4th Northamptonshire, opinions please?

[Phil2M]

Hello all,

I just picked this up earlier, not a badge that I know a lot about, think it looks okay, no sign of erased letters on the scrolls but seeding is worn. Three small square braze holes on the main scroll.

I picked it up for a very low price from a coin dealer so no harm done if its duff.

All opinions welcome, please

Cheers

Phil

[Alan O]

Phil

I think that it's OK. Still not convinced that it's solely 4th Bn badge mind you as why have this design and a 4th Bn named badge with battlehonour: but that is another issue.

Alan

[Phil2M]

Thanks Alan, thats good news, I was solely basing ID on the other examples in the gallery.

Including car parking for 2 hrs in the city centre, this badge cost me £7.00 bargains are still out there.

[wardog]

Nice one- both badge and price! Might be a touch of Soldiers Friend pink polish also. I thought I did well getting one for £15. Well done. Regards, Paul.

[Phil2M]

Thanks Paul, it makes up for being too hungover to get to Thetford on Sunday morning. Yes, it does smell like soldiers friend

Cheers,

Phil

[mooke07]

Hi all,

Just like London buses along comes another Northamptonshire blank scroll badge - am not sure if actually 4th Bn as per threads from more learned members. I picked this up recently too. Better than the one in my collection that coped a bit of flak, nice seeding on the recently acquired one, think it ok. You all did better on price though, yours is a nice one Phil.

Cheers Dean

[Alan O]

I am led to believe that this was the TF pattern approved by the WD in 1915. However as there were only 3 TF bns, the 1st/4th, 2nd/4th and the 3rd/4th, there seems no logical reason to have adopted the blank scrolls in favour of the titled badge worn from 1908.

If the 5th Bn had been TF then that would have been a candidate for blank scrolls but it was not - it was a Service Bn and would have worn the usual badge.

The reason for the 4th Bn losing its battlehonours and title on the TF badge, when it was the sole TF Bn, is unclear and rather odd.

[Alan O]

Having mulled this over the only explanation with any sort of logic is that the 1908 TF badge had lugs and a SA scroll. This would have been for one Bn only and privately bought by the association so was produced in low numbers.

When the WD took over production of TF badges in 1915 then they opted for the blank scroll badge as a generic TF, rather than specific to a single battalion, and issued it to the 1/4th, 2nd/4th 3rd/4th etc. If the 5th Bn had been TF, rather than a Service Bn, then they would have got it too. The production run was in greater numbers for the multiple bns and hence why is a slightly commoner badge.

The same logic applies to the Essex regt whose 5-7th Bn we know from photos wore both SA scroll and scrolless badges. Presumably the WD had little interest in pandering to TF perculiarities and battle honours (as the decision to remove blank scrolls altogether later on in 1916 showed) and wanted maximum commonality to reduce cost and production time.

Comments please.