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#1
10-07-23, 09:37 AM
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13 Officer Cadet Battalion
I would like to ask Forum members help with the following. During WW1 No. 13 Officer Cadet Battalion was located in Newmarket, Suffolk.
I would like to know if the candidates from the ranks who attended the course would have worn a specific cap badge or other insignia other than that of their original unit. I have seen similar insignia for other OCB’s, but wondered if these were worn by staff? I have zero knowledge on the subject, so any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Kind regards, Malcolm. 
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#6
11-07-23, 10:55 AM
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The vast majority of the OCBs had by 1918 ended up wearing a brass and cloth number as their insignia, usually worn on top of the white cap band. The training arrangements and dress evolved of course between 1914 and 1918. You can learn a great deal about this from Charles Fair of the Great War Forum. Common features were no collar badge and a simple leather waist belt. Insignia was generally confined to caps, with the cloth numerals badge usually on upper arm or shoulder strap, although that too was for a period worn on caps. In some units regimental cap badges were worn and it’s not at all clear when that changed, or why.
Last edited by Toby Purcell; 16-07-23 at 12:41 PM.
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#8
15-07-23, 10:14 AM
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Nice photo on ebay of 12th OCB cap badge being worn.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175815908...&segname=11021 regards
__________________
Simon Butterworth Manchester Regiment Collector Rank, Prize & Trade Badges British & Commonwealth Artillery Badges
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#10
27-07-23, 11:03 PM
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Here’s a decent portrait showing better detail.
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#12
28-07-23, 10:51 AM
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Quote:
Forum member ‘High Wood’ has an excellent photo of the 19th OCB that he recently obtained. I’m sure that you’d find it interesting if you asked him.
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#13
29-07-23, 08:11 AM
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"Common features were no collar badge and a simple leather waist belt. Insignia was generally confined to caps, with the cloth numerals badge usually on upper arm or shoulder strap, although that too was for a period worn on caps. In some units regimental cap badges were worn and it’s not at all clear when that changed, or why."
As "Toby" has described above, in the later years of the Great War, in some O.C.B.s, the cadets did not wear the insignia of their original regiments. I have a photograph of the 19th O.C.B. dating to mid 1917 in which only the instructors are wearing regimental insignia. In every case the Cadet has had a parent regiment rather than coming straight from a public school. In earlier photographs in my collection, Cadets are wearing the insignia of their parent regiments. The change was probably caused by new regulations brought in for war time economy measures. Less time spent on uniform distinctions means more time spent on military theory and practice. With metal O.C.B. cap badges, a cadet would have worn one for a six month period at most and, unless they were handed in for reissue, would not have been used again. A cloth numeral badge would be cheaper and easier to manufacture.
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#15
29-07-23, 08:29 AM
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Hello High Wood.
Many thanks for all the fascinating points and for sharing the interesting pictures. I have one further question. If an officer cadet wore a cap badge of his parent regiment, would this have been on Officers pattern or his original other ranks example. Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I have little knowledge of this subject. Kind regards, Malcolm.
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