This was done quite some time ago but should reconfirm the lack of uniformity.
On topic of shamrock size and shape, one finds a great variety in use when studying period photographs.
John