Royal Horse Artillery Cap Badges

[rubicon]

Hello,
According my documentation the GVI cypher pattern cap badge for the Royal Horse Artillery has been sealed in 1948 both in gilding and white metals.
But I think the GVI pattern cap badge for the RHA has been in service with the General Service Cap in 1944 (maybe under regimental arrangements).
A picture of a RHA gunner prisoner of the Germans and wearing this pattern of cap badge was taken around the 14th June 1944 near Villers Bocage. The gunner came probably from the 3rd RHA or the 5th RHA (7th AD, Desert Rats).
I would be grateful to get any information about these cap badges made during war time and If they were produced at this time both in gilding and white metals and which regiment wore white metal or gilding metal cap badges?
I have shown a picture of my RHA cap badges, I think they are all originals. The first (from the right) is made of white metal with lugs, the second is made of gilding metal with slider stamped with a small "Gaunt London" as it used to be in the 40s, the third and the fourth are made in white and gilding metals both made by Firmin London.
Thanks.
J-F

[Eddie Parks]

The first recorded use of the RHA cypher was on the Tarleton helmet which was in use between 1816 and 1827.

There after there was a considerable gap until 1926 when the Battery commander of E Bty - then stationed in India - introduced a small white metal badge bearing the cypher of KGV for wear in the solar helmet. On the King's death new badges with KEVIII cyphers were ordered and a small design change made. The new badges were very similar to the present RHA cypher. They were also made with a KGVI cypher. All these were unofficial and only worn by E Bty.

In 1938 the CO of 1 RHA approached the COs of the other RHA regimnets to see if they would agree to adopt the E Bty badge. This was in fact agreed but not officially sanctioned. However embroidered gold wire badges for officers and white metal for ORs were unofficially obtained and worn.

In 1948 officialdom caught up with actuality and the cypher was authorised. For reason's unknown the official version was gilt/brass. However the only regiment to comply with this order was 2 RHA who were stationed at home. All others continued to wear the WM version.

Later approval was granted for the issue of WM ERII cyphers for ORS. The gilt officer's badge remained the official version until 1971 when the current embroidered badge was sanctioned.

3 RHA wear a red backing to their cyphers in memory of Ward-Gunn's VC.

N.B. 1 RHA etc not 1st/2nd/3rd etc.

[54Bty]

All the badges shown in post 1 are private purchase.

The difference between the sealed pattern and the private purchase badge is in the end of the Garter;
On the Pattern it is tucked behind the belt as it should be.
On the private purchase it hangs over the front.

[tynesideirish]

Here's my twopence worth. WW2 era Cypher badges and on 1944 Xmas card. Late 70's I Bty (Bulls Troop) belt buckle.

[revdougal]

It seems that the above resume of the RHA Cypher came from MHS Bulletin No 141 (Aug 85) by Norman Litchfield. It also appeared in The Military Chest. In his booklet on Gunner Pagri Badges (Jan 04) he has revised his findings.A new BC in 1934 ordered non-regulation badges to be removed in E Bty; but the cypher appeared to get a reprieve in 1935, for the records of Firmin & Son, who made the badge, have it listed as "a pagri badge for E Bty RHA for wear on the Silver Jubilee Parades" which were held in May that year. The badge was die cast in wm with the manufacturer's name in raised letters on the smooth back.The cyphers for EviiiR & GviR were similarly marked; thus it can be assumed that these were originally meant for E Bty before other units took to wearing a die struck badge. The former command a good price: one went recently for £60. Always check the back for a gem! G Bty at the same time also wore a (somewhat larger) cypher of the 3 monarchs in brass, and in wm.

[54Bty]

In 1954 the War Office conducted a survey into the different types of badges being worn in the beret by members in the Royal Horse Artillery Regiments. The reason for the survey was due to a manufacturer asking the War Office to confirm if white metal was the correct material for the badges he had been privately asked to make.
The results of the survey for Officers only was;

1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery Silver plated.
2nd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery Gold embroidered.
3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery Silver plated.
4th Regiment Royal Horse Artillery Gilt.
5th Regiment Royal Horse Artillery Silver plated.

It is probably safe to assume that the corresponding metal badge was being worn by the Other Ranks.

The regulation issued badges were Gilt for Officers and Brass for Other Ranks.

[Eddie Parks]

In fact the source of my information was a small booklet prepared for other ranks of 3 RHA when the regiment was reformed in the 1980s. The information for the booklet was provided by the RAI.

[R.J. Bradshaw]

Hello Gents, I knew the late Norman Litchfield who did a brilliant, coloured two-piece article in Crown Imperial in the late 90's but I dont remember which numbers they were exactly.

My reason for contacting him over these in particular was because my great uncle was posted to India NW frontier in 1931-38 firstly with No 1 Bty (Bulls Troop) and then N Bty (Eagle Troop) of which I have his badges.

These being unofficial were made from rupee silver and I have a GVR type, with RHA scroll, and the rare Eagle Bty version clutching a flag in each claw marked, Hydrerabad on the left flag, and Afghanistan on the left version, and both are pin-backed for attachment to the pagri of the Bombay Bowler.

[Eddie Parks]

As a former Eagle I'd love to see the badge!
Eddie

[sadler32]

A friend who served in the 4th Regiment RHA during the early 1950's has his own brass cypher badge in his own collection. He did say to me recently that he did not know why the 4th was brass and all the others white metal.

[54Bty]

Originally Posted by R.J. Bradshaw

Hello Gents, I knew the late Norman Litchfield who did a brilliant, coloured two-piece article in Crown Imperial in the late 90's but I dont remember which numbers they were exactly.

My reason for contacting him over these in particular was because my great uncle was posted to India NW frontier in 1931-38 firstly with No 1 Bty (Bulls Troop) and then N Bty (Eagle Troop) of which I have his badges.

These being unofficial were made from rupee silver and I have a GVR type, with RHA scroll, and the rare Eagle Bty version clutching a flag in each claw marked, Hydrerabad on the left flag, and Afghanistan on the left version, and both are pin-backed for attachment to the pagri of the Bombay Bowler.

The two badges mentioned above.

Marc

[R.J. Bradshaw]

Originally Posted by Eddie Parks

As a former Eagle I'd love to see the badge!
Eddie

See below Eddie, courtesy of Marc (many thanks). Both badges look good in close up (as below) but are actually about and inch and a quarter high, and were made from Rupee silver by local metalsmiths.