Somerset Militia

[Alan O]

I expect it should be the same design as their smaller collar in the same way that 2VB's is.

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by Alan O

I expect it should be the same design as their smaller collar in the same way that 2VB's is.

Yes I think so too. It’s logical and likely.

[denis pannett]

Originally Posted by Keith Blakeman

When I was going through the Gaunt stuff offloaded by the NAM there was a bag of these bronze collars clearly labelled Somerset Militia. These are full sized, no sign of the upper scroll being removed.

Doesn’t help the argument here as it’s an officer’s collar badge and there was no sign of facing ones, not to say they didn’t exist as DNW had first dibs.

I have had this badge in my collection for some years now and wondered what it was without the Jellalabad and no sign of it having been removed. Could it be an officers militia cap badge? Denis

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by Alan O

I expect it should be the same design as their smaller collar in the same way that 2VB's is.

Originally Posted by denis pannett

I have had this badge in my collection for some years now and wondered what it was without the Jellalabad and no sign of it having been removed. Could it be an officers militia cap badge? Denis

Yes I think it very probably is. Most of the officers’ badges for Torin and then Austrian field service caps were brooched just like yours and often hall marked silver. Thank you very much for posting it.

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by denis pannett

I have had this badge in my collection for some years now and wondered what it was without the Jellalabad and no sign of it having been removed. Could it be an officers militia cap badge? Denis

I don’t know for sure at what period it might have been worn, but probably in the mid 1890s when the folding field caps were at the peak of their popularity. They seem to match with the dull gilding metal or bronze badges mentioned by Keith Blakeman earlier in the thread.

[Keith Blakeman]

Originally Posted by Toby Purcell

Yes I agree Alan I was still editing. I hadn’t spotted the badge that Henk originally posted for the 4th and assume it might have been one of the VB. I don’t know if the 4th Battalion ever wore any insignia with SA honour. I suppose it’s probable that both Militia battalions had the badge with Laurel Spray, just as both regular battalions wore the same badge. That seems more likely I think.

It’s all rather messy and I can’t yet find clearly if both 1st and 2nd VB deployed service companies to South Africa. Do you know?

It’s significant in relation to the South Africa honour because when the two VB stood down and were replaced by 4th and 5th TF battalion’s in 1908, the company locations were not distributed identically to before, but reorganised so that 4th and 5th each received company locations from 1st and 2nd VB. As a result both 4th and 5th inherited the “South Africa 1900-01” honour (one year less than the Militia).

Given that both 1st and 2nd VB had previously had discrete badges pre Boer War (both cap and collar), why was it that after the war only 2nd VB had a badge with its unit designation plus the South Africa honour, but 1st VB did not? Instead there’s just a standard badge with no unit designation plus the South Africa honour. This seems odd. Could it be that the latter badge was for the 4th Battalion (Militia), and that only 2nd VB had deployed men to South Africa? However, a key aspect is that apparently (assuming no mistake**) the 4th Battalion (Militia) received the two-year South Africa 1901-1902 honour, whereas the badge only shows 1900-01, which leans towards a VB solution.

I’ve scoured Kipling and King and Ray Westlake to try and unravel this, but haven’t yet fathomed it out. All help gratefully received. The crux of the matter is did both 1st and 2nd VB receive the battle Honour “South Africa 1900-01”? Exactly what support did Somerset’s auxiliaries give to the 2nd Boer War.

Source: ‘The Constitutional Force’ by Colonel Jackson Hay.

3rd VB also had an SA Honour on their badge.

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by Keith Blakeman

3rd VB also had an SA Honour on their badge.

Thanks Keith I was wondering that last night and it’s really helpful to know, as so far I haven’t been able to find a single small badge clearly marked as theirs. Either way the key thing I wanted to confirm is that the date reads as 1900-01. Just as elimination and to confirm beyond all doubt what seems likely, that all the badges with SA honour relate to the VB and later TF.

[Alan O]

Originally Posted by denis pannett

I have had this badge in my collection for some years now and wondered what it was without the Jellalabad and no sign of it having been removed. Could it be an officers militia cap badge? Denis

In answer to the original post this is the badge I would use for the militia battalions on the website.

[denis pannett]

Originally Posted by Toby Purcell

Yes I think it very probably is. Most of the officers’ badges for Torin and then Austrian field service caps were brooched just like yours and often hall marked silver. Thank you very much for posting it.

Many thanks Toby for your very helpful informatory comments, so pleased to have found out what it is at last!
Regards Denis

[Alan O]

That would tie up nicely with the 1902 date letter.

[Keith Blakeman]

Originally Posted by Toby Purcell

Thanks Keith I was wondering that last night and it’s really helpful to know, as so far I haven’t been able to find a single small badge clearly marked as theirs. Either way the key thing I wanted to confirm is that the date reads as 1900-01. Just as elimination and to confirm beyond all doubt what seems likely, that all the badges with SA honour relate to the VB and later TF.

Mine has 1900-01

[YeoHelmetGuy]

Originally Posted by Alan O

That would tie up nicely with the 1902 date letter.

.Delete

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by Alan O

In answer to the original post this is the badge I would use for the militia battalions on the website.

As insignia from the field service cap I agree.

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by YeoHelmetGuy

... I recognize that the focus of this conversation/thread has been about the various cap badges worn by the various Somerset Light Infantry militia and volunteer battalions, but I thought this might be of some interest... a Victorian officer's home service helmet plate to the 1st Volunteer Battalion, the Somersetshire Light Infantry... apologies for the quality of the images.

Cheers,

David

Very interesting David, it misses off the small Sphinx from the inner curve of the bugle horn because it was a regular battle honours distinction.

[Alan O]

Next time I am in Taunton I will go to the Museum and examine their badge displays.