Shropshire Yeomanry

[Alan O]

I have seen several varities of SY badges. K&K and Gayor show the solid badge with 3 lions heads and the shield, a voided version with no shield in both k/c and q/c. The k/c voided was post WW2 and found with Gaunt marked sliders in large font.

There are loads of fakes about with a solid centre but no shield. All of the favourite ebay repro sellers have them. I have never seen a genuine example of this badge and believe it to be a fake badge where the faker has failed to void it. Any opinions?

Alan

[Alan O]

I forgot to add that there is a second common (but older) copy of this badge with the shield. It is in yellow brass, very flat and has a solid crown. also the Lions look ridiculaous - they are almost 'Frosties' tigers

Alan

[jeanpit-frenchy]

here are my two shropshire yeo

1st is stamped LAMBOURNE of BIRMINGHAM
2sd (voided) is stamped j.r GAUNT.LONDON

i hope they are genine...50% buy in GB for 5 GBP each

but the 1st exemple without the shied was give as genuine by a very good great french collector (he's writing very good articles about english badges during WW1 in militaria magazine(french magazine) ). the scan of the two pages use 1.6mo each...too large for the forum but i can send them if somebody need them !

who had the true, i dont know ?

[Alan O]

They both look fine to me - the Lambourne's one in particular is a nice example. Is the Gaunt one with the very small font (no full stop) - mine has the later 1950s large font stamp on it.

Alan

[Alan O]

Just to confirm my thoughts on this one - a solid badge with no shield and the fake Gaunt mark on the slider.

[Sonofacqms]

Beware, there are badges being produced with Lambourne on the sliders, I have collected Lambourne badges for some years and have only found their sliders on Infantry badges, maybe somone will prove me wrong, but I have never encountered a Yeomanry, Cavalry or Corps badge with this on the slider. I do have a Norfolk Regt s/title with the name stamped on the reverse.

[Alan O]

Like Jean-Pit I have a Shropshire Yeo with a slider marked Lambourne & Co Birmingham (on 2 lines). I am actually happy with it as it is well struck, great patina etc.

I have however seen the Lambourne name faked on other badges in a different type and size of font and style.

Alan

[Sonofacqms]

My experience of Lambourne badges is that they were never very well struck, my Cambridgeshire and Norfolk Regt do not have brazing holes with the Norfolk scroll nearly over the base, the KRRC is not too bad as is the Lancs Fusiliers.
Here I must correct a previous statement I made, I do have an ASC cap badge, something I overlooked.

[Luke H]

Originally Posted by Sonofacqms

My experience of Lambourne badges is that they were never very well struck, my Cambridgeshire and Norfolk Regt do not have brazing holes with the Norfolk scroll nearly over the base, the KRRC is not too bad as is the Lancs Fusiliers.
Here I must correct a previous statement I made, I do have an ASC cap badge, something I overlooked.

I also have a Norfolk badge made my lambourne's, with no braze holes which is strange as I was told by someone that that particular manufacturer was most closely associated with WWI production, does anyone know if such dating correct?

Incidentially its brass overlay scroll is misaligned, and it looks as if the top of the laurel has been cropped flat.

Cheers,

Luke

[Keith Blakeman]

Any thoughts ?

[Alan O]

Keith,

Put my neck out (without seeing the back) - from the front it looks fine to me.

From the amount and type of Lambourne's badges I got the impression that ORs badge were not there main business but something they produced in WW1 era. Possibly they were sub-contracted the work from a bigger firm. I would not get too hung up on the absence of brazing holes as they were makers variation to ease production. If I was a subcontrctor with a small order working to a deadline then the punching of the holes would be the first thing to go. I may not have the correct tools, time or skills to bother with them. This would make the brasing messier and hence the crooked scrolls on the Norfolks.

Supposition on my part but an educated guess.

Alan

[Sonofacqms]

Keith,
From my experience and the knowledge I have gained over the years, I would take a good, hard look at this badge, because it is one, like most Yeomanry badges that has been restruck. Incidently, the Shropshire Yeomanry had a badge which was produced in Italy during WWII, which was voided and had a strap, similar to the Life Guards badge in white metal.

[Sonofacqms]

I have been told somewhere in the past that Lambourne's made swagger stick tops. Certainly I have never seen their name on any badge later than 1920's, but I have seen an Essex and a 4th/ 5th Suffolks that have their name on the sliders. Beware . . !

[Keith Blakeman]

Originally Posted by Sonofacqms

Keith,
From my experience and the knowledge I have gained over the years, I would take a good, hard look at this badge, because it is one, like most Yeomanry badges that has been restruck. Incidently, the Shropshire Yeomanry had a badge which was produced in Italy during WWII, which was voided and had a strap, similar to the Life Guards badge in white metal.

Probably best if I show the rear. TBH I won't be surprised if it's considered fake, there are more Yeomanry badges out there than their contemporary Cavalry counterparts and that's just not right.

[Alan O]

Keith,
Again the back looks fine - the slider is a good shape and back is well struck. If it a fake then I cannot spot anything to give it away. Whya re you sceptical about it?

The Shropshire Yeo should be one of the more common badges as they wore the same badge for most of their existance. I would have to check but I think they kept their badge even when reroled so unlike many yeomanry units (such as berkshire yeomanry) did adopt an RE or RA badge between 1920 and 1944.

Alan