Royal Fusiliers Officers Cap Badge.

[thursdaychris]

I have quite a few OSD orphans in my KC Infantry Officers collection and, so far, I've been unable to find suitable silver or silver/gilt companions for them. So it has been with the R. Fusiliers, and I've been looking for a suitable gapfiller, until the real badge comes along. Yesterday, the postperson brought me what the seller described as a R. Fusiliers SNCOs cap badge, it is nicely gilded, it has N/S blades and I'm thinking that it really does look the business.

It seems an ideal temporary partner for my lonely OSD, and I am telling myself that they do look well in my collection. The badge should have a silver rose, of course, but it'll do for the time being, and if all else fails, I suppose that I could always get the little paintbrush out. Funnily enough, what is described as a Bi-Metal R. Fusiliers Officers cap badge has just appeared on eBay, but sadly, I'm not too keen on the seller, and even less on what he wants for it (£189.99)

[Alex Rice]

Hi Chris
This is what you need, slightly more elaborate than just a silver rose.
https://deadspartan.co.uk/shop.php?code=72355

Cheers,
Alex

[billy]

Hi Chris here are K/C & Q/C, note the running Horse to bottom of badge, all the best billy

[thursdaychris]

Many thanks chaps, I have seen that lovely badge, Alex, sadly it's a QC and I'm only seeking the earlier KC badges. Robbie Leighs site is a good one for Fusilier stuff (20 pages!) I have just spotted another silver/gilt badge on there that I can find room for, (not Fusilier related) but I fear that it's another one of Robbies "pain in the wallet" jobs and will need to need to wait until the Chrimbo sale.

[cbuehler]

There seems to be a great variety of RF badges and I think the gilded one you just received is likely a good one and really could be for an NCO, privately purchased perhaps.
I have seen that one with the green background and that seller is one I avoid as well, although that badge is good but over priced.
CB

[Alex Rice]

The KC examples do turn up from time to time, they aren't all that scarce but may require some patience. They are more common than the QC I think.
Cheers,
Alex

[thursdaychris]

I've been thinking about the White Horse of Hanover seen on Billy's excellent badges in post #3, there was something in the back of my mind about these, but I didn't have K&K at hand until this morning.

These badges showing the White Horse are for the racoon-skin cap, the badge for the White F.S. Helmet and the Forage-cap are described as being the same as that for the full-dress head-dress but smaller, the Rose in silver and the White Horse omitted.

[Alex Rice]

Hi Chris
No, the cap badge has the white horse as well, my example here.
Cheers,
Alex

[thursdaychris]

Yes, it's quite puzzling really, the gospel according to Kipling & King definitely states in both volumes that the White Horse is omitted on the White F.S. Helmet and the Forage-cap badges. They're quite happy with the White Horse appearing on the badges shown in Figs 927A, 928 and 929 but not on the others! Something else that they've got wrong, apparently, this is supposed to be the badge collectors bible!

[thursdaychris]

Well, it's taken over a year but an RF silver/gilt badge is finally coming my way. I haven't actually got it yet, and I only have the sellers pictures at the moment. This badge is coming from Duncan Lamb in Grimsby who is rapidly becoming my best source for silver/gilt badges, the last one that I got came from him as well, long may it continue!

I've still got the "NCOs private purchase badge" if that's what it is, should I hang onto this, I wonder, it's probably not actually an officers badge and may well be out of place in my collection. But no one really seems to know what it is, and, so far, I haven't seen another one like it, there are, however, shedloads of ordinary RF badges,

[Alex Rice]

Great news, well done. You are building a superb collection.
Cheers,
Alex

[thursdaychris]

Many thanks for your kind words, Alex, the collection is indeed gradually coming together, although there are still a few very elusive items yet to be found. I finally added the RF badge last night, complete with it's tiny White Horse, despite what K&K have to say about it's omission!