Royal 1st Devon Yeo - the definitive thread!

[Rockape]

Of all the Yeoman badges, I dislike this one the most. I find the badge uninspiring and mundane. Surely a regimental badge should give a sense of identity? I wonder what the troops thought of it at the time...

For a collector, I would say ignore brass/gm examples (no record of existence) and try to find white metal examples that look similar to the photo Alan supplied and the example in K&K. The bronze examples can be confused with the general service badge purchased by extra-regimentally employed officers. While I remember, Smith & Harris (1988) mentioned that officers wore embroidered silver on blue badges at the 1911 coronation.

Smith, R. Harris, R., 1988, The Uniforms of the Yeomanry Force 1794-1914. 10: The Yeomanry Force at the 1911 Coronation, Aldershot:Ogilby Trust.

[wardog]

Cap shown came in to use later part of 1916 Alan. Regards, Paul. http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...ght=chief_chum

[rboorman]

See K&K Vol 1 page 358 'The Royal First Devon Yeomany] Fig 1453 - can be a crown and lion in either bronze or white metal.

See K&K Vol 1 page 275 'The Extra-Regimentally Employed List' fig 1083 is a crown and lion in either gilt or bronze.

[3dg]

Hello all

Did the other ranks wear the bronze version of this badge in 1914/1915?

[badjez]

Whilst Chris' argument is logical and supported by K&K, I still have my doubts.
K&K have been proved wrong on other matters, and they are only a secondary source of information, none of which is corroborated: we take them on trust.

Original photos, Sealed patterns, insignia with provenance etc. are far more trustworthy.

Knowing how many variations of other OSD badges there are for other regiments I ere towards both styles being variations of the same badge, worn by both yeomanry and staff.

The OR collar dog worn by both the Lincs Regt and SWB look identical, and according to Priced Vocabulary (CB0560) they were identical, but variations exist. Unfortunately yeomanry badges were not listed in Priced Vocabulary so we'll never be able to get comparable evidence from that source.

Stephen.

[Alan O]

They were only issued from 1908 and then the regt was merged/coverted to Devonshires in WW1 so total period of wear would have been only from 1908-early 1917.

Yeomanry regts were not that big anyway and combine that with the fact that it is uninteresting design.

[spreadeagle]

Originally Posted by 3dg

Odd? has anyone got an example of this badge, how come they are so hard to get hold of?

Here's a WM slidered badge which is similar to those in the thread. I picked it up a year or so back. Unfortunately the slider has been clipped, so it's hard to judge what era it comes from.

[3dg]

Hello good people of the forum. Is this badge Devon Yeo or Gen staff please? It measures from top oto bottom exactly 4cm. Its been re lugged at some point, don't know if it was slidered or pronged? Thank you. IMG_20160918_135627018.jpg

IMG_20160918_135636813.jpg

IMG_20160918_135716825_HDR.jpg

[Alan O]

This one the one OR's Yeomanry badge I don't have as I believe that the OR's was white metal.

Whether the Offrs had a bespoke badge or used the same pattern as the GS Offrs, is not clear but I suspect they used the same ones.

[3dg]

I'm sure the Gaylor book says the OR's wore bronze? Ive looked back on some posts and there seems to be a lot of controversy about this badge, and no one seems to have an example of a WM OR's, does this make it a rare badge? Also a lot on voids, size of crown etc with regard to the bronze one, whether its a Gen staff or a Devon Yeo. Confused

[Rob Miller]

I wish I knew the answer , I like a lot of collectors I suspect would like a genuine 1st Royal Devon Yeomanry ORs cap badge.

Rob

[engr9266]

Is this not the EXTRA REGIMENTALLY EMPLOYED LIST which is officer only and comes in gilt & bronze. KK1083??

[Alan O]

The ERE was a bespoke design with the brass lion and crown in different proportions to the RDY's.

[davidwyke]

Hi Chaps

My "rule of thumb" is usually -

small lion / large crown = Devon Yeomanry
large lion / small crown = Staff

I realise that's probably not particularly accurate though and that they may well have worn the same badges

David

[3dg]

Thanks for all of the input, so if I go with that, I've possibly got a bronze officers Devon yeo, with prongs removed and replaced with loops