Hi all,
It is interesting to note that the Officers, Warrant Officers and Sergeants cap star of the Leicestershire Regiment (depicted below) with a silver Royal Tiger and Irish Harp on a gilt-metal eight-pointed star is illustrated in the 1905 edition of the The Green Tiger, the Leicesters regimental journal. The badge in this article is dated 1900. It is described in Churchill as worn from 1883 by the regular battalions. I take this to mean the 1st and 2nd battalions. The 3rd Battalion which was from the former Leicestershire Militia, which was the battalion that actually won the honour of the Irish Harp in 1798 from Irish service was credited with wearing the Irish Harp and Crown but not the Royal Tiger badge or other honours on at least its colour (Records and Badges of the British Army, 1895, Chichester and Burges-Short). This may have extended to the cap badges. Badges of the 1st VB Leicesters are not noted.
Just to add to the intrigue, below I also show an OSD version of the Irish Harp and Royal Tiger badge in bronzed metal. It is smaller than the gilt and silver star badge. If the Leicesters did not take on OSD badges as described in this thread until 1906 then this one fills a gap potentially. If the Leicesters took up the standard Royal Tiger with superscribed Hindoostan scroll and Leicestershire Regiment scroll below in July 1897 on their forage caps and we have both Officers, OR's version and OSD versions then was the star badge worn on the Service Dress caps in both silver and gilt and in OSD versions.
It would be interesting to see a Broderick cap badge for the Leicesters. i think this may be on the Forum so will look for that.
Martin and I are piecing this together, regards Dean.
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