Militia Engineers

[Peter Brydon]

Following the thread on the Militia Artillery I thought the attached might be of interest.

There were some Militia Engineers based at Crewe Railway Works at the same time as the Engineers Volunteers.The militia Engineers wore a similar locomotive collar to the Crewe Engineer Volunteers but in brass rather than white metal, matching the metal colour of their helmet plate.

Some pictures attached of the Militia badges ( which unfortunatley were not mine ) and a picture of a Engineer Volunteer helmet plate and collars for comparison.

P.B.

[Charlie585]

Hello PB,

Here are my Edwardian Royal Engineer MIlitia and Volunteers badges, brass and white metal respectively.

Very nice to see those locomotives that you show.

Regards

Ry

[Neil Pearce]

Interesting, and thanks for posing PB

Just the sort of rare collar badges one would dismiss instantly...!

Regards, Neil

[CftD]

Peter - I think the brass plate you illustrate comes pretty close to the one pictured in the related thread. Yes indeed, those locomotives are quite something. David

Originally Posted by 8thfoot

Following the thread on the Militia Artillery I thought the attached might be of interest.

There were some Militia Engineers based at Crewe Railway Works at the same time as the Engineers Volunteers.The militia Engineers wore a similar locomotive collar to the Crewe Engineer Volunteers but in brass rather than white metal, matching the metal colour of their helmet plate.

Some pictures attached of the Militia badges ( which unfortunatley were not mine ) and a picture of a Engineer Volunteer helmet plate and collars for comparison.

P.B.

Hi peter Interesting to see the brass locomotive collar badge

peter

[Neil Pearce]

An officers one out of interest. Wonder if there were gilt collars as well?
Regards, Neil

[CftD]

Originally Posted by Neil Pearce

An officers one out of interest. Wonder if there were gilt collars as well?
Regards, Neil

Neil - I suspect that, when wearing the home service helmet, officers wore bullion collar badges on their tunics. Regards. David

[Peter Brydon]

I am attaching a photo of my collection of Cheshire Engineers items ( all sold long ago)

The left hand helmet plate is of the 1st Cheshire Engineer Volunteers and on it the Royal Arms in the sheild is replaced by the arms of Cheshire.

The Middle helmet plate is of the 2nd Cheshire Engineer Volunteers formed entirely from employees of the London and North Wetern Railway Company. This unit which included (Railway ) in its title and it became the Cheshire ( Railway Battalion ) ,Royal Engineers in 1908.

The right hand helmet plate is general pattern Royal Engineers Volunteers plate.

P.B.

[engr9266]

What is the significance of the RE shoulder title to Cheshire? Did the Cheshire Engrs become 113 Regiment at some time??

[Peter Brydon]

Jerry,

Yes,113 Asault Regiment also wore the arm badge,the blue circle with the wheatsheaf above Cheshire.

Unfortunatley as well as letting all my Cheshire badges go I also no longer have any of the books that would have allowed me to give chapter and verse on the lineage of the unit.

Peter

[engr9266]

Originally Posted by 8thfoot

Jerry,

Yes,113 Asault Regiment also wore the arm badge,the blue circle with the wheatsheaf above Cheshire.

Unfortunatley as well as letting all my Cheshire badges go I also no longer have any of the books that would have allowed me to give chapter and verse on the lineage of the unit.

Peter

I have a copy of Royal Engineers (Volunteers) 1859-1908 by R.A.WESTLAKE
which gives some information on the Cheshire Vols. There is also a couple of pictures, 1 of a 1st Cheshire Corps helmet plate with City of Cheshire coat of arms and the other is of 5 soldiers in various uniforms of 2nd Cheshire(Railway) Engr Volunteers c.1897 showing the railway engine collar badge.

[CftD]

I think we might be getting Volunteers mixed up with Militia - the original subject of the thread. Also, very specific units (like the Cheshires) had their own collar badges but very few engineer units did - they tended to wear RE insignia - gilt for Militia and silver plate for Volunteers. David

[Peter Brydon]

Jerry,

I have a copy of the Westlake book and at one time I had a number of photos of the 2nd Cheshire Engineer Volunteers.

There is a fairly recently published book " From Crewe to the Cape" which is the story of the Railway Engineers and concentrates on their contribution to the Boer War.It also contains some great pictures of the unit and their uniforms.

At one time there was a tunic of the Engineer Volunteers on display at Crewe Heritage Centre ( photo attached ) It lacked the railway engine collars ( probably because at one time they were worth more than the rest of the tunic ) and I dont know if the item is still on display.

Peter