70 replies to this topic

[tocemma]

Hello all,

[GRUMPY]

thanks for starting this: short of photos, can Pals perhaps LIST battalions/ regiments who affected the collar badges in the War?

[RobL]

A known but unusual collar badge. Leicesters with black felt square on the left side of the collar only. I believe the sleeve patch was yellow? but not certain on that. Unique I think. Battalion anyone? I love his mates 'trouble at mill' cap and Gor Blimey tie.

7th Battalion - the square is red, the 6th Battalion had the black square but a yellow circle. The different collar patches were worn when part of 37th Division by the whole of the 110th Brigade (6th Black, 7th Red, 8th Green, 9th Yellow) shortly after it was formed in April 1915, then when they joined the 21st Division after 1st July 1916 the yellow patches came in. The different yellow shapes for each battalion (6th Circle, 7th Bar, 8th Square and 9th Triangle) were worn one on each shoulder sleeve, one on the centre back, and usually a fourth on helmet hessian covering. Seeing soldiers retaining the collar patch is common in photos of these battalions

[GRUMPY]

yet another great resource, thanks chaps.

[Wainfleet]

John

Superb photos, demonstrating that the absence of something in published material does not mean the absence of it in reality. Given that there were comparatively few photographers on the Western Front, we only have a very limited picture of what was worn and used there, and photos such as these are an extremely valuable adjunct.

Also, that is a really nice Kitchener blue pic.

Regards,

W.

[GRUMPY]

To return to this: if asked, I would have said that I know of collar badges before the general introduction post-war on only a few units: RF, MGC late war, and 'perhaps a few others'.

Clearly not my subject!

[GRUMPY]

Another KOYLI group

Several wear the stringed bugle as a collar but without the YORKSHIRE part of the title whilst one man wears the French horn collars in a pair and its hard to tell if they are white metal or not

Also a couple of close ups

Candidate for a 'Classic' thread surely?

[7t2ndswinger]

Excellent thread.  

Interesting to see the RF men with plain grenades and not ones with the rose in the centre.  

Also has the KOYLI  man in post No.4 got his bugles facing the wrong way?

[JulianB]

Men of the 5th Bn King's Lpl Regt wore shoulder titles on the collars of their SD uniforms just after the war.

[Aneurin]

Bit more predictable.... Cardiff Pals

Thanks for the great photos. Incidentally, the collar badge was worn by the Cardiff City Battalion (16th Welsh). The Cardiff Pals were the 11th Welsh.

Gwyn

[Grovetown]

Another KOYLI group

These Kitchener KOYLIs certainly like having their pictures taken. Herewith another one. No collar badges this time, but what's interesting is their sporting a '9th KOYLI' brassard.





Best wishes,

GT.

[eparges]

Not sure, ASC?

[Wainfleet]

Looks like it, nice photo. Are those ASC buttons he is wearing?

[GRUMPY]

and I suspect a bit of tailoring on the jacket?

[7t2ndswinger]

Hi,

No the mouth piece of the bugle goes towards the mouth of the soldier appears correct to me.

John

The left (as viewed) collar looks bigger/higher/thicker closer to his ear to my eyes.

[eparges]

Looks like it, nice photo. Are those ASC buttons he is wearing?

The buttons appear to be the normal GS type.

[high wood]

West Yorkshire Regiment. I am not sure which battalion wore these collar badges during the Great War. I have it in my notes somewhere and I think that there is a thread on this forum somewhere.

Attached Files

•  W_yorks.JPG   66.64K   3 downloads

[high wood]

A private in the 12th (Service) battalion East Surrey Regiment. (Bermondsey).

Attached Files

•  ESR.JPG   75.04K   5 downloads

[GRUMPY]

this is an eye-opener for me ..... I don't usually get beyond looking at sleeves!

[must get out more ...]

[high wood]

I think that some members of the 10th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment also wore them. Here is Pte 13204 Alfred Whitlock of the 10th battalion.

Attached Files

•  W_Yorks.JPG   40.81K   6 downloads

[high wood]

Wilfred, C Coy, 11th Essex Regiment, wearing Kitchener blue and unofficial collar badges. Photograph taken at Shoreham.

Attached Files

•  Wilfred.JPG   54.72K   5 downloads

[high wood]

31/60 Pte George A Forster, 16th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, 18 Barrington Street, Newcastle on Tyne.

Attached Files

•  N_Fus.JPG   55.03K   3 downloads

[Grovetown]

Do you know if 8/KOYLI in the same brigade wore one with 8th KOYLI on it?

Not the foggiest I'm afraid John.

Best wishes,

GT.

[trenchtrotter]

Sorry no photo but was flicking through Lynne McDonalds book.."To The Last Man" about March Offensive and there is a nice studio image of a R Warks in a service tunic chap with antelope collars. States may have been taken when in a Training Reserve?

Regards

TT

[Tyneside Chinaman]

Grovetown

thanks for the reply I feel sure that they would have, to distinguish between the two battalions.

What is needed is a few more turning up with the photographers number on.

thanks again

John