Gordon Highlanders - Badge Variations.

[leigh kitchen]

Time I started put a bit of effort into contributing, especially as Jim's prompted.

There are many "variations" in British army cap badges, some which are of major importance - such as the change of crown in the design, which dates the badge to a particular monarch's reign or at least narrows it down to a succession of monarchs who used the same design.
Other variations such as major changes of design, addition of the title "Royal", changes of metals or material used to manufacture the badge, design or manufacturing faults such as mistaken use of crown instead of coronet in the design date a badge or at least constitute a major variation.
Some variations seem to be ignored, & of course there are small manufacturers variations which are of no great relevence, although perhaps research into contract dates may help to date the badge by manufacturer.

I'll post some of my badges & "research" (usually just a reference to Kipling & King or Gaylor), in no particular order, & showing variations large & small.

Here goes with the Gordon Highlanders........

The regiment was formed in 1881 by amalgamation of 75th Stirlingshire & 92nd (Gordon Highlanders) Regiments of Foot (it has recently been further amalgamated, I've little knowledge of the recent amalgamations & insignia, so they don't feature in what I'm posting).

The 92nd came out top dog in terms of name & badge, despite being the junior of the 2 component regiments - the 92nd were raised in 1794 by the Duke of Gordon & the stag's head issuing from a ducal coronet was the family crest, the ivy was the badge of the Gordon family.
The motto "Bydand" is lowland Scots dialect which can be translated as "Watchful".
It appears as one word, "BYDAND" but there was a variation in which the motto appears as 2 words, "BY DAND", stated by Gaylor to be a manufactureers error.

In 1958 with the formation of the Highland Brigade, the Gordon's regimental pattern badge was ousted by the brigade pattern, but resumed again in 1969.

The badges illustrated are those worn by ranks below sergeant:

[leigh kitchen]

Top left is the "standard" pattern, with "BYDAND" as one word. K&K 687 refers.

(As an aside, it was also worn by the South Australian Scottish Infantry, 1899-1911. Bloomer 377 refers).

Top right is manufacturers error "BY DAND", K&K 686 refers.

Centre is WWI economy brass, with single word motto, worn 1916 - 1919. Gaylor Page 135 refers.

Ther was no WWII "plastic" economy version of the Gordons badge as it was too delicate a design, presumably.

Anodised badges & buttons began to creep into use by British units about 1952.

Bottom left is the silver anodised version of standard, with one word motto - again, refer to K&K 687.

Bottom right is the manufacturers 2 word motto again, but in silver anodised.
I have found no reference to this variation in anodised, & it's surprising to find this variety as anodised badges are / were produced on different equipment to the old "real" metal ones, so somebody's gone to the trouble of perpetuating the mistake of the 2 word motto in the new design.
I first saw an example of this version of the badge in September 1988 at a "Soke Military Collectors" meeting at the museum in Priestgate, Peterborough, & eventually aquired an example in June 1989 from "The Den", at Hythe.

That's about it for my Gordon Highlanders badges, I never bothered to get an example of the "Staff badge" worn in silver or silver plate by sergeants & above (Gaylor refers, page 46, plate 19) as I collect only ranks below sergeant as my main theme of post c1892 regular infantry, other badges such as officers or cavalry or corps etc I just grab when I feel like it.

Oh, & if anyone knows of a 2 word motto version of the WWI brass economy I'd be interested to hear of it - I still need that for my collection if it exists.