'Plume' Identity, Lancashire Fusiliers Options

[Frajohn]

Hi

This was with the possesions of a soldier who served in the Lancashire Fusiliers. Would it be worn with / behind a cap badge?

Many thanks

John

[max7474]

No it is a brush!

[Graham Stewart]

It's upside down and it does look as though there is a loop at the top which is infact the bottom. The primrose yellow plume has faded and looks 'bleached'. So it's been worn in one of two types of head-dress, but not behind the cap badge (i) the racoon skin cap, or(ii) the foreign service helmet.

I have two of these in my own collection to the Northumberland Fusiliers, both made of the same hair but white and tipped red at the end. When worn with the racoon skin cap there is usually a ring placed over the loop, then slid up the plume to make it flare out.

[Graham Stewart]

 NF_Militia___Copy.jpg ( 66.12K ) Number of downloads: 0


It would look like this worn in the racoon skin cap(on the left of the wearer), but I believe the Lancashire Fusiliers wore theirs on the right hand side.

[Bootnecks]

See atached...

The Lancashire Fusiliers wore the plume on the left side.

Seph

Attached File(s)

 hp132.jpg ( 30.09K ) Number of downloads: 0

 

[Frajohn]

Graham, Max & Seph

Many thanks for the information. His Gransdson will be most grateful! He was a regular in 1st Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, having joined in 1902



Kind regards

John

[EPK]

It is called a "Hackle" and worn on the side of the cap.
Lancashire Fusiliers wore yellow one. also painted on side of helmets

It is called a "Hackle" and worn on the side&nbsp;of the cap.<BR>Lancashire Fusiliers wore yellow one. also painted on side of helmets&nbsp;

[Bootnecks]

At nearly 15-inches in length, I'm not convinced that the item in qustion is a plume/hackle.... but as Max7474 originally suggested.. a brush. I recall my own sgt-maj having such an item in use when dressing for a regimental parade. Several other S/Nco's also used similar items.

I've atached a pic of a LF's Hackle from the Great War period.

Seph

Attached File(s)

 Hackle.jpg ( 68.52K ) Number of downloads: 0

 

[Wardog]

Looks to be a metric measure. 15cm.

[Bootnecks]

Looks to be a metric measure. 15cm.

ooops! dead crafty these metrics!

Seph

[Mark Hone]

An interesting item. I'lll try and taker a comparative picture from a uniform in the LF Museum this week. Calling it a 'plume' is not quite as bad as referring to it as a 'feather', which is bound to raise the 'hackles' of any Fusilier!

[Frajohn]

Thank you all for the additional information.

Mark
Are you aware of what additional information might be available from the Lancashire Fusiliers Museum? Is it worth contacting them?

Apart from his MIC and 'Small Book' I have little information. His records do not appear to have survived the blitz.

His grandson does have a book of A4 size photographs of the 1st Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers 1910. I would think about 15 to 20 in all, they are very good quality. There was also another book dated 1918, mainly text. I will scan the covers this evening and put them on here

Kind regards

John

[Graham Stewart]

It is called a "Hackle" and worn on the side of the cap.
Lancashire Fusiliers wore yellow one. also painted on side of helmets

It is called a "Hackle" and worn on the side&nbsp;of the cap.<BR>Lancashire Fusiliers wore yellow one. also painted on side of helmets&nbsp;

It's not a "hackle" at all during this period of time it's a horse hair plume - the "hackle" was introduced later for wear with the beret and is made from chicken feathers. The official colour of the Lancs Fusilies plume and hackle were "primrose" yellow.

[EPK]

I bow to your greater knowledge, Plume or hackle, it wasn't worn behind the cap badge!!!!
bought a hackle at LF museum last week. thats why you don't see many yellow chickens around Bury The museum keep rustling them

Very "primrose" yellowed faced Paul

[Graham Stewart]

Not to worry Paul it's taken me all of 43yrs to get the hang of all these foibles we have with dress within the British Army and I'm still learning. Had to laugh about the "chicken rustling" in Bury.

[EPK]

Wasn't sure Graham some folk get very touchy about these things.
if in doubt try humour I say

[Graham Stewart]

 Fusiliers.jpg ( 70.95K ) Number of downloads: 0


Although not Great War, but interesting regarding this post, all four hackles of the Fusilier Brigade displayed by junior soldiers, before the formation of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers on St.Georges Day, 23rd April 1968 - being white(Royal Fusiliers); primrose yellow(Lancashire Fusiliers); purple/orange(Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers) created especially for the formation of the new regiment; red over white(Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.

[tjec]

Link to an "unofficial" but very good Lancashire Fusiliers web site with WW1 content.

http://www.lancs-fusiliers.co.uk/

Regards,

Norman