This field covers, in the main, headdress badges of many different parts of the world, but also includes cross-belt plates, etc. An interesting example is the parallel existence of regimental badges for the British and Austrian armies, fighting on opposing sides in WW1, something unique to these two countries. Good reference books include: Kipling & King's two volumes on headdress badges of the British Army; John Gaylor's book on cap badges of the British Army; Ashok Nath's book, Izzat: Historical Records and Iconography of Indian Cavalry Regiments 1750-2007 (published 2009 by the Centre for Armed Forces Historical Research United Service Institution of India), a superb rendering of this extremely complex subject, beautifully illustrated. Ashok Nath's website is at: http://sites.google.com/site/anath53/home

Regarding the regiment, the Grenadiers had a very specific gorget with multiple pierce work on both wings, the Scots Guards normally had '3rd Guards' engraved on both sides at the tips, therefore, by elimination, this is almost certainly a Coldstream Guards example. The Dighton watercolours of the period appear to confirm this.

Regarding the regiment, the Grenadiers had a very specific gorget with multiple pierce work on both wings, the Scots Guards normally had '3rd Guards' engraved on both sides at the tips, therefore, by elimination, this is almost certainly a Coldstream Guards example. The Dighton watercolours of the period appear to confirm this.

This exotic unit was raised under Lord Curzon's famous 'forward' frontier policy starting in 1900 when, in the North West Frontier Province, the army was withdrawn from tribal territory and replaced with disciplined tribal irregulars under British officers. Four battalions of militia were formed in Waziristan totalling 3,200 men.

This regiment was raised by Sir Charles Napier for local service in Scinde province
in 1844 and was the only Bombay unit at the siege of Delhi. It then went on to serve in Abyssinia (1866) and Afghanistan (1878-80).

This die-struck badge is almost certainly of the York Militia (Rose of York and a blank plinth for a potential battle honour). The other possibility is Hampshire Militia, who also used the rose as a unit emblem. The badge may well be unhallmarked silver or heavy duty EPNS. As yet untested for either.

This die-struck badge was awarded by the Weimar Republic to WW1 tank crews who had served in three assaults or been wounded in the course of one. The soldier had to apply for the badge and, once he had received the award document, would privately purchase the badge. Sepp Dietrich, commander of the LAH, wore this in 1940 photos.

This was a fund raiser for a Hungarian war bond issue in WW1. It is 23mm high and has an inscription (in Hungarian) in raised lettering on the reverse. It comes with the original jeweller's card (which has Hungarian or German handwriting in pencil on the reverse). The enamel is of high quality on a gilding metal base.

This (59mm high) was worn on the dress field cap and the blue forage cap by all RE officers up to the present day. The field is blue melton cloth with the bomb in gold bullion, the title picked out in bullion on a medium blue silk ground.

This regiment's other title was Watson's Horse. In 1947, on Partition, it transferred to the Pakistan Army as the 6th Lancers. A Captain Michael Allmand of this regiment won a posthumous VC for gallantry in northern Burma in 1944.

This would have been worn until the amalgamation of Probyn's Horse with the 12th Cavalry in 1922. It would appear to be an other ranks example and was worn on a rectangular white metal plate. Probyn's Horse became King Edward's Own Lancers in 1906, having sported the Prince of Wales title since 1876.