TOPIC:

The badges and insignias of the ZAR and OVS that were in use during the Boer War don’t have a dedicated thread on this site. This is perhaps somewhat surprising as this type of ABW memorabilia is very interesting and a popular collecting item that displays well. Colin R. Owen, in his book “The Military Badges and insignia of Southern Africa,” lists about sixty different items in this category but from talking to Neville and other collectors I understand there must be quite a few more.

Below badge (Owen 2012) is a rather rare, cast brass, ZAR Police Martingale Badge. Martingale badges were worn on the breast of the horse as part of the harness that prevents the horse from raising its head too high. Some expert on the British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum argues, quite convincingly, that these badges were purely ceremonial and had no purpose during active service.

This particular badge was most likely a take-home souvenir of a British soldier. It was mounted as “Carte de Visite” holder on a small silver pedestal by The Goldsmith Company of 112 Regent Street, London.


Owen 2012

The badge below (Owen 2007) is a brass ZAR Police (ZARP) Helmet Plate which was in use up to the end of the Boer War. It is similar (but not identical) in design to the ZAR Police Martingale badge described in my previous post but slightly larger and notably without a scroll below the emblem. This badge was die-struck (pressed into a brass sheet) which makes it considerable lighter than the cast model and thus better suited to be mounted on a pith helmet. The exact same model exists in white metal (Owen 2008) which is very rare. In contrast the brass version comes to market relatively frequently, usually in excellent condition. This may indicate that unissued stock of this badge was dispersed after the war, or in worst case, that a quantity was produced ulteriorly.


Owen 2007

FYI here are some old posts about Boer Badges that I thought you might like to see.....

Between pages 17 and 21 of Uniforms, Badges and Equipment section.....

www.angloboerwar.com/forum/21-uniforms-b...nt/3546-z-a-r-police

www.angloboerwar.com/forum/21-uniforms-b...at-staats-artillerie

www.angloboerwar.com/forum/21-uniforms-b...-transvaal-artillery

www.angloboerwar.com/forum/21-uniforms-b...artillery-sweetheart

www.angloboerwar.com/forum/21-uniforms-b...a-few-badges?start=6

Mike

This is the die-struck variant of the badge Everhard posted at the beginning of this thread.

In August 1900, 15-year-old Herbert Edgar Packham exhibited six examples of this martingale badge as part of a display of mementoes from the front, with which he raised 24 shillings and 6 pence for the "Daily Mail One Shilling Fund". Many of the items in the group were clearly taken from the Z.A.R. Staatsartillerie barracks after the fall of Pretoria. Unfortunately I have been unable to find any record of the donor of the artefacts, which young Packham describes as his own property at the end of his inventory.

Packham went on to serve with the Westminster Dragoons (2nd County of London Imperial Yeomanry), and subsequently joined the King's Own Royal Lancashire Regiment (24 Apr 1916 - 23 May 1919). One article in "The Regiment" magazine states that the 15-year-old was at the front in November 1900, but this is clearly an error.

Many of the items, together with the inventory, were discovered in a cloth bag in an outhouse in 2008. All the ammunition was live, but has since been rendered inert.



















Page one of the four-page inventory of the curios displayed, described on p.4 as "the property of H.E. Packham, The Elms, Loughton". The badges are here listed as "6 Ornaments (Harness), Staats Art'y, round ZAR surmounted Eagle".


Inventory of Curios from the South African Campaign of 1899-190 [final digit left blank]

Queen’s Chocolate Box with Choc.
Boer Artillery Busby (? O.F.S.) [note: Z.A.R., not O.V.S.]
2 Field Service Caps of the Boer Art’y.
Boer Artillery Sabretache & belt
2 Pairs Spurs
1 Boer Pony’s bit (Galvanized Iron)
1 Boer Shoulder Belt & Pouch worn
1 Boer Shoulder Belt & Pouch quite new, un-adjusted
[area of loss] Clips Mauser (Bullets) Ammunition
[area of loss] Maxim Bullets (in case) unfired
4 Maxim Bullets (fired) without case
1 Mauser Bullet (in case, unfired)
4 Mauser Bullets (fired, without case)
2 Plumes of Staats Art’y helmets as worn by Kruger’s Bodyguard
3 Badges of above helmets
6 Ornaments (Harness) Staats Art’y – round ZAR surmounted Eagle
Testament as supplied to all the troops

[over]




Other insignia in the collection included the Z.A.R. Staatsartillerie busby badge and Z.A.R. helmet plates (Owen #2037 & #2003) shown below.







