The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
A Christmas gift from the wife are these two different examples of Cameronian (Scottish Rifles) cap badges;
1. A Victorian blackened bronze type. The black finish is an applied lacquer (Japlac I think) and the central star is quite deep when compared to the later white metal type.
2. A WWI cast and silver plated Sergeants badge. In addition to being of higher quality the Sergeants badge is a half inch larger than the OR's types.
The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) were formed as part of the Childers Reforms of 1881 by amalgamation of the 26th Cameron Regiment and the 90th Perthshire Light Infantry.
The badge consists of a thistle wreath, typical of Scottish heraldry, with a stringed bugle at the bottom which is a symbol of all Light Infantry (originating from the Napoleonic period). The "star" is not intended to represent a celestial body but is more correctly called by the heraldic term "spur rowel" (or roundel) which is the rotating sharp piece on the end of a riding spur. It is also referred to as the Douglas star as it comes from the Clan Douglas coat of arms.
In 1958 the regiment became part of the short lived Lowland Brigade and was obliged to adopt that most unpopular generic badge until 1968 when faced with a further round of amalgamations they became one of only two British regiments to choose to be disbanded instead, the other being the York & Lancaster Regt.
During the 1960s they acquired the nickname "The Poison Dwarves" which was not popular in the regiment as it was derisive but it has stuck and is remembered well today.
The pictures show the two badges I mention above whilst the fifth shows a comparison with the 1915 economy blackened brass and the standard WWI - 1958 white metal OR's badge. The 1915 economy badge has a noticably thicker thistle wreath but that is a variation seen in the white metal type too. There is also an anodised aluminium type worn by Territorial Reserves until very recently and of course a top of the range hallmarked solid silver officers badge which will have to wait until next Christmas perhaps!
On the Glengarry cap the badge as with other Scottish regiments is worn on a silk ribbon rosette as in the first picture. On the Tam O' Shanter (TOS to modern troops) it would be on a square of Douglas tartan.
In this comparison the 1915 brass version looks to be as big as the Sergeants badge. It isn't but it is quite flat compared to the others and is very slightly larger than the other two. This however is not a design feature but a difference between dies wheareas the Sergenats badge is specified as larger by design.
Regards
Mark
PS See below the Lowland Brigade badge. Hideous isn't it?
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by Jb4046
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