Insignia of the Volunteer Battalions/Rifle Vols

[Stanley_C_Jenkins]

I am afraid I cannot easily produce an image of the back because the shako in question is in a museum show case - there is, however, no doubt that it is authentic. I suspect that it is a 1st (Oxford University) OVRC badge because the 5th (Witney) OVRC badge looked like this:

[Stanley_C_Jenkins]

I also have this picture of Colour Sergeant William Seely of the 5th OVRC, wearing the grey uniform that had been adopted by his unit in the 1860s:

[Peter Brydon]

Stanley,
If the cap is in a display case in a military Museum, then it is most probably a genuine item and if so, it appears to be in immaculate condition,the colour is a little surprising for a Rifle Volunteer item,the volunteers generally adopted less bright colours such as grey,rifle green,black etc. rather than colours which would stand out in the field.

P.B.

[Bantam]

Heres one for you 8thFoot.Made up of mostly welsh community living in Liverpool or Lerpwll in Welsh.
The badge was recently featured in The Armourer Magazine.I love the symbolism of every perceived idea of welshness.St David or Druid,Harp,Goat and Leek its only missing The Dragon.
Regards
Bantam

[Stanley_C_Jenkins]

I don't entirely understand why the supposed Oxfordshire Rifle Volunteer skako is blue, when colour prints of the 1st Oxfordshire Volunteer Rifle Corps show them in grey uniforms - unless the shako is from a slightly later period when they may have changed to red coats. Could the shako be from the 1st Buckinghamshire Rifles (which I think was the Eton College corps). This might explain how it turned up in the Oxfordshire & Bucklinghamshire Light Infantry Museum (?)

[Peter Brydon]

Thanks Bantam,

I have a nice presentation sword to this unit.

Peter

Stanley,

Just a thought, could the colour of the shako be Oxford blue ?

Peter

[harribobs]

i thought his may be of interest

home service helmet plate to the 3rd VB Manchester Regiment (worn by the surgeon!!)

[Stanley_C_Jenkins]

Peter,

Yes, given that it may have become slightly faded, it may well have been Oxford blue when it was first made. The main problem is that there is no supporting documentation to explain what unit it came from, or what the cap badge actually is. To add to the confusiion, this is an Oxford University volunteer helmet plate from a slightly later date. It is obviously different to the "volunteer horn" shown on the shako badge.

[Stanley_C_Jenkins]

Sorry, I added a 20th century badge. Here is the Victorian version of the Oxford University volunteers helmet badge:

[harribobs]

another for the forum

a Lancashire Rifle Volunteer shako plate, solid silver (i am pretty much certain) but no hallmarks )

[Peter Brydon]

[[IMG][/IMG]

Officers Cross Belt Plate of the Liverpool Irish

P.B.