Introduction

[Fatherofthree]

Originally Posted by David Moore

Hi Brian, I have always ben led to believe that he was in the eighteenth Battalion but I hope to find out for sure when I do my research. Have you got names to any of the pictures? I think that it was My Great Grandfather Moore who served in this Battalion, my other Great Grandfathers name was Bland, both of them came from Ireland. My mother says that Grandfather Moore was tall and thin and Grandfather Bland was short and thin (about 5feet 2). Thank you again for your interest, its really great for me to talk to others about my hobby. I hope you like the pics and my latest finds. I am always amazed at what turns up, and always stay optermistic. I have looked for badges for years and years and then they suddenly appear. Good luck Dave.

Good evening David.

Fab badge.

I've just looked at the photos, they're from an old magazine and unfortunately doesn't allow a good close up of the badges being worn, so not able to say whether Officers did wear the double scroll.

They are pictures of the 25th, (which was put together from the home depot companies of the 18th, 19th and 26th Pioneer battalions) and the 26th, both only Officers and NCOs.

The nearest name is R.Q.M.S. Moorby.

Thanks for posting the piccie.

Regards
Brian

[David Moore]

Hi Brian,

Glad you liked the pics and thanks for looking, I will let you know more when I have done my research.

Which part of Hertfordshire are you from? My father was brought up in Knebworth. My Grandparents met at Knebworth House where their parents were in service after WW1.

Best wishes Dave.

[Sonofacqms]

David, was the Cambridge dealer in 1985 a man called Alan Fordham from a shop called Granta antiquities in Bridge Street?

Sadly Alan and Granta are no longer with us. I can remember him having a Public Works Middlesex some thirty plus years ago, which I could not afford at the time, a good badge dealer and a man who knew badges.

[David Moore]

I think it sounds like the same man, I moved away from the Cambridge area for a couple of years and when I returned the shop was gone (late eighties). If I remember correctly he was very interested in Royal Naval Air Service insignia,or at least collecting them at the time. He had just got a very rare specialist artificers badge which he had wanted for years. He told me to keep looking because badges will tun up. He was very knowledgable and his badges were always reasonably priced; or he might of liked enthusiasm? I still have all of the badges I bought from him, at the time I was assembling the basic Foot Guards and infantry Regiments, didn't have much money and felt like a mouse in a cheese shop! I also bought a nice Cambridge University OTC badge from him. He was obviously an honest man because he offered me over £100 for my Public Works Pioneer Battalion badge, which was a lot of money then.

It is sad that he is no longer with us, and I have wondered what happened to him. Did he ever tell you about an officers version?

Best Wishes Dave Moore.

[Sonofacqms]

David, Granta coins as it was known originally I think was near the "Pickerel" pub and moved to a larger premises up the road towards Castle Hill in Bridge Street. It was there until well into the 2,000's and stopped trading when the owner sadly died in a car accident.

I knew the man well or so I thought, but I have never heard he was into RNAS items, perhaps we are talking of two different people.

Rob

[David Moore]

It was the same coin shop because I used to drink in the Pickeral pub. The shop further up the street also dealt in things like metal detector finds, coins etc. The man I am thinking of was tall with grey hair and softly spoken. I think that he was once in the Coldstream Guards. The man from the shop further up was slightly shorter and a little younger with darker hair but very knowledgable and again reasonable. We moved to Norfolk in 2002 and I thought that the shop had already gone. There was another shop a little further up the road which sold lead soldiers and a few bits of militaria. There was a young chap in there who had been in the Army (Royal Anglians and Intelligence Corps?), does any of this ring any bells?

Dave Moore

[Fatherofthree]

Good evening David.

I'm not too far from Knebworth actually, about 18 or so miles South down the A1, turn left at Hatfield, or before if you wish and head for Cuffley.

Near there.

Great badge.

Regards
Brian.

[Sonofacqms]

David, you have got me on this one, Alan who owned Granta Coins near the Pickerel moved to the larger premises nearer the shop that sold the lead soldiers, he did have a few people who helped put and I think I have an idea who the other chap was, I never had much to do with him for some unknown reason, I did not know he was in the Coldstream Guards, but thinking about it, he was always very smartly turned out.

The young chap who sold the soldiers and militaria had an interesting shop as well, sadly all are now gone.

[TRT]

Have just looked at my 18th badge and noted it is identical to yours with the exception that the slider is slightly longer. The method of attaching the second scroll is identical with a central semi circle and two "triangle" side bits.

[TRT]

front view

[TRT]

try again...

[David Moore]

I have compared my badge with yours and it looks good to me. The sliders are different lengths, probably just using up what was in stock I imagine or a slider might of been replaced, my badge is so patinated that it is hard to say for sure. My friend recently bought one and it is again very similar to mine. I will ask him to let me photograph it. I saw an obvious re-strike for sale last week, it looked brand new. In my humble opinion your badge looks good to me, I am 100% sure of mine because of how I found it. Best Wishes Dave M.

[Fatherofthree]

TRT.

In my opinion a good example and very nice badge.

Thanks for posting.

In addition, all I can say is aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrgggggghhhhhh, GREEN WITH ENVY AGAIN

Peter, I'm not able to copy your Green envy not smiley in you CP thingy.

Regards
Brian

[Neil Pearce]

Hi Gents

Very interesting post. I nearly missed this because of the title, and am glad I stumbled across it. Can it be changed for future reference?

I too have often wondered about the existence of an officers bronze badge, and have only ever seen one published reference. This was in Bob Quested's article in the Crown Imperial Magazine published in Autumn 1985 and Spring 1986. There is mention of this posted elsewhere on the forum. A fellow member very kindly sent me a copy of the article, but unfortunately it can't be uploaded due to the file size. I can email to anyone interested, if your account can accept near 5 MB..... just PM me

Interestingly, there are a total of four badges attributed to the Middlesex Kitchener's Battalions in this article, although it is not clear which specific batallions:

1. Regular pattern double scroll
2. Officer bronze double scroll
3. White metal or silver single scroll
4. Pipers badge.

The pipers badge appears to be a standard Middlesex badge, with an oval surround inscribed "the Die Hards" and a gaelic looking motto underneath. The image quality is not good, but it looks like "Richs Duthaich"

Finally, attached is my pin backed example. Can you confirm that the ones shown previously have the third attachment in the centre for the second scroll? The sliders hide this in the examples
Cheers, Neil

[Neil Pearce]

I have just found reference to the Pipers badge Mentioned above. It is not Public Works, but 16th Battalion (Public Schools)

Bosleys 14th March 2007

104 16th (Service) Middlesex Regiment WWI piper’s headdress badge.
A very fine and rare die-stamped bi-metal example. White metal oval “The Die-Hards Rich’s Duthaich”, countersunk at 3 and 9 o’clock to house the ends of the central cap badge’s title scroll. Two loops to reverse. VGC (£400 - £600)
According to JB Peter’s article “Piper’s Head dress Badges” MHS Bulletin, November 1961, it was worn 1915-1919 by only nine pipers whose names appear in “The Pipes at War” published 1920.

Another one for the list
Cheers
Neil