Amongst the accoutrements and headgear is this exceptionally rare Staatsartillerie Field Cap. As of 2024 this is the only known example to have survived.

"The headdress was a shako or forage cap of the same colour as the uniform with a black visor. The cap insignia design was identical to the Austrian badge, except that the initials F J (Franz Joseph) were replaced by the letters ZAR" (S.A.M.H.S., vol.9, no.4). Owen 1990, #2031 incorrectly identifies this badge as "Z.A.R. Brass Rosette worn on bridle of horse". Underside of peak inscribed "F.D.L.". Johan Wolfaardt has identified Gunner F.D. Labuschagne, nr 1073 3rd Battery, as the probable owner.














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Mike thanks for the links. Neville, Some exceptionally rare items, what a find!

Below two ZAR brass waist belt-buckles in use during the Boer War. Both buckles are relatively rare but nevertheless do come to market with some regularity.

The rectangle buckle below was produced for “Other-Ranks” of the ZAR State Artillery (Owen 2036). It consists of a brass buckle to which a die-struck Eendragt maakt Magt emblem is riveted. A number of unissued (surplus) examples of this buckle were discovered after the war and ended up in the collectors’ circuit. Judging by the wear, this particular example was probably issued and used.


Owen 2036

The second waist belt buckle (Owen 2057) was produced for the ZAR Police (The ZARPS). The buckle is made from heavy cast brass. The male part of the buckle consists of a beltloop and scroll to which a brass disc with stylized ZAR logo is welded. The female part is a single cast, making up beltloop, scroll and the outer ring with Eendragt maakt Magt logo.


Owen 2057

EFV wrote: A number of unissued (surplus) examples of this buckle were discovered after the war and ended up in the collectors’ circuit.

Below is an example of one of the 500 undelivered ZAR belt & bayonet sets. The belts were made in two sizes: 95 and 100 cm.

Undress belt buckle of the Z.A.R. Staatsartillerie (Owen #2036), with white buff leather belt, bayonet frog and bayonet (complete set, in unissued/unworn state, with buckle retaining remnants of original gilt finish). Belt stamped "95" (size in cm). This is one of a batch of belts, buckles, frogs & bayonets that was listed in the 1927 catalogue of a US Army Surplus Dealer. These, sets failed to reach the Transvaal before the outbreak of hostilities and somehow found their way to Francis Bannerman's store in New York. "The bayonets with their distinctive black scabbards and buff frogs and belts with brass buckles displaying a prominent Eendragt Maakt Magt found their way into collectors' hands and are traded as Boer Mauser bayonets" (Ron Bester 2003, p.266).

Highlighting the US provenance of these "Francis Bannerman" belts, this particular set was purchased from a dealer in Cottage Grove, Oregon, United States (2017). Another set was purchased from a dealer in Northboro, Massachusetts (2008), and a buckle was sold by a dealer in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, in 2008. If a set or part-set is offered for sale by a US vendor, one can be pretty sure that it will be from the undelivered consignment.

Everhard, it is wonderful to see an issued example. As I understand it, the order had originally been for only fifty bayonets (presumably with frogs, belts & buckles), and these were delivered to the Transvaal in February 1899. As stated above, the second batch of 500 never reached Lourenco Marques. Interestingly, the original intention had been to purchase white metal buckles (Prussian-style "Koppels"). These were quoted at 6/- each, with an extra 1/- "for letters" (Ron Bester 2003, pp. 263-266).

















As of 2024, this is the only known photograph of a ZAR artillerist wearing one of the saw-back bayonets with its distinctive white buff leather belt & frog. Only fifty of these were delivered in February 1899, all being issued to members of Schiel's Johannesburg Fortress Artillery. Unfortunately the buckle is out of view in this shot.
The gun on the left is Majoor von Dalwig's 75mm/12½-pr QF Maxim-Nordenfelt. For more on these see: Description of the 75mm/12½-pr Maxim-Nordenfelt QF gun


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