Imperial Light horse - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

iaindh · #1 06-06-12, 03:23 AM

Hi All,

its a bit quiet in SA these days but can anyone say for sure what headdress badge were worn by the ILH during the Boer war.
Owen's only starts the crossed flags in 1903 and only shows shoulder titles for the ABW.
The pictures I have in the book "Light Horse Cavalcade" possibly shows the crossed flags on some slouch hats.
On a forage cap, a title being worn; on an Officer's forage cap, what could be a cloth/bullion crossed flags?

Does anyone have anything conclusive?

Iain

Traist · #2 06-06-12, 05:31 AM

Hi Iain, as far as I know they only wore the titles in the Boer War. There are variations of this,including cut outs and cast badges. Regards Andrew

iaindh · #3 06-06-12, 01:54 PM

Hi Andrew,

I cant argue, Owen only says they were shoulder titles whereas with other ABW titles he does say if they were worn as slouch hat badges.
This below link says the attached photos were dated 1903 which ties in with Owen's dates.
http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...ad.php?t=17444

The photo I referred to showing an Officer with a crossed flags forage cap badge is not dated but that he, Major CH Mullins, was awarded a VC during the ABW. There is a possibility of course that it was ABW period and that the badge he was wearing was unofficial.

regards,

Iain

Milmed · #4 07-06-12, 09:10 AM

Hi Iain,
Try going to Flikr (photosharing site)... you can find it via google.
Once there do a search for "Imperial Light Horse". There are a number of great boer war photographs of the unit in Natal. If you look carefully you can make out ILH titles on sloach hats and shoulder tabs. I also saw ILH titles on officers coloured side caps. Based on this I would say they only had the ILH titles available during the war.

Steven

Traist · #5 07-06-12, 11:13 AM

Thanks Iain and Steven. Have a grand day. Regards Andrew

iaindh · #6 08-06-12, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milmed

Hi Iain,
Try going to Flikr (photosharing site)... you can find it via google.
Once there do a search for "Imperial Light Horse". There are a number of great boer war photographs of the unit in Natal. If you look carefully you can make out ILH titles on sloach hats and shoulder tabs. I also saw ILH titles on officers coloured side caps. Based on this I would say they only had the ILH titles available during the war.

Steven

Hi Steven,

thanks for the Flickr link, I wasn't aware of it. I do have some of the photos in my books but the large piksels in the print make it difficult to clearly identify the badges, also you are able to explode the photos on the Flickr website.
It does clarify which badge was worn and I guess there wouldnt have been any change with the war underway!

Iain

QSAMIKE · #7 08-06-12, 12:45 PM

Good Morning Gentlemen.....

Take a look at this on a sister forum.....

http://www.angloboerwar.com/forum/9-...al-light-horse

Mike

Traist · #8 08-06-12, 03:01 PM

Thanks Mike, it is nice to see the variations. Regards Andrew

iaindh · #9 09-06-12, 04:13 AM

Thanks Mike,

I hadn't seen that thread.

Andrew,

did you read on where it does mention that Officers did wear the embroidered crossed flags on their FS cap during the ABW.
It is really an interesting thread and amazing that it was taking place parallel to this one.
I was going to post the same photo on this forum so here it is.

ILH Officer.jpg

regards,

Iain

Traist · #10 09-06-12, 08:01 AM

Hi Iain, it is good to see that the crossed flags were worn in the Boer War. I agree that only the titles were worn in metal during that period. Be it headress or shoulder titles. Here are my Boer War ILH titles(the bottom 2 are silver). Regards Andrew

iaindh · #11 09-06-12, 09:19 AM

Hi Andrew,

that's that one solved

You have a nice & varied collection there of ILH titles. Its quite amazing the variation.

ILH group.jpg

I posted this photo from Ladysmith on the ABW forum as it shows a trooper (?) at the back right with a slouch (smasher) hat title as well as shoulders.
The same photo is also on Steve's Flickr site and you can perhaps see it more clearly there.

regards,

Iain

Traist · #12 09-06-12, 11:09 AM

Thanks Iain, Have fun. Andrew

Madziro · #13 25-06-12, 11:07 AM

Some more ILH titles for interest. (All in the collection)

Madziro · #14 25-06-12, 11:10 AM

Photo of a Boer War era member of the ILH. His title badge can be seen on the slouch hat.

iaindh · #15 26-06-12, 02:34 AM

Hi Dudley,

quite a collection of ILH titles there, some would have to be slouch hat badges.
The photo very clearly shows the title worn on the slouch hat but interestingly he doesn't wear shoulder titles!

regards,

Iain