Help requested 104 Rgt Foot collar badges 1872-1881

[John Mulcahy]

I am looking for some help regarding the collar badges worn by the 104th (Bengal Fusiliers) Regiment of Foot in the period 1872-1881.

Churchill claims that they were authorized to wear the universal grenade pattern 9281 (seen below at left) by authority PC/Infy Gen/111 OF 16th July 1872.

P.P. Holder writing in Crown Imperial “Other Ranks Infantry Collar Badges 1874-1881 indicates that the regiment worn a “grenade, plain large” and though he says not illustrated shows the grenade adopted by the 101st Rgt in 1878 (middle below) for the 104th.

I am trying to determine if the badges shown on the right below were worn by the 104th regiment. I ask because I have several images of all ranks of 2 bn RMF from Cpl to Col. wearing badges that appear very similar to these primarily on the frock (Khaki, scarlet & blue) and dated from 1890 all the way up to 1914.

Similarly I have photographic evidence of all personnel of 1 RMF wearing the old 101 Rgt collar badge up to the late 1890’s. This makes sense as 101 Rgt became 1 RMF in 1881, again mainly on frocks until gradually replaced by the universal grenade.

I am trying to see photographic or other evidence of the badge with the tiger on the grenade worn by 104 Rgt prior to territorialization in 1881 as possible evidence that personnel of 2 RMF continued to wear their old collar badges until gradually replaced by the universal grenade (which was the officially authorized badge for this regiment).

Unfortunately none of the images I have of 104 Rgt show the collar badges adopted/worn after 1872.

Thanks in advance for any help.

John