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#2
06-03-13, 05:55 PM
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Nice find, Andrew. I take it this was the first incarnation of the R&H Bde (1919-28), in which case, the 2nd Bn was a Cape Town unit, and was deployed in the suppression of the Rand Revolt in 1922.
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Regards Arthur 
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#3
06-03-13, 05:59 PM
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Hi Arthur, thank you for the info. I am sure the badge is the early version. I am not sure about the title. Owen has it as 1920's and Dudley and Curson have it as WW2. It is nice to put a bit of history with it. Have fun. Andrew
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#4
07-03-13, 08:33 AM
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Hi Andrew,
Very nice find. This is only the second of these I have seen and I am yet to see the same badge to the First R&HB. This design is the same as the WWI period Railways & Harbours Rifles badges. The Railways and Harbours Rifles (1915/16 - 1920) used this design badge along with union coat-of-arms collars and title R.H.R The Railways and Harbours Brigade (1921 - 1929) in my opinion wore the same cap badge but with the wording changed from 'Railways and Harbours Rifles' to 'First Railways and Harbours Brigade' and 'Second Railways and Harbours Brigade'. These were worn with the same union collars as the RHR and titles 1stRHB or 2ndRHB. Note lack of Afrikaans/Dutch in the naming. The R&HB was reconstituted in 1940 and this is when the winged wheel badge was adopted with the flaming grenade collars and RHB/SHB titles. The above is my opinion and a logical deduction based on the known information. Sam foote and subsequent books say the winged wheel and flaming collars were adopted in the 1920's with the formation of the R&HB but without concrete evidence, I tend to disagree. If someone does have concrete evidence (Official documentation and or photographs) I would be happy to change my statements. Regards Steven
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#5
07-03-13, 03:49 PM
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Quote:
The 1st and 2nd Battalions were the original units of the brigade, established in December 1919. The individually named Maltese cross badge and the individually numbered shoulder titles fit those two units. In June/July 1922, the brigade was enlarged to include 1st and 2nd Armoured Trains, 3rd - 10th Battalions (transportation), an intelligence section, two railway supply companies, and a medical company. Except for the armoured trains, the brigade was disbanded in December 1928. The new units would have needed badges in 1922. Unless they were also to be given individually named badges and individual shoulder titles, it may have been more practical to have a single badge and title for the whole brigade, including the infantry battalions. According to Curson, all the units wore the same helmet flash. That could well point towards a decision to identify the brigade as a whole rather than individual units. This is speculation on my part. A trawl through The Nongqai and SAR&H staff magazines of the period may yield concrete evidence -- some day.
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Regards Arthur
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#6
07-03-13, 05:04 PM
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Hi Steven and Arthur, Thank you for the info. I would also like to see some concrete proof. I am sure the 2 titles with the numbers are fom the 1920's, as is the badge I found. It is possible that the 1st Battalion used the standard badge and the 2nd had a badge made. But either way, it would be good to see a photo or something to settle it finally. Have a grand evening. Andrew
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#7
07-03-13, 07:43 PM
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The SAR&H Magazines of this period have amazing pictures of these chaps. I will try and get my father to pull some from the Railway Historical Groups library.
I will be in CT sometime in the next 10 days. Brian
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