Hi Leigh,
nothing is irrelevant to this, I don't think. It reminded me that the bugle comes in so many designs and sizes it is probably impossible to categorically say who wore the simple pattern this thread is about, as this thread has demonstrated, apart from the UK, Australia also used the design.
It is conceivable, also, given the different regiments who had a bugle design for, or in, their cap/collar/pouch etc, that there was more than one maker of the Reserve Regiment badges. The Nick Metcalf website says there were 24,000 odd signed up as a whole, and 2 battalions of those were Rifles, so maybe 1500/2000 troops?
I have attached 4 examples where the basic design is similar, but the detail different on all 4, just by way of interest.
As for Reserve Regiment, maybe the answer lies on the back. The second picture are badges I own, namely: Irish RR, Scottish RR and Rifles RR. All have similar loops, and all are well constructed, as you would expect from Victorian times.
What does that mean? Maybe not a lot, but while we cannot definitively say any of these are Rifles RR, we also cannot say they are not. I would say, if it's the right size (ie it seems 60mm x 40mm is about right - remembering if there was more than one maker, we should have a tolerance to those measurements) and the fixings are done to a Victorian standard, then it's possible.
Thoughts?
Cheers, Tim
PS, i forgot to say, the first one you have, Leigh, looks interesting, it certainly has been over loved, or is it under loved? but where the loops seem to have been placed is consistent with the one I have, and the size difference may be a function of it being bashed up.
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