Any ideas?

[JohnKn]

I have 5 of these badges in a 1914 Christmas Tin which may have belonged to my Grandfather, who was in the Northumberland Hussars in 1914-1917, then a Staff Sergeant Major in the Mounted Military Police till 1919. Can anybody identify the badge?

[Alan O]

It's an officers rank 'pip'.

[JohnKn]

Thanks Alan. Being totally ignorant, what would having 5 of them mean? I know he turned down a commission in 1918...

[ianh67military]

They are worn in pairs (1 left, 1 right) on the shoulders of all commissioned officers in the British Army. ! pip on each shoulder means he's a 2nd Lieutenant, 2 pips each shoulder a Lieutenant, 3 pips a captain. Some Regiments wore different (non standard) pattern pips
Unless you have some crowns as well he's unlikely to have reached the exalted rank of major (crown only) or Lieutenant Colonel (crown plus pip on each shoulder).
Obviously officers would have had 2 or 3 (or even more) jackets with rank on the shoulder so officers would retire with a small tin full of badges of rank.
There are people on the forum who have access and ability for deep diving in Army Lists and Army Record Offices, they may be able to trace a commission with his name/number.


Ian H

[Drummajor]

Here is an Australian example, a Captain from the 4th Cavalry Regt.

Phil.

[Drummajor]

And another, Major, 3/4 Cavalry Regt.

Phil.

[High Wood]

These are the names of members of the Northumberland Hussars who transferred to the Mounted Military Police. None of them appear to have been commissioned during the Great War.

J E Appleby. Northumberland Hussars, Military Mounted Police Corps 775, P/12912
J Bainbridge. Northumberland Hussars, Military Mounted Police Corps 652, P5539
J Campbell. Northumberland Hussars, Military Mounted Police Corps 1273, P/5548
J Erroll. Northumberland Hussars, Military Mounted Police Corps 788, P/4903
F Hindson. Northumberland Hussars, Military Mounted Police Corps 690, P/15864
H Jobson. Northumberland Hussars, Military Mounted Police Corps 705, P/5549
H W Oates. Northumberland Hussars, Military Mounted Police Corps 853, P/15863
W Parkins. Northumberland Hussars, Military Mounted Police Corps 691, P/16297
Thomas W Steel. Military Mounted Police Corps, Northumberland Hussars Yeo, Northumberland Fusiliers P/5961, 271148, 235630
F S Weddell. Northumberland Hussars, Military Mounted Police Corps, Northumberland Hussars 580, P5987, 528258
D White. Northumberland Hussars, Military Mounted Police Corps 848, 6441