73rd Bn.CEF RHC, the Complete Photograpic Roster.

[Adam H]

That's right, Bill. Aside from "officers who were unable to devote the necessary time to active soldiering in peacetime..." the 3rd and 4th were paper-strength organizations as you point out.

However, as these are officer collars, the chance of them being worn by someone post-war seems more likely. This is all speculation, of course, but I think a plausible scenario.

[mad4thcef]

Originally Posted by Adam H

The 73rd Bn never wore the Maple Leaf badge, as far as I am aware. I have been working on a history of the battalion for some time. Not once have I seen a photograph of this badge in wear. I believe one batch was struck, rejected, and never worn.

Like the 42nd, other ranks of the 73rd wore the Imperial Black Watch glengarry badge, in bronze. Officers usually purchased Imperial pattern officers badges, many variations of which exist.

Some other ranks MAY have worn the 73rd Bn maple leaf collars, however, the vast majority seem to have worn standard general list "Canada" collar badges (or none at all). I know of at least 2 patterns of collar badges.

Officers wore 73rd Bn maple leaf collars in Canada and initially whilst in England. In an effort to conform with the other 2 RHC battalions, officers of the 73rd adopted St. Andrew pattern collar badges in the UK, before proceeding to France. I don't have the exact date in front of me, but certainly during 1916.

FYI

Disregard the CSM title this 73rd Bn CEF Badges and Collars etc!

[Adam H]

Mad4:

A nice accumulation, you just need a bronze BW glengarry and some General List collars now.

Are the maple leaf patter collars struck or more flat backed? (semi-solid) I have 2 different styles and wonder if there were more?

Is the officer collar bronze? Difficult to tell although it appears somewhat lighter tone than the other insignia.

[mad4thcef]

Originally Posted by Adam H

Mad4:

A nice accumulation, you just need a bronze BW glengarry and some General List collars now.

Are the maple leaf patter collars struck or more flat backed? (semi-solid) I have 2 different styles and wonder if there were more?

Is the officer collar bronze? Difficult to tell although it appears somewhat lighter tone than the other insignia.

The one collar is solid and the other struck no maker's mark on either one! The officer's collar is Bronze its got good weight to it! RARE to find even one!

[rmarsden]

I believe this is a 73rd CEF glengarry showing a bronze imperial badge.
Ron.

[Adam H]

Nice example of a 73rd (or possibly 42nd) Bn glengarry. Interesting to note the LacessIT spelling and that the badge appears to be a "flat" striking. I have observed both this flat and a more convex pattern as being worn by the RHC.

[rmarsden]

I bought this single collar this morning compare it to the pair I posted
earlier. The single badge has several very minor differences, the width of the boards on St Andrews Cross, the pattern of his tunic at the wrist, the distance
from the bottom of his tunic to the top of the 73 numerals. Just proves there
was more than one die.
Ron.

[Adam H]

Nice one Ron. Interesting to see the variation.

Where are you turning these up? Haven't seen any good RHC badges for sale in Canada for awhile now!

[Phillip Herring]

I would suggest that the badge on the left is a later striking since St Andrew's male pattern baldness is further progressed.

Phil

[Adam H]

Ha! You just might be on to something, Phil.

I will dig out my 13th collars and see how they compare...

[cefguy]

I am reviving an old thread here but just this week acquired a cap badge attributed to Capt C.H.A. Armstrong of the 73rd Battalion. It is a nice looking badge of the traditional Black Watch style. I am unfamiliar with the banner at the top of the badge that says "The Black Watch Of Canada" with the banner carrying on under the crown and over to the right side. This pattern of the banner is similar to the one on the 13th Battalion cap badge which says "The Royal Highlanders Of Canada" on it with the banner also carrying on under the crown to the opposite side.

I too went to the link mentioned earlier on in this thread for the little book on the 73rd generously published by the Ross family with their family connection to the 73rd Btn. In the pictures there can be found a photo of then Lt Armstrong with his brother beside him. They are found on the "Officers of C Company page. This can be viewed at this link...

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb....ross/hist.html

I was struck also by the fact that there is no evidence of the maple leaf pattern 73rd badge as you look through the pages of the book. The maple leaf pattern clearly came along at a latter date.

The cover of the little book on the 73rd had an embossed version of the unit cap badge on it. The picture is very grainy as I am told it was embossed with gilding on it but it is almost worn off now. I have enclosed a picture of that area of the cover as well. There is enough visible to show that it is not the same version as the badge that I purchased.

Does anyone have knowledge of this specific badge that I show in the enclosed pictures?
Don

[Bill A]

Hello Don, The badge you have is the 1930 pattern badge of the Black Watch of Canada. It is an other ranks badge. Officers' badges were multi-piece, usually gilt silver.

[cefguy]

Bill:
Thank you for the response, so I guess there is no actual service connection to Capt Armstrong. It is perhaps something that he picked up along the way after the war, perhaps around a reunion or something. Hard to tell that if it was just included in an estate package.
Cheers
Don

[Bill A]

Hi Don, Yes any number of possibilities. Once I was asked to have alook at a vet's accumulation by his family. There were several Nazi repro badges in the pile. They were insistent that he had brought them back from Europe. Asked if he had gone on any pilgrimages, they replied yes a couple of times. Perhaps he did pick the badges up in Europe, but not in the SWW.