King's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry (LI)

[slick_mick]

Hi Guys,

I picked up this badge a while ago - could anyone tell me much about it. I think it's an officer badge for the King's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry.

Was it an RAC unit? How rare would it be?

I pretty much nothing about it.

Any assistance appreciated.



Mick

[Alan O]

It was a short lived Yeomanry unit from the 1990s and the badge was worn by ORs. The LI part of the title reflects its mixed parentage from the Yorkshire Yeomanry and the local Light infantry (TA) Bn. I don't think that there was an Officers version in anything other than embrodiered but I might be wrong - I certainly have never seen one. It is certainly a quality badge and is worth about £10 or so. There was a number of them sold on ebay a couple of years ago as existing stocks were sold off but that supply seems to have stopped.

Alan

[slick_mick]

Thanks Alan!

Would they have been an armoured or infantry roled yeomanry unit?

Mick

[Alan O]

http://www.lightinfantry.org.uk/regi...k_regbatts.htm

According to this website they were RAC. I suspect that they were probably in a Light recce role in Landrovers rather than armoured cars, (CVR(T)) though.

Alan

[oc14]

The KOYY(LI) was formed from the 8th (Yorkshire) Battalion of the Light Infantry on 3rd August 1996 on a parade at Nostell Priory (south of Wakefield). The Regiment was the Formation Recconnaissance Regiment for 2 Div and was equipped with stripped down 110 Landrovers. On formation the location of the sub-units was:-

HQ Squadron George Street Wakefield with the Driving & Maintenance Wing based at Minden House Pontefract.
A Squadron based at Danum Road Doncaster
B Squadron based at Tanshelf in Pontefract
C Squadron based at Birstalll (near Batley) with a troop based at Wakefield.

The established strength of the regiment was less than 300 all ranks and this included attached personnel (AGC, RLC, RAMC and REME).

Attached regular personnel (PSI's, Training Major etc) wore their own cap badges and headdress with the exception the the CO and RSM who wore the KOYY(LI) cap badge on the Rifle Green Light Infantry beret.
The orginal PSIs were :- A Sqn 9th/12th Lancers, B Sqn QDG, C Sqn RTR, HQ Sqn RTR. The RSM was RTR and the 1st CO was Light Infantry (replaced by a King's Royal Hussar), the Adjutant Post remained badged Light Infantry the three training majors during the regiments existence were KRH, RTR and KRH respectively.

The regiment disbanded on 1st July 1999 after having existed for less than 3 years.

During it's short life the regiment wore the following insignia:-
brass gilt, silvered and enameled cap badge (as shown at the begining of this thread) - worn by all ranks (lugs North and South)
Collar badges, shoulder titles, buttons were never produced for the regiment - all ranks when required to wear No2/Service dress wore Light Infantry pattern insignia .
NCOs rank insignia was the LI pattern (green on maize backing)
All ranks wore olive green slip ons with the letters KOYY (in green in old english script), officers slip ons included rank insignia of the size worn by the LI
Slip ons were also produced in cream with green lettering and rank insignia for officers.
All ranks wore the2 Div crossed keys insignia on the upper left arm (on Combat Jackets only)

Approx 200 of the first batch of cap badges were converted to belt plate badges (orignial lugs were removed and replaced with a more squat, shorter style of lugs). The belt plate was a plain chrome buckle and was worn on a BLACK nylon belt (not a shiny black belt but a pattern similar to the green plastic "working belt" worn from the late 1970's until the late 90's)

The officers bullion cap badge was an approved pattern that was only ever worn by TWO officers (I Know , I was one of the officers).

As a matter of interest, the regiment had 30 full size HALLMARKED silver full size cap badges made with brooch fittings to the rear to be worn by the officer's wives at Ladies nights in the officers mess.

I was one of the committee that designed the cap badge and have one of the 10 hand cut samples made by Firmins.

Sufficient information ????

OC14

[hagwalther]

Hi Guys,

I'm looking for the NSN, Pattern No., Pattern Date and Designation Description for this badge.

This unit was disbanded in 1999.

Regards

Chris

[2747andy]

Chris,
this one was not anodised aluminium, it was made from better quality metals!

Andy

[hagwalther]

Thanks Guys,

Yes Andy - as per spec UK/SC/5126 from 1990.

I think I have covered all the 'new metal' badges post A/A but on this one I have very little information.

