Highland Light Infantry on a Slider

[Brwbroon]

Hi all,
I have this unusual badge in the collection, a Highland Light Infantry badge of the upturned scroll pattern but fitted with a clipped slider. I have another of this type but with the usual lugs. The question is, if it is genuine and I think it is, what was it for?
On Ebay a while ago there was a photo of a soldier in what looked like Hospital Blues wearing an SD cap with an HLI badge. Could the badge have been made for this purpose or does the pattern even date to this period.
Your thoughts please.

Eric

[tonyb]

Eric, I have the same badge as your one.
I assume it to be a Foreign Service Helmet badge with a clipped slider.
However just my opinion.
Tony.

[Alan O]

If original then that's the most likely option. Presmably they were cut down for use on the usual caps possibly during the shortage of badges in 1915 when old stocks were being used up?

As an aside the die is the makers' variant where the end of the ASSAYE scroll are rising upwards rather than horozontial as is found on most others.

[cbuehler]

As usual, badges such as these with sliders always seem to be for the Pagri by default, when no evidence seems to exist to support it.
Although I could be wrong, I think they are simply an unusual variant made with sliders and likely worn on the Glengarry.
The HLI wore a tartan flash on the FSH before and during WW1 and the interwar years.
CB

[Brwbroon]

Thanks for the replies, as always much appreciated.

As CB quite rightly says the HLI wore a triangular tartan flash on the Foreign Service Helmet so there is no need for a slidered version of the badge. However if this was an issued item I would have thought there would be more of them around unless of course it was a manufactures error which was corrected after a few examples had escaped into the wild. Perhaps one day we will have a definitive answer.

Thanks again.

Eric

[Alan O]

Depending on the Battalion and date the FSH badges varied even for the same regiment. Any FSH metal badge (like all the HPC conversions) was likely never actually worn.

However unless it's a maker's error, the FSH was the type of hat that a slidered badge would be authorised for.

My point is it may be an officially authorised FSH badge: but never worn that was laterley subsequently used with a shortened slider when badges were in short supply.

[cbuehler]

Originally Posted by Alan O

Depending on the Battalion and date the FSH badges varied even for the same regiment. Any FSH metal badge (like all the HPC conversions) was likely never actually worn.

However unless it's a maker's error, the FSH was the type of hat that a slidered badge would be authorised for.

My point is it may be an officially authorised FSH badge: but never worn that was laterley subsequently used with a shortened slider when badges were in short supply.

They did indeed vary, with few regiments maintaining the same design over the periods in mention.
While still not known with certainty, these slidered badges may have been intended for the FSH, but never worn.

CB