North Irish Horse

[Spencer]

Now does this badge have to have void strings or is the one shown genuine ?

[Faugh-A-Ballagh]

Spencer,
Here's two pics of NIH badges of mine. The white metal one was my grandfathers, so I know it is 100%, the other belonged to a WW1 veteran, and it got passed to me. It had been enamelled and gilted (badly) and made into a broach, however, it has now been tidied up. Both have strings which are un-voided, but I have seen examples which are. I have somewhere an anodised one, which has voided strings, but can't place it at the minute. I know that the PRI shop at their base sold white metal QC badges, but I gave away the one I had years ago, and can't remember what the strings looked like. No doubt I won't be the only contributor here.

John

[Mike H]

Here you go an anodised North Irish Horse

[Flatdog]

John,

What colour beret does NIH wear?

Clay

[Faugh-A-Ballagh]

They wear the normal navy blue beret. No badge backings or any anything. There are two NIH units. One is 69 (NIH) Signal Squadron TA part of 40th Signal Regiment. They wear the cap badge of the Royal Signals with NIH uniform. The other is B Squadron of the Queen's Own Yeomanry. Up till a couple of years ago, they wore the cap badge of the NIH, but they have now been forced to adopt the QOY badge, ending a long tradition which they were allowed to continue during their time as part of the Royal Yeomanry. for a small regiment, the NIH had a good history.

[John Mulcahy]

Spencer

This is not a regiment that I know a whole lot about and I look forward to learning here. I THINK that non-voided QC badges were struck (I recall a reference somewhere but cannot find it at the moment). A word of caution a non-voided QC with Marples and Beasley slider is known and is almost certainly fake. It is true to say that the majority are voided. A message to the association web-site would probably clear it up. They have responded to me in the past

http://northirishhorse.net/index.html

I do believe that the smaller GM (non-voided) badge is WW2, do't confuse it with the common fake shown on the left below, the give away is they lack of a gap between the back of the maid's head and the harp (compare to the image shown by F.A.B.) Wilkinson in his Cavalry & Yeomanry badges gives the dates 1908 - 1952 for the GM version (Known with loops & slider) and 1952 - 1953 for the WM KC version. John - do you have a date for youe grandfathers WM KC badge?

Some material to share

Shown second from left are the QC O/R bage with O/R A/A collars on top and officer's collars (silver plated below), 3rd from left is the NCO's arm badge (this one with service damage)
John

[ard-ri]

I have three NIH badges. On all three the head does not touch the harp or the crown. Two have no voided strings or scroll ends. One is marked Marples & Beasley, one is marked J.R. Gaunt and one has no markings. The one with no markings has voided strings and scroll ends. If you where to look at all three badges, not knowing about voiding, the one that looks the oldest and most "Original" is the Marples & Beasley badge. Go figure

P.S. All three are QC. The voided, unmarked badge is the "tinniest" to the touch.

Michael

[lettman]

This the GM KC example in my collection. There is the gap between head and crown and the strings are non-voided, but the way the slider is attached looks odd (this shot in next message). Any thoughts?

[lettman]

Sorry, had to submit the last shot of the slider attachment separately.

[ard-ri]

Lettman,

Any sign that maybe the slider has been re-attached? I personally have never seen a slider attached this way. I have seen bent sliders but this one seems to have been soldered on the flat.

Michael

[John Mulcahy]

Originally Posted by lettman

This the GM KC example in my collection. There is the gap between head and crown and the strings are non-voided, but the way the slider is attached looks odd (this shot in next message). Any thoughts?

I am just re-visiting this old thread, the following might be relevant

When looking at the sealing data of Irish Unit insignia pre 1939 in The National Archives. I noticed the following entries on the N.I.H.

1. Badges Forage Cap with VS, North Irish Horse SPN 8916/1916, date 9/6/1916


the badge was then quickly re-sealed as

2. 8916a/1916 on Badge Forage Cap VS North Irish Horse GM on 30/12/1916

Unfortunately no details on why it was re-sealed . Anyone know if the regiments badges were incorporated into the so called 1916 economy programme by omitting the piercing or whether the slider (VS) had to be re-positioned to strengthen the badge? Either of these might be a cause of the re-sealing.

John

[mufasa]

mine, it is a post-WWII copy? many thanks

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[Bill]

Three questions concerning the NIH large circlet pattern:
Was the large NIH circlet badge (KK1504) worn in the same way as the North of Ireland Imperial Yeomanry pattern (KK1393)?
Was it worn through WW1 or had its use ceased by 1914?
Was this pattern also used as the NCO arm badge?
Thanks for any information.
Bill

[Col Blacker]

Hi all,

I have two North Irish Horse cap badges. Both have QEII crowns, are made from white metal and have sliders - unmarked.

The differences between the badges is that one badge has voided strings on the harp and the scroll ends are voided whilst the latter does not.

My query is whether both types of badge where issued and thus both genuine or is one of these a copy and if so which one?


The badge on the left looks so "new" simply because it was in a terrible grubby state when I got it and I had to clean it up.

Any help is appreciated...

Sean

[gwrco]

Hi chum,
...both capbadges have been worn by the regiment. They've been worn in the normal white metal as your two badges are, and have also been worn as chromed! Chromed badges didn't need as much cleaning!!
The fretted version which is a much later one, was worn by myself in chrome, whilst one of my oppo's wore the one on the left in normal white metal.
The badges were worn alongside the horrendous fretted staybright ones, but being 'private purchase', more durable, and definately longer lasting, we were allowed to wear them until replaced by the Queens Own Yeomanry badge of a running fox/scaby dog!. This badge is issued in bullion for the officers, staybright for the OR's, and some purchase the bi-metal version, as this again is better quality, more durable, and longer lasting!

Hope this helps,

tim

B (NIH) Sqn - QOY

p.s. The NIH bullion officers cap badges for wear on the berets were locally produced by a military tailors shop here in Belfast. You know it's one from here, as the maid has a smile on her face!