Bandmasters badges

[grumpy]

Please can anyone tell me when bandmasters began to wear WO 1 badge in addition to the bandmaster badge ..... "my period" is really up to end of great war, when the crown, lyre, wreath badge was sufficient.

[grumpy]

Lots of views ........ I am sure somebody knows, please.

[grey_green_acorn]

I can only start at 1966 where Clothing Regulations Pamphlet No 15 shows:

Table 14: Method of wearing rank badges, chevrons of rank and badges of appointment - Bands, Drums, Trumpet and Fife

Warrant Officers Bandmaster - Right forearm Royal Arms above lyre

Tim

[Mike H]

Oddly, the Rifles bandmaster wears only the WO1 rank badge. The lyre badge isn't worn.

[grumpy]

Thank you both. I will now need to get some information for earlier than 1966.
Intrigued that only the lyre is mentioned because the badge remains as large "crown, lyre and wreath" according to photographs. It seems to have morphed from a pure [and unique] rank badge to an appointment badge.

[grumpy]

A Google search suggests that the Royal Arms badge was added above the band badge some time in the ten years after WW II.
I would be grateful for collateral on that if possible please.

As to why it was added .................. !

[manchesters]

I have never seen any photos of the combo with a Kings Crown, only ever on a QC.

regards

[grumpy]

Thank you. I have CR pam 8 of 1962, No 1 and 3 dress.
Table 22B has for WO Bandmaster "large band badge" only.

Unless there were variations in orders of dress, the official change was between 1962 and 1966 apparently.

I have photos of band and royal arms on full dress a decade earlier though!

Perhaps the motivation was for bandmasters to show a recognised rank badge, being the only Warrant Officers with a totally different badge. Thereafter the crown lyre and wreath becomes in effect an appointment badge.

[sapper533]

Just looking through BLD's book 'British Army Uniforms and Insignia of WW2' and in his table on page 20 he shows the Bandmasters badge on its own. In Table 4 on page 19 he says it was worn on its own according to regs in 1936 and 1941/1944.

I know this isn't helpful for your period but i does take us back a bit further.
Cheers
Sean

[grumpy]

Originally Posted by sapper533

Just looking through BLD's book 'British Army Uniforms and Insignia of WW2' and in his table on page 20 he shows the Bandmasters badge on its own. In Table 4 on page 19 he says it was worn on its own according to regs in 1936 and 1941/1944.

I know this isn't helpful for your period but i does take us back a bit further.
Cheers
Sean

No it certainly is helpful thank you.

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by grumpy

Thank you. I have CR pam 8 of 1962, No 1 and 3 dress.
Table 22B has for WO Bandmaster "large band badge" only.

Unless there were variations in orders of dress, the official change was between 1962 and 1966 apparently.

I have photos of band and royal arms on full dress a decade earlier though!

Perhaps the motivation was for bandmasters to show a recognised rank badge, being the only Warrant Officers with a totally different badge. Thereafter the crown lyre and wreath becomes in effect an appointment badge.

I believe that your latter comment surmises the rationale correctly. The rank badge and lyre was certainly worn by many of the regimental bands that I recall seeing at such events as the Tidworth Tattoo during the mid to late 1980s.