Lincolnshire Regiment .... an odd one

[Lincolnsreg]

Hello folks,

I'm pretty new to the forum and hoping to get some advice from you knowledgeable lads and lasses out there.

Below (hopefully, if it uploads correctly) is a strange Lincolnshire Regiment "silvered" badge - I think nickel plate on copper-alloy. The design is basically the star as seen on officers' etc, but is at least half size bigger again. In the centre is a female sphinx over a blank tablet. It's odd that the sphinx is female, and I presume the blank tablet suggests a territorial battalion. The whole is die-stamped with two copper lugs to the rear on top and bottom.

The rear of the tablet stamped does show the slight remnant of EGYPT in reverse, which suggests this may be a modification of existing stamps for other battalions. Also, an X has been punched into the rear below the tablet, which is not seen from the front.

Has anyone any ideas or do you think it could be a make-up? It is a good if it is, especially for both male and female dies to be cut. I've never come across any kind of pouch, arm or other such badge.

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Many thanks,
Dave

[mooke07]

Hi Dave,

What an unusual badge. I have not seen a Lincolnshire Regiment Officers cap star to the TF battalions with a blank tablet. Then yours is bigger than a normal cap star but looks very new. It has me beat and I don't want to be dismissive and say a made up badge. Could yu post a pic of the rear please. Really interesting - have a look through my Lincs album as a guide as have a few variants in there but nothing that comes close.

The question I am asking myself is do the TF cap stars have a blank tablet - other more learned members will know I would think

Thanks for posting, cheers Dean.

[Toby Purcell]

Originally Posted by Lincolnsreg

Hello folks,

I'm pretty new to the forum and hoping to get some advice from you knowledgeable lads and lasses out there.

Below (hopefully, if it uploads correctly) is a strange Lincolnshire Regiment "silvered" badge - I think nickel plate on copper-alloy. The design is basically the star as seen on officers' etc, but is at least half size bigger again. In the centre is a female sphinx over a blank tablet. It's odd that the sphinx is female, and I presume the blank tablet suggests a territorial battalion. The whole is die-stamped with two copper lugs to the rear on top and bottom.

The rear of the tablet stamped does show the slight remnant of EGYPT in reverse, which suggests this may be a modification of existing stamps for other battalions. Also, an X has been punched into the rear below the tablet, which is not seen from the front.

Has anyone any ideas or do you think it could be a make-up? It is a good if it is, especially for both male and female dies to be cut. I've never come across any kind of pouch, arm or other such badge.

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Many thanks,
Dave

I am not sure if any Lincolnshire TF battalions were sent to garrison Indian cantonments to release regulars for WW1, but if they were then this might well be an Officers' Mess Servant's badge.

[mooke07]

Hi Toby,

Yes a good suggestion for the badge - I had a quick look and no luck in seeinga Lincs TF India posting but will need to look further. An interesting blog I saw has a memorial tablet to the 4th battalion in their old barracks as having an Egypt tablet shown on the stone badge.

Cheers Dean

[Lincolnsreg]

Hi guys, many thanks for your suggestions. That's an interesting thought about India and mess servants. It could well explain the strangeness of it.

Another thought that sprang to mind is that being all in white metal, could it be pre-1908 and belong to one of the Volunteer Battalions? Certainly during the Boer War they were sent to South Africa to bolster numbers.

Also, do you know whether infantry officers were still wearing sabretache's when mounted in full dress this late? I know they were in the late Victorian period, but am uncertain when they stopped. I only have a photograph showing a mounted officer in 1911, but he's in Service Dress so that doesn't help much. That could potentially explain the large size.

Attached below is a pic of the back, which hopefully will help.

Cheers,
Dave

[Lincolnsreg]

PS that's a super collection Dean. The bullion badge is superb! I'll try and get around to loading mine up.

Cheers,
Dave

[mooke07]

Hi Dave - I like the back of the badge and loops north and south looks and feels like cap star badges. The X is very interesting to the rear. I think it worthy of a good bit more research. Dress Regulations for different periods would be a good start. I have a copy of the Lincolnshire Regiment in Pictures but the detail is hard to make on cap star tablets. I will check some more resources. Pleased album of interest and thanks for comments, cheers for now and good to have another fellow Lincs collector on board, Dean.

[Alex Rice]

Hi Dave
If it had been an Indian badge I wouldn't have expected it to be die stamped, more likely cast, so I'm sure it won't be Indian. Could it have been a bandsman's pouch badge or something like that?
Cheers,
Alex

[Lincolnsreg]

Hi Alex. Thanks for info on Indian badges. Of course that does make sense. I don't know regarding bandsmens pouches. As far as I am aware none were worn by regular battalions of the regiment, at least by any photos I have, but I am happy to be proven wrong.

[mooke07]

Hi Dave,

Lincolnshire Regiment Officers badges to the 4th and 5th battalions both had blank plinths to the Sphinx. I have consulted with a guru on Lincs badges who has several. I will confirm when I can the metal finish of these but assumed silver and gilt like regular battalion officers. The 5th Battalion served in South Africa and bear this honor beneath their officer badges I am told.

Lots to research here, cheers Dean.

[Harry Man of Kent]

Looking at the back of the badge it seems looks like it was originally lugged East and West, the lugs on it at the moment look like they have been soft soldered. I agree that is does't have the apprearance of an Indian or Bazaar made badge.

[ANGLE IRON]

Some picks of an OSD with blank tablet, I have been doubtful of this one but never seen another until this thread, Mine I think may have been re finished but not sure, Kevin

[mooke07]

Hi Kevin,


I think you blank plinth OSD Lincs is ok and nice to see, cheers Dean.

[ANGLE IRON]

thanks Dean

[Lincolnsreg]

I never even considered that there were other lugs on, but as you say the area has been mucked about with. I don't think they are soft-soldered despite the colouring, but I'll check when I next get to it.

That's a corking OSD badge Kevin!

Dave