TOPIC:

TITLE: IMPERIAL LIGHT HORSE

TYPE: SHOULDER TITLE WORN DURING BOER WAR

OWENS NUMBER: 2131

Mike

I have a variation of the ILH title. It is made of 3 mm thick sheet brass and is therefore much heavier than usual for a title. I have similar ones for the Natal Carbineers (NC), Border Mounted Rifles (BMR) and the Utrecht-Vryheid Mounted Police (UMP) , while a friend has one for the Natal Mounted Rifles (NMR). My friend was told that these titles were made in Pietermaritzburg. They are less well finished than other titles and are uncommon.

Regards
Brett

Hi Brett,
I like your ILH, your friend is right, these were indeed made in Natal, and they are early examples rather than later, they would have been worn by the original "fighting five hundred"
Here are a hand full of mine; Top are officers in silver by Wade's Maritzburg and on the right in gilt by List Brothers Durban
Next are die cast, then various, bottom are Copper on left and Lead on right, these would have been made in Jo,Burg later on.
Loves yours to Mike, really nice to see them on here, thanks gentlemen
Frank.

Frank

Thank you for showing your collection of ILH titles. I am very envious! I had thought of collecting the variations I encountered over the years and your collection has made me regret that I did not.

Regards
Brett

Hi Brett,
These should still be found in South Africa even today, great care must be taken to distinguish between the original examples worn on the slouch hat during the Boer War and post Boer War examples worn on the shoulder straps.
Also please be aware that some officers of this unit bought there kit in England from Hobson's and the Army&Navy Co-operative Society etc. So you do get the famous union/royal standard crossed flags and Imperium Et Libertas, embroidered as a badge worn on the field service cap by officers, this appears on the memorials and was worn by other ranks in the form of a large white metal badge after the war when the ILH became part of the Transvaal Volunteers.
Good Luck Brett, I feel sure that a few phones calls in South Africa would prove me right and you will find them!

Frank

I was very interested to learn that the crossed flags emblem had already been created and was in sparing use during the war. Do you have an example of the embroidered version used on officer's caps?

Because of costs, my medal collecting is all but over, so perhaps I will turn my attention to badges instead. Looking for the variations shown in your ILH assemblage will be a good starting point.

I should mentioned that I only collect badges of units that are represented in my medal collection and, so far, my knowledge of badges is limited. Thank you for adding to it.

Regards
Brett