8th Kings Royal Irish Hussars

[Drmiggy]

Morning all,

I have read the various threads that exist on this subject, however I still see QC badges of the 8th Hussars that look good. So can someone put me out my misery - was there ever a QC 8th Hussars badge officially made, even if it wasn’t issued.

Thanks Ian

[3748 Hussar]

Hi Ian,

I was always led to believe this badge was officially made , however in my collecting years I have never seen any photos of this pattern being worn. Attached shows a Qc pattern in my collection

3748 Hussars

Originally Posted by Drmiggy

Morning all,

I have read the various threads that exist on this subject, however I still see QC badges of the 8th Hussars that look good. So can someone put me out my misery - was there ever a QC 8th Hussars badge officially made, even if it wasn’t issued.

Thanks Ian

[Alan O]

I believe that the regiment was still wearing K/C badges at the disbandment parade.

In my opinion if a Q/C version was issued then it would have been in a/a - the successor regiment's, the QRIH, cap badges were made in a/a. However these were not made because the 8th KRIH were still using up old stocks.

[John Mulcahy]

Attached is what Bernard Cox has to say in "The Dress Distinctions of the VIII King's Royal Irish Hussars as Worn at the time of the Amalgamation of the Regiment in 1958", Langridge's Military Publications, 1 Jan. 1959.

I have scanned and cropped from the approprate page and the scans are from a photocopy so not quite as sharp as they might otherwise be.

Cox visited the cavalry regiments being amalgamated to survey and put on record their badges and distinctions before they disappeared. He is quite emphatic on the matter of the QC O/R cap badge (item 4 on this page).

I can't answer whether badges were sealed and produced under contract by the government for issue.

John

[Drmiggy]

Thanks all, appreciate the responses and I presume the collar badges are similar.

[John Mulcahy]

Originally Posted by Drmiggy

Thanks all, appreciate the responses and I presume the collar badges are similar.

Cox suggests so, see # 5. outlined

[John Mulcahy]

On the subject of a QC Bi metal badge being made or issued,

There is an entry in “Anodized Aluminium: The 'No Bull' Cap Badge of the British Army” by Chris Marsh which if I understand it correctly indicates the following,

A Bi Metal version of the KRIH O/R badge with St Edward’s Crown was notified in change number (C) 7939 (I don’t have a date for this but think it was after Sept. 1952 from another reference in that book).

I have never found any records that this carried over to a bulk manufactured badge available for issue from stores (but I have not looked very hard). C 9198 (again I don’t have a date) declared the 8 KRIH design obsolete, presumably on the announcement of the formation of the new QRIH.

Bizarrely this notification of a QC Bi metal badge is dated AFTER C 4717 (Nov. 1951) which specified THE PLAN that an A/A version of the 8th KRIH O/R badge was to be introduced which was intended to take effect when existing stocks of metal badges were used up (C 7939). There are similar notifications for other regiments such as the 4th Hussars, 9th Lancers, and 12 Lancers etc.

If anyone has copies of the following volumes of the Dress Distinctions series,

• The Dress Distinctions of the Queen's Own Hussars. Langridge's Military Publications. 1960
• The Dress Distinctions of the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers. Langridge's Military Publications January 1, 1962
• The Dress Distinctions of the XII Royal Lancers. Langridge's Military Publications 1960

It would be interesting to see if a QC metal O/R badge was in wear or not prior to amalgamation by these regiments. If yes, it might suggest that this bizarre notification of Bi Metal QA badges before an AA version made its way to the contract, manufacturing and issue stage rather than just a paper curiosity.

[Mike H]

The 4 th Queens Own Hussars exists in anodised with a marked slider. JR Gaunt London i believe. Its the only one ive ever seen. Not heard that there is another.
I was always told that there wasnt an anodised version of the 4th or the 8th. So it was a shock when this example appeared.

The 9th Lancers anodised cap badge exists but none are maker marked.

The 12th Lancers also exists in anodised,they are all HW Timings Bham marked and have a "J" shaped slider that fits over a stub on the rear of the badge. Similar to an anodised Grove slider . Most appear to be in very good condition.

[3748 Hussar]

Mike , typo 7th Hussars in AA

Tony C

[Alan O]

The 9th lancers were a Gaylor reproduction.

[Alan O]

Her is the 7th which is made by Firmin alongside the Gaylor 9th lancers with it's blank slider.

[Mike H]

As Alan shows 7th QOH anodised cap exists. They are readily available . Dont have any knowledge of an anodised collar been produced.

[3748 Hussar]

Mike, if they did produce 7th hussars AA /BiM collars which is very unlikely I’d be interested in seeing a pair .

Note * QC officers collars in Bz and Sil gilt were produced and worn by the 4th , 7th and 8th Hussars

Tony C

[jeep]

Here's my 8th Hussar QC in Bi-metal, which I have never regarded as genuine.

[irishhorse]

Here is my example. Note scroll and crown secured by wire pegs.