The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers - Badge Variations.
Originally the 5th Foot, The Northumberland Fusiliers were so named in 1881, re-titled the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers in 1935, in honour of the Silver Jubilee of King George V.
The cap badge was a flamed grenade bearing St George & the dragon within a circlet THE NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS. The badge was all in gilding metal.
In 1935 the badge changed to a flamed grenade with different flame pattern, & with St George & the dragon now within a circlet bearing the regiment’s motto of QUO FATA VOCANT. The grenade was in gilding metal, St George & the dragon & the name circlet in white metal.
In 1958 the regiment joined The Fusilier Brigade, which comprised The Royal Northumberland, Fusiliers, The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) & The Lancashire Fusiliers.
Later, after the disbandment on 1/5/63 of The Forester Brigade, The Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers also joined, renamed from the Royal Warwickshire Regiment as an "honour" simply to facilitate this administrative convenience.
The Brigade cap badge was worn, & it continued to be worn as the badge of The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers after the four regiments were amalgamated on St George’s Day, 23/4/68.
The Northumberland’s were originally represented by the 1st Battalion of the new regiment, but battalions ceased to be officially linked to specific component regiments with disbandment of the 4th Bn & distribution of its personnel amongst the remaining three battalions in 1972.
The badges in my collection:
Left is the gilding metal version worn until adoption of the bi-metal version introduced after the regiment was re-titled as "Royal" in 1935. K&K 593 refers.
Second left is the bi-metal version, sealed on 3/5/37. K&K 1972 refers.
Third from left is the WWII plastic economy version in light bronze colour, sealed 19/7/43.
K&K 2212 refers.
Contract dates 5/10/43 - 5/9/45, 55,850 produced, all by "RPL". (Militaria Magazine issue 12).
Right is the gold & silver anodised version of the bi-metal. Neither K&K or Gaylor make no mention of this badge. I don’t know when it was produced or if it was worn by the regular battalion, or just the Territorial Army element, or if at all.
I saw these for sale at The RRF / RF Museum at the Tower of London in December 1988, having acquired this example from a dealer in Hythe, Kent, in March of that year.
This example bears the manufacturers mark of J. R. Gaunt London, indicating that it was produced pre 1981.
Missing from my collection:
The WWI brass economy, presumably the badge was produced in brass as so many others regiment’s were, but who can tell the difference between the brass & gilding metal versions.
Crown Imperial journal 54, page 6, makes reference to a "first pattern" cap badge of flamed grenade bearing St George & the dragon within a circular strap bearing the motto QUO FATA VOCANT, all in brass, It is stated to have been worn 1895 - circa 1902.
I’ve found no other reference to this badge.
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