Royal Sussex helmet plate centre?

[alastaircox]

This came to me with a WW1 medal group to the 8th Btn Royal Sussex. I believe it is a pre-WW1 helmet plate centre but is it correct? My man had no pre-war service so it was unlikely to have been his.

50mm diameter approx., long very bent slider to rear, feint traces of gilt finish, copper alloy.

[High Wood]

It is a Royal Sussex Regiment H.P.C. that has been converted to a pagri badge. It was probably worn in India during the Great War.

1st Battalion
August 1914 : in Peshawar. Part of 1st (Peshawar) Brigade, 1st (Peshawar) Division of Indian Army. Remained in India throughout the war. Moved to 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division December 1917.

2/6th (Cyclist) Battalion
Formed at Brighton in November 1914.
November 1915 : moved to Chisledon, joined with three other Cyclist Bns – 1/9th Hampshire, 1/25th London, and 1/1st Kent Cyclist Battalion, and converted to infantry. This ‘Brigade’ was originally intended for East Africa.
4 February 1916 : sailed from Devonport to India.
In October 1918: moved to Vladivostock and moved into Siberia, where then remained until November 1919 before returning to England.
Some troops formerly with the Canadian Reserve Cyclist Company (aka 2nd Div. Cyclist Co.). are known to have been transferred into this battalion.

[alastaircox]

How interesting, thank you very much.

[manchesters]

I dont believe its converted, but actually manufactured as a pagri badge.

No trace of any loops being fitted.

regards

[Alan O]

It's an HPC design but designed for the Foreign Service Helmet pre 1906. I have an album of them. It was a Army initiative to standardise FSH 'pagri' badges but never took off and whilst many were made they do not seem to have been worn. It was not likely to be worn by the TF who tended to wear cloth patches or standard cap badges when they were sent to India as Garrison troops during WW1.

https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...hp?albumid=695

[Tiger Pete]

There is not much more to add that hasn't been said already, other than the 2/6 wore a pagri flash as for regular Royal Sussex Bns from 1916-'18, but with the addition of a '6' in the centre.

Kind Regards,

Pete

[Tiger Pete]

Here are two examples that were purpose made with different length sliders.

KR,

Pete

[High Wood]

Originally Posted by manchesters

I dont believe its converted, but actually manufactured as a pagri badge.

No trace of any loops being fitted.

regards

Fair enough, but it uses the basic H.P.C. and has had a slider rather than loops fitted.