Leicestershire Yeomanry : c1908-15 Cap Badge

Cap Badge Variants

c1908-15

Officers

Officer's bullion "LY" cap badge circa 1908-15, pre war.

Embroidered white/buff, gold bullion letters and outlines on a khaki base.
Only one of these badges is known to exist, in a private collection, and is thought to have been worn in the Officers khaki service cap. To date no photo images from the period show this cap badge in use. The above image is an old B&W photo copy of the actual badge that has been enhanced.

Officer's Metal Cap Badges
In photos of the Officers in the early WW1 period you will see some, in khaki service dress, with a collar badge in the cap and one collar badge in the lapel.

Officers unmarked silver Cap Badge, blades N/S.

Officers unmarked silver Cap Badge, x2 (maybe x3?) loops E/W.

Bronze OSD circa 1915, maker unknown.

Other Ranks

Gilding Metal with slider (1915)

2984 Tpr. C A Green joined the Regiment post 10th October 1914 according to his regimental number and appears to have the slider cap badge. He was in the 3rd/1st LY, Aldershot, initially before being sent to the 1st/1st LY in 1916.

Pattern Card held at IWM

Catalogue number: INS 2998
Production date: 1915
Materials badge: Gilding metal
Alternative Names:
FULL NAME: badge, sealed pattern, Leicestershire Yeomanry (Prince Albert's Own)
SIMPLE NAME: badge, headdress: British
Category: uniforms and insignia

Card reverse: Stamped Locker (442 deleted) 7; inscribed 1817; printed as Royal Army Clothing Department Triplicate Pattern (not filled in).

Card front: badge, card, seal badge: LY voided within a wreath surmounted by a king's crown; on the lower portion of the wreath a scroll inscribed Prince Albert's Own; on the upper portion of the wreath battle honours (as inscription) card: stamped Metal 4480/1897; inscribed, 540/1915 Badge Forage Cap Gilding metal with shanks & pin Leicester Yeomanry. To Guide Provision. To be made to RACD Specftn. 888 for gauge of metal & quality. To be fitted with vertical shank; over inscribed in red ink, Obsolete 22-5-16 See 8845/1916 seal: the Royal Arms encircled War Department Pattern.

Attached Badge: LY PRINCE ALBERT'S OWN SOUTH AFRICA 1900 1901-2

Gilding metal with loops E/W (from 1910 to 1915)

Gilding metal pre war.

1972 Cpl. J Gibson joined the Regiment post 19th May 1913 according to his regimental number and appears to have the x2 looped E/W cap badge.

IWM Catalogue number: INS 2998
Card front: Badge, cotter pin, card, seal . Thick card label . upper centre, faded: stamped Metal 4480/1897 . ms, upper left: 540/1915; . ms, upper right, faded: Obsolete, 22-5-16 See 8845/1916.
Badge: Gilding metal forage cap badge to the Leicestershire Yeomanry (Prince Albert's Own), being the letters LY encircled by a laurel wreath and surmounted by a King's crown, a scroll across the bottom of the wreath bearing PRINCE ALBERT'S OWN, two scrolls on each arm of the wreath, bearing SOUTH / AFRICA / 1900 / 1901-2. Pair of lugs to reverse. Cotter pin retained in the lugs. Badge Forage Cap / Gilding metal with shanks (& pin - deleted) / Leicester Yeomanry / To Guide Provision. . ms, in red: To be made to R.A.C.D. Specftn. 888 for gauge of metal & quality. To be fitted with vertical shank. .
Reverse: The label is on the reverse of a Royal Army Clothing Department Triplicate label. . ms: 1817; Locker (442 - deleted), 7 written in. . Badge secured to label with pink cotton tape, sealed to reverse with a red sealin wax seal bearing the Royal Arms encircled War Department Pattern.

White Metal with loops E/W (from 1910 to 1915)

White Metal with loops E/W (from 1910 to 1915)
* Converted to a pin & Hook

Other Ranks looped E/W White Metal and thought to be produced in a small production for the 1911 Coronation. This die was probably made especially for this occasion and made the new gilding metal badge for the regiment afterwards.

Tpr. W Cross, part of the 1911 Coronation contingent, with the white metal cap badge.

1908-10 Gilding Metal, x2 loops E/W.
* "I" removed.

Gilding metal made from the old LIY die. A practical post 1908 issue and worn up until the war by men who joined in 1909-10 or were in the regiment prior to 1908.

2265 Tpr. K W Beeby wearing the gilding metal LIY badge with the "I" removed. His regimental number means that he joined the regiment post 10th October 1914 and therefore must have been given the older badge from stores.

Gilding metal collar badge, x2 loops E/W.
This was produced from the old LIY collar badge die, post 1908, and the "I" removed. It was not worn as a collar badge. It can be seen worn as a cap badge in the group below. Many of these collar badges were converted into sweetheart badges with a pin & hook (hook made from one of the loops).

2646 Tpr. T J Sheriff is seen here on the front row (2nd from right), he and others are wearing the smaller collar as a cap badge (x5 of them), this picture was taken on mobilisation.