The Essex Regiment was formed by the 1881 amalgamation of the 44th Foot & the 56th Foot.
The main component of their cap badge was the castle, representing the service of the 56th Foot at Gibraltar during the siege of 1779 - 82.
The castle changed as a result of the War Department instruction of 30/1/1900, to standardise with that portrayed on the Great Seal of Gibraltar.
Following that change, the badge continued unaltered other than in the material that it was made of until 1958, when the Essex Regiment merged with the Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment, to form the 3rd East Anglian Regiment (16th / 44th Foot) wearing the cap badge of the East Anglian Brigade.
Further amalgamation in 1964 formed the Royal Anglian Regiment.
My badges:
To the left is the "regimental" castle" pattern, worn until circa 1901, when the standardised pattern repleced it - the obvious change to the badge was the removal of the flag from the top of the central tower. K&K 659 refers.
Second from left is the version with no flag on the castle, this remained in use until 1958, when the regiment was amalgamated.
Third from left is the same badge, but without the crossed stems of the laurel wreath under the base scroll. This is presumably merely a manufacturers variation, the badge is otherwise as K&K 660.
The badges of the Suffolk Regiment also show this variation of stems / no stems, they're variations that collectors seem to be genarally unaware of or disinterested in.
The right hand badge left is the chocolate brown WWII plastic economy, 70,848 of these were produced, all by A. Stanley & sons, Walsall, between 24/3/43 - 6/1/44.
Missing from my collection are:
The WWI brass economy 1916 - 19 version of K&K 660. Gaylor page 135 refers.
The bi-metal anodised version of K&K 659, this was sealed on 1/2/66, & K&K 660 refers.
It was presumably worn only by Territorial Army elements who survived following the amalgamation of the parent regular battallion.
The main component of their cap badge was the castle, representing the service of the 56th Foot at Gibraltar during the siege of 1779 - 82.
The castle changed as a result of the War Department instruction of 30/1/1900, to standardise with that portrayed on the Great Seal of Gibraltar.
Following that change, the badge continued unaltered other than in the material that it was made of until 1958, when the Essex Regiment merged with the Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Regiment, to form the 3rd East Anglian Regiment (16th / 44th Foot) wearing the cap badge of the East Anglian Brigade.
Further amalgamation in 1964 formed the Royal Anglian Regiment.
My badges:
To the left is the "regimental" castle" pattern, worn until circa 1901, when the standardised pattern repleced it - the obvious change to the badge was the removal of the flag from the top of the central tower. K&K 659 refers.
Second from left is the version with no flag on the castle, this remained in use until 1958, when the regiment was amalgamated.
Third from left is the same badge, but without the crossed stems of the laurel wreath under the base scroll. This is presumably merely a manufacturers variation, the badge is otherwise as K&K 660.
The badges of the Suffolk Regiment also show this variation of stems / no stems, they're variations that collectors seem to be genarally unaware of or disinterested in.
The right hand badge left is the chocolate brown WWII plastic economy, 70,848 of these were produced, all by A. Stanley & sons, Walsall, between 24/3/43 - 6/1/44.
Missing from my collection are:
The WWI brass economy 1916 - 19 version of K&K 660. Gaylor page 135 refers.
The bi-metal anodised version of K&K 659, this was sealed on 1/2/66, & K&K 660 refers.
It was presumably worn only by Territorial Army elements who survived following the amalgamation of the parent regular battallion.
I think the framing is the important thing to look for, it would be very hard to erase the inside lettering without damaging this also.
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