Kent Yeomanry or Kent Cyclist badge.

[Michael Griffiths]

Gentlemen,
I would appreciate your thoughts on this badge. It has been in my collection for a number of years. The slider has the maker mark of (J.R. GAUNT LONDON), the size of the lettering is 25mm long by 3mm high. The badge is 45mm high by 29mm wide. The horse is only standing on one leg, which does NOT leave me with a good feeling about it.
Comments are most welcome.
Many thanks,
Michael

[Alan O]

The officers' badge had one leg off the ground.

The mark is one that dates to at least 3 decades after the Cyclists had disbanded and the Yeomanry had re-roled to RA and adopted the RA cap badge.

Dartford Grammar school contimued to wear the design into the 1940s but again the leg raised may not be right for them either.

[grey_green_acorn]

The badge was worn from 1972 to around 2017 by the Kent (Marine) Cadet Force (now defunct) a youth organisation based in Folkestone and not recognised by the MOD.

http://www.kmcf.co.uk/ (Web site is still ‘live’)

https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...ht=kent+marine

Tim

[Michael Griffiths]

Thank you, Alan and Tim.

Although the forelegs on the Kent (Marine) Cadet Force logo are not quite in the same position as on my badge. Does anyone have actual photo reference for this badge in question. To date I have never come across a Kent Invicta badge like this one.

Regards,

Michael

[Keith Blakeman]

Originally Posted by Michael Griffiths

Thank you, Alan and Tim.

Although the forelegs on the Kent (Marine) Cadet Force logo are not quite in the same position as on my badge. Does anyone have actual photo reference for this badge in question. To date I have never come across a Kent Invicta badge like this one.

Regards,

Michael

I have a foreleg raised horse in white metal with three loops, another with a slider and a blackened brass one with two loops. All are slightly different in poise. I’d like to think that at least one of them is a VB badge of the RWK or Buffs.

Any of them could equally be Police, binmen, lollipop ladies, traffic wardens, fire brigade who knows. One thing is for sure though is that a Gaunt marked slider in that font is not WKY or WKC.

[altcar73]

Keith is quite right. The badge in question (in various forms) was worn by the "world & his wife" in Kent at one time or another. Its difficult to pin down a particular configuration of the design to one particular organisation as over the years there were changes of manufacturer/fittings and finishes.

Dave.

[Michael Griffiths]

Keith and Dave,

Thank you for your input re this badge. I agree it is not a WKY or a WKC badge.
I will file it as a KENT cap badge, maker marked J.R. GAUNT LONDON on slider.

Kind Regards,

Michael

[Alan O]

If the slider is original to the abdge then it is post 1950ish until the last 1960s.

[Unknownsoldier]

Originally Posted by Keith Blakeman

I have a foreleg raised horse in white metal with three loops, another with a slider and a blackened brass one with two loops. All are slightly different in poise. I’d like to think that at least one of them is a VB badge of the RWK or Buffs.

Any of them could equally be Police, binmen, lollipop ladies, traffic wardens, fire brigade who knows. One thing is for sure though is that a Gaunt marked slider in that font is not WKY or WKC.

Traffic wardens wore the badge in anodised gold.

[Luke H]

I agree with Keith and Alan.

Cannot recall if I’ve mentioned this before but from corresponding with Keith Hook he told me that the West Kent Yeomanry and Kent Cyclists badge was the same pattern number in the 1919 Ordnance Catalogue i.e. they wore the same badge. I know this has been much debated on here with suggestions that head or feet position are diagnostic.

He also mentioned that Chatham House Cadets and Dartford OTC plus other Kent cadet units likely wore the same or similar badge. So perhaps these are candidates for this 50s-60s made badge.

[Alan O]

Dartford OTC wore the badge only up to WW2. The CCF had a different badge.

I think the raised leg design is taken from the officers badge and the die struck version is repro.

[Luke H]

Certainly a distinct possibility with Gaunt.

This practice is know and a comparison of their Artists Rifles OSD die springs to mind that has been used to churn out white metal looped restrikes by the bucket load. Some of the strikes have good detail and look very convincing were it not for the modern loops.