Boer War Yeomanry Badges ID..?

[High Wood]

I think that the shoulder is comprised of three letters rather than numbers. I also think that the middle letter is a Y. I can only think of one three letter shoulder title with a Y in the centre and that is for the Montgomery Yeomanry Cavalry. I don't believe that they ever went anywhere near to Glasgow, even for a dirty weekend with free beer and all expenses paid.

[Advsmt]

Right, my understanding is that only home service units had the Austrian knots, those that served in SA did not. He is wearing the Pratt Mills canvas bandolier and several Yeomanry units had the coloured straps, collars, knots and pant stripes.
Bryan

[Advsmt]

Do you think the cap badge is backed by in IY rosette?

Bryan

[Roy]

Originally Posted by Advsmt

Do you think the cap badge is backed by in IY rosette?

Bryan

Bryan - that was my first thought.

Roy

[Rockape]

Have a look at the following image cut from a saleroom auction. It's a Glagow Yeomanry Cavalry belt buckle.

Other yeoman regiments used '_YC' as shoulder titles (example PAOLYC - used LYC).

The best I can come up with for the ST, based on the slouch hat badge outline is 'GYC' with the G in a curly monogram style (or else the horse may have moved when the photo was being taken making the letters seem more blurred) .

[Roy]

A monogramed GYC...!

Interesting - I hadn't thought of a scrolled style of lettering but that would be one explanation as to why the title looks a little odd (to my eyes).

With that in mind it does look like a good contender.

Cheers,

Roy

[Tinto]

Hi Roy and others,
After looking at the updated scans, I think Rockape has hit on the answer.
The shoulder title does look like QOR/GIY.
Cheers, Tinto

[Hoot]

Originally Posted by Tinto

Hi Roy and others,
After looking at the updated scans, I think Rockape has hit on the answer.
The shoulder title does look like QOR/GIY.
Cheers, Tinto

I agree, QOR over GIY. A post-Second Boer War photo.

[Roy]

Hi Gents,

Thanks so much for all your input, truly a great help.

So we are settling on - Queens Own Royal Glasgow Imperial Yeomanry..?

Hoot, remind me again why this is 'post' Boer War?

Cheers,

Roy

[Advsmt]

Allied & Axis are one of these titles for sale.

Bryan

[Roy]

Thanks Bryan,

I just took a look and compared the two images side by side - a 'very' good match (as fare as my eyes go). Especially around the two central letters.

Looks like a winner

Cheers,

Roy

[Hoot]

Roy, as far as I am aware the cap badge in your photo came into use after the war, but, as I'm sure you know, Imperial Yeomanry badges are a complex subject. Some units wore unofficial badges, some wore theatre made badges and some wore cloth patches. I think most IY badges worn up to 1908 appeared after the war.

[Roy]

Roger that Hoot,

Many thanks,

Roy

[Rockape]

Roy,

I agree that the refined scan shows a QOR / GIY ST.

An important photo as it turns out as there was little in evidence in reference books that supported the cap badge in post #10 being worn in Edwardian times. K&K make no mention of such a badge or any other badge for that matter under the Imperial Yeomanry section of their book.

As far as dating the photo is concerned, two IY companies (18th & 108th Coys) were raised for the veldt in 1900 and four squadrons were raised for home service in April 1901 (three sqn's based in Glasgow and one in Paisley) so the photo could be as early as 1901.

The next key is to get the latest date that the photo could have been taken. One way is to determine what dates the uniform was worn till e.g. when did the unit cease to wear the slouchy in favour of the service dress cap. Don't rely on the ST being dropped in 1908. The yeomany units did not enforce insignia changes (as we have seen many times on this forum) and some ORs were allowed to privately purchase uniform and insignia.

[Advsmt]

Very tricky to date as Rockape points out Yeomanry units did not enforce things rigidly. I think the F&F Y did not get their khaki uniform (trefoil knot) until 1902 and the slouch disappeared in 1904-05 at the latest. The Lee-Medford in theory was gone by then, but of course the territorial force still had some in 1914! The move from the Mills canvas bandolier must be early 1900s? So I think until another dated photo turns up it would be impossible to pin down. I've not seen any reference to when the trefoil knot khaki uniform was adopted by this unit but on balance I would put the photo in the 1901-1904 bracket. But speculation not hard fact.

Bryan