Regards

Chris

[oc14]

The King's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry (Light Infantry) were formed on 3rd August 1996 at Nostell Priory just Outside Wakefield. The regiment was the designated Formation Recce Regiment for 2 Div (at the same time 3 PWO were the Divisional Fire Support Battalion) and was formed from the 8th(Yorkshire) Battalion of the Light Infantry.
Original locations were:-

RHQ Wakefield
Training & Support Squadron Wakefield with D & M and Signals training wings at Minden House in Pontefract.
A Squadron - Danum Road at Doncaster
B Squadron at Tanshelf in Pontefract
C Squadron at Intake Lane, Birstall (Batley) with a detached Sabre Troops at Wakefield

Within a Sabre Squadron the ORBAT was
SHQ
Squadron Leader (Major)
Driver
Radio Operator

Squadron 2nd in Command (Captain)
Driver
Radio Operator


Squadron Liaision Officer (Captain)
Driver
Radio Operator

Squadron Sgt Major (WO2)
Driver/Operator


SQMS Group
SQMS (SSgt)
Storeman (Cpl)
2 x drivers (Troopers)

5 x Sabre Troops (each equipped with 4 x stripped down Landrovers)

Troop Leader (3 Troops commanded by Lt's, 2 Ttoops Commanded by SSgts)
Driver (LCpl)
Rad Op (LCpl)

Tropop Sgt (Sgt)
Driver (Tpr)
Rad Op (Tpr)

Troop Cpl (Cpl)
Driver (Tpr)
Driver (Tpr)

Troop Cpl (Cpl)
Driver (Tpr)
Driver (Tpr)

So as you can see, not a large organisation. The regiment was disbanded after less than 3 years on the 1st July 1999
The 1st ever CO was Light Infantry, the 2nd (and final) CO was King's Royal Hussars)
1st RSM was HCR, 2nd was RTR.

The badge was worn on the Light Infantry Rifle Green Beret. NCOs rank badges were Light Infantry "Green on Maize". No collar badges, shoulder titles or collar badges were ever produced - when the requirment was to wear No2/Service Dress, Light Infantry badges and buttons were worn. All ranks wore the white on black 2 Div crossed keys insignia on the upper left arm in combat kit. All ranks also wore shoulder slip ons with the letters KOYY embroiderd in rifle green old English script (officers of course had the appropriate rank insignia included)

The regiment's strength was never above 300. Originally 600 badges were made of which 200 were altered to become belt plate badges (these have the securing nut removed from the rear of the rose to allow it to fit flush to the belt buckle) and also have shorter more squat lugs.

The regiment wore a stable belt in blue, buff and green stripes (the old KOYLI colours) with black leather buckles (The KOYLI belt had brown leather buckles).

The badges were produced by Firmins and are marked such. All ranks wore the same badge. 10 hand cut samples were made prior to the badge being accepted (these do not have Firmin marks) - viewed edge on, hacksaw marks can be seen where the badge has been hand cut.

The 10 Hand cut badges were distributed as follows:-

1 to Regimental Colonel (HM Queen Mother)
1 to CO
1 to regimental 2 i/c
1 to RSM
1 to Adjutant
4 to Squadron Leaders (1 x HQ Sqn, 3 x Sabre Squadrons)
1 was framed and resided in the COs office

I have one of these ten badges (I was Squadron Leader of B Squadron on formation).

The badge was designed by a Committee (of which I was a member) with guidance from DRAC and the College of Arms (at one time I had a colour copy of the original artwork approved by the collage of arms - must look and see if I still have it) and drew on the "golden threads" of the KOYLI for the French Horn (known within the regiment as the Lazy Snail) and the Cavalry for the lances.

Hope that hasn't bored too many of you !

OC14

[hagwalther]

This is pretty impressive stuff.

Do you have the NSN and pattern number of this badge?

Regards

Chris

[oc14]

Sadly not, I don't know if it ever had an NSN, at one time I acquired the Firmin box with the remaining unissued cap badges in, all sadly long gone now and I binned the empty box !

OC14

[hagwalther]

Hi OC14,

Also, you state that only 600 badges were made of which 200 were converted to buckle badges. This leaves 400 badges - were any more made?

With regard to the Collage of Arms art work - this would be of great interest to me also.

Regards

Chris

[hagwalther]

Hi Oc14,

Another thought has occured to me:

If the 10 prototypes were issued out to serving members and HM The Queen Mother then they would not have been used on the Master Pattern or Sealed Pattern cards.

Do you know if this badge was ever 'sealed'?

Regards

Chris

[peter seaman]

I visited HQ KOYY(LI) in late 1999 and spoke with a Captain Wroe who was very helpful and supplied enough data for me to write a shhort article about the regiment, even supplying a photo-copy of the Dress Regs. When complete I submitted the article with photographs of the units insignia to the "Armourer" magazine only to be informed that the regiment was too new and the article was returned!. One item of insignia that I wish had been produced was the NCO's arm badge.
Regards
Peter

[Peter Brydon]

Peter,
It would have been a lot more interesting to many Armourer readers than some of the articles they publish, I sometimes wonder if you have to be related to the ( former ) owner, or a regular advertiser to get anything published in it .
P.B.