Following on from something I mentioned on a recent
posting about the Royal Warwicks anodised cap badge, I’m putting up three examples of Leicestershire Regiment ones. All are different makers’ variants and all have marked vertical shanks/sliders, though two have “J.R.Gaunt B’ham” on them. As far as I know the one in the middle is Gaunt’s actual variant, as this appears as an officers’ silver & gilt badge, sometimes with their mark, and was also used for the badges in the Birmingham Mints’ medal/badge series ‘Great British Regiments’. Anyhow, the composite image below shows the fronts and backs of the three badges:
Beret Badges.jpg
Firstly I wonder if anyone has come across any other variants of the anodised aluminium Leicesters badge, particularly any alternative makers’ marks please, especially any badges of the variant on the right with another manufacturer’s name perhaps?
Secondly, on a more general point, with regards to these ‘three-quarters size badges’, or so-called ‘beret’ badges, my understanding is that such a badge in bi-metal was approved in 1950 (see my 2017 posting
here) and sealed on 12 June 1951 (I believe that a card for this has kindly been put up by Marc (54Bty)
here). The late Stephen Risby (badjez) thought that the anodised version was sealed on 11 July 1968 (this being the date given in Kipling & King, Vol. II, p. 54, for the “smaller size for wear on the beret”, though they give this for the bi-metal badge, to which they have added “also anodised”), and I do have a note, from personal correspondence with Chris Marsh from 2013, where he talks about these anodised Leicesters badges saying “Manufacture would be 1966 and onwards”.
The difficulty I have with specific reference to the anodised Leicesters badges is who exactly wore them and for how long? If they did not come into being until the late 1960s, which would appear to be the case, then the regulars of the Regiment did not wear them, as both those at the depot and the 1st Battalion, then in Germany, were re-badged with the Forester’s badge in August 1961. This would leave just the territorials and cadets, though the former, “The Royal Leicestershire Regiment (Territorial)”, were actually reduced to a “Cadre” consisting of just “three officers and five other ranks” in April 1969.
Although I have a great interest in the cap badges of the Leicestershire Regiment, I am not an expert on its regimental history, particularly with what happened to it in its latter years and its absorption into the Royal Anglian Regiment. Consequently if anyone could help in establishing who was, in fact, wearing these anodised Leicesters badges, and for how long into the 1960s, and possibly the 1970s, then I’d be most grateful. As I don’t have a copy of Chris Marsh’s book, I’d appreciate hearing what he had to say about matters – if someone could possibly oblige please?
Best regards
Martin