Cavalry c.1916 All Gilding Metal (Economy) Badges - Bank Holiday W/E Project!

[dubaiguy]

Hi Frank
Thanks for making comment on the badge I posted. I think you could be right. I haven't had the badge in my hands which makes it difficult, but it does look very much like a regular badge with the white metal lower pennons missing. In my ignorance about cavalry economys I had thought that perhaps to save time and avoid making a new 'un-pierced' die it would have been very easy to just stop adding the w/m fiddly bits.

However, I think Rob's and KLR's comments on Alan's two badges scotch the whole idea of an economy 21st. So it probably is exactly what you say it is. I think I will leave it with the seller as I already have a good bi-metal example.

Thanks to Alan also for starting an informative thread.
Mark

[Frank Kelley]

Hello Mark,
Quite frankly, I've never seen an example of an economy 21st Lancers that I would consider to be original, in fact, I very much doubt if any were even conceived, let alone actually made, but, I certainly would not expect such a badge to look anything as good as the example you posted, in terms of attention to detail.
Regards Frank

[Alan O]

Originally Posted by Robthereiver

Alan

With respect, I disagree with your statement, if it hadn't been for the horrendous casualty rate on the western front the 'economy badge' would not in all probability have been necessary.

The 'economy' was the increased speed of production to provide recruits/replacements with insignia quickly, as a result of these high casualties.

Therefore, IMO Trench Warfare on the western front had a great deal to do with the conception of Economy Badges, and was the theatre in which the majority of them were probably used.

Rob

Rob

Perhaps I was not clear in the original post and you misunderstood my point - I was talking specifically about the 21st Lancers' need for economy badges not economy badges as a whole. The fact that they were a small cavalry regt mostly in a garrison role in India would mean that their need for new badges was relatively low.

Alan

[KLR]

I apologise for being dim regarding your point
However, I do remember that very few badges (and other small items) were hardly sent round the world from 1914 (I can't find the reference at the moment). This might indicate - even for small units with meagre casualties - that new supplies were sourced locally ! I have quite a few theatre made KLR (1896 Patt) badges. Though I've never been certain how to tell the difference between (1st WW) Indian or Egyptian manufacture - though looking up where certain units were based helps somewhat ! (KLR had battalions in I and E !!)

[Alan O]

Julian

To summarise I believe that the need for replacement badges for Indian based units during WW1 must have been very low:

Firstly Cavalry regts are relatively small compared to big Inf Bns.
Secondly the casualty rates due to disease etc in India would be tiny compared to those in France.
Thirdly FSH were the normal headdress in India on which no cap badges were generally worn.

When you add in the factor of locally produced badges, you can soon see why demand was low.

Alan

[Alan O]

I have merged this post with the main discussion on Cavalry all gm badges for ease of use.

Having read Julian's article the 21st L badges are now in the scrap box and I shall not be seeking to expand my existing collection further!

[GriffMJ]

Great War 10th Hussars...