British West Indies Regt

[orasot]

Apologies if this is in the wrong place, but I picked this up yesterday, it's a lovely badge & I know nothing about this Regt, does anyone have any details please, thanks in advance, Wilf.
P.S Excuse the Springer Spaniel hair in the scan, I needed a hair of the dog last night !!

[Tinto]

Hi Wilf,
A nice badge you have there. I have the same and a bronze version, also the previous West Indies Regiment badge.
Googling "The British West Indies Regiment" results in a lot of links.
Regards, Tinto

[orasot]

Thanks Tinto, Some interesting stuff there, cheers, Wilf.

[hagwalther]

Also in A/A.

I can supply details later if you like.

Regards

Chris

[orasot]

Yes Please Chris, I'd like to see that, thanks, Wilf.

[hagwalther]

Originally Posted by orasot

Yes Please Chris, I'd like to see that, thanks, Wilf.

OK mate.

I have some details at home on this badge in A/A - get back to this in approx. 8 hours time.

Regards

Chris

[hagwalther]

Hi Wilf,

For A/A version only:

List of Changes entry dated 31st Jul 1959 - Change Numbers C 9316 to C 9366.

Change No. C 9324

CB Number - CB 8167

Designation - West India Regt.

Designation Notes: INTRODUCTION. A pattern (No. 17978) has been sealed to govern future manufacture and is introduced for wear by the West India Regiment. A wreath with the garter within in "gold", and within the letters "W.I." in "silver". The badge is fitted with vertical shank fastening.



Pattern Card

(Derived form LoC above)

Pattern No. 17978
Sealed - 16/12/1958
Vocabulary - 54/Vocab./1522
Card Index No - D.I.S.C. 1850

Regards

Chris

[hagwalther]

Hi Guys,

Here is the A/A version.

Recently aquired from a dealer for a fiver odd.

Regards

Chris

[1stTankie]

Originally Posted by orasot

Apologies if this is in the wrong place, but I picked this up yesterday, it's a lovely badge & I know nothing about this Regt, does anyone have any details please, thanks in advance, Wilf.
P.S Excuse the Springer Spaniel hair in the scan, I needed a hair of the dog last night !!

Hi Wilf

Here are some bits and pieces which might be of interest. The Officer's bronze cap badge has the usual two blades, the all brass one is exactly the same as yours complete with the JR Gaunt panel at the rear of the crown and the lowest one has a slider but no name on it. The buttons are all officer's, the lowest one,qvc,was made by FIRMIN &SONS LD 108 ST MARTINS LANE LONDON.
The shoulder title is a little bit strange but I don't have anything better!

Best wishes

Gordon

[Tinto]

Here's a couple more.
Cheers, Tinto

[Empire collector]

There are two different regiments being discussed here.

British West Indies Rgt was raised during the First World War in 1915. Thirteen battalions all together & they fought on the Western front,Italy,& in the Middle East. Their battle honours were not passed on to any other unit when they disbanded in 1927.

West India Rgt was formed on the British Army establishment. Twelve regiments were formed in 1795. The 1st & 2nd Rgts were the only ones to survive, the other ten had gone by 1870. In 1888 the 1st & 2nd Rgts amalgamated into the West India Rgt. There were 2 battalions in the First World War & had battle honours for Palestine, East Africa & Cameroons. The Rgt was disbanded in 1927. But with the establishment of the 'Federation of the West Indies' in 1959, the West India Rgt was reformed. But the Federation & the Rgt only lasted until 1962. (This would account for the a/a version of the badge). The disbanded unit formed the basis of the modern day- Jamaica Rgt.

And just to add to the confusion during the Second World War there was a Caribbean Rgt. Formed from personnel of the islands' local defence forces. Lasted from 1944 to 1946.

So the British West Indies Rgt badge is a very interesting item of a little known Great War regiment. Congratulations on finding it.

Best wishes,
Alan.

[hagwalther]

Thanks Alan,

Interesting stuff.

The A/A badge might well be a rarish item and one that I do not think would be currently faked or unofficially commissioned but more importantly you have given me a small timeline for the maker mark punched onto the slider in the style and font that it is.

If this badge was only in used pre 1962 then it would be fair to say that both mark and slider were in use pre this date too.

A couple of us have managed to reconcile this mark with some other quite 'exotic' badges which were deemed by myself to be a bit 'dodgy'. However I am happy that the mark is genuine as it is also on a slider that has a structure only used by Gaunt. This slider has a very noticible attribute as is a good way of identifying the maker of some unmarked unofficial commissions.

Sorry for getting away from the original topic...

Thanks !!!

Regards

Chris

[orasot]

Tinto, Chris, Gordon & Alan, Thanks for all the replies & for showing some lovely badges, much appreciated, Wilf.

[lancashirefusilier]

Hello All

Please excuse me for being a year late on this one

Just recently in the borders area between England and Scotland I picked up a flea bitten newspaper out of a junk shop.

Being a good old Englishman I duly fled with my booty!

Unfortunately,only a few pages had survived and the paper was the Jamaica Gleaner from October 1926.
The remaining pages are about the passing and disbandment of The West India Regiment and there are 4 pictures.

I thought you chaps would like this one...good for the medal buffs but not so good for the badge hounds!

Cheers

Dave

[Tinto]

Good one, Dave. Thanks for posting the cutting.
Cheers, Tinto