Historic 58th Regiment badge identification needed.

[atillathenunns]

This badge does not belong to me and I am only helping with its research.

The badge itself was recovered from the 'Battle Hill" (Horokiwi) battle site of 06/08/1846 here in New Zealand.
The badge has a number "454" Scratched on rear, and has been traced to 454 Private James Connors who served at Horokiwi, and drowned in the Hutt river (Fort Richmond) on the 20/08/1846 (14 days later).

What is not known is where this badge would have been worn, such as cross belt, hat, pouch, etc.
What we are hoping to find is some sort of historical reference/picture that will solve this badge puzzle.

Battle Hill badge 58th Regiment badge - 454 Private James Connors.jpg

Battle Hill badge 58th Regiment badge - 454 Private James Connors...jpg

[jf42]

Not the forage cap, if that helps. Apart from a few exceptions, only the regimental numeral, grenadier or light infantry emblems were authorised for wear on the forage cap.

Is there an indication of the metal? It has survived remarkably well.

[atillathenunns]

Originally Posted by jf42

Not the forage cap, if that helps. Apart from a few exceptions, only the regimental numeral, grenadier or light infantry emblems were authorised for wear on the forage cap.

Is there an indication of the metal? It has survived remarkably well.

Yes I agree it would not be worn on a forage cap, possibly it is a regimental badge for the 8 pointed star worn on the shako from the 1820s?
My guess is it was worn on the rectangular plate for the cross belt.
Its current caretaker is leaning to it being a pouch badge and suspects it is made of bronze.

This may be a British badge question that goes unsolved, its seems no one has a badge like it?

The owner of this historic badge has sent me the following link to a 58th Regiment hat badge that belonged to Dr. Thomas Moore Philson, later Superintendent of Auckland Hospital, now held by the Waikato museum.

https://collection.waikatomuseum.org...-58th-regiment

58th Regiment Waikato Museum.jpg

58th Regiment.jpg

[jf42]

Along with the 12th, 39th & 56th, the 58th were only authorised in 1836 to bear the Castle and Key emblem with motto "“Montis Insignia Calpe” their colours and appointments in addition to the distinction 'GIBRALTAR ' granted in 1784.

According to the 'History of the Northamptonshire Regiment 1742-1934' (Aldershot Gale & Polden, 1935) in 1845 officers adopted a forage cap badge described as "a gold castle on blue cloth in centre, below a blue scroll with the word ‘Gibraltar’ having the key above on green silk. Above the castle, on a scroll ‘Montis Insignia Calpe."

This would have been for officers and perhaps senior NCOs, while junior NCOs and rank & file would have continued with just the regimental numeral on their forage caps (or flank emblems until the flank companies were abolished). However, this badge was unofficial and it seems it was subsequently forbidden by authorities. Photographs of the 1860s show officers and NCOs both wearing the regimental numeral on their caps. Officers of the 58th were eventually authorised to wear a Gibraltar badge on their forage caps in 1874.

As far as shako badges are concerned, I believe that in the 1840s the 1st to 8th, 18th and 27th regiments were still the only corps entitled to bear 'ancient badges' on their infantry caps.

Roman numerals worn on forage caps were abolished by order in October 1853, although doubtless some time would have elapsed before this was reflected in a given regiment's clothing, particularly in colonial outposts.

A pouch badge does seems a possibility, although it seems quite small, but I am straying from my area of knowledge. Ditto Shoulder belt plates.

I'm not sure what function the Waikato museum badge might have served, presumably in the years before 1859 when the 58th departed NZ. Perhaps it was worn by bandsmen, whose uniforms were not closely regulated by authority.