Badges of
The East Surrey Regiment

2

31st Foot Glengarry Badge 1874-81	31st Foot Other Rank's Hat Badge 1862	70th Foot Officers Shako Plate 1861-69	70th Foot Other Rank's Shako Plate 1869-78

 

The later patterns of shako-plate followed the regulation style, there still being no distinctive badges associated with either regiment, with the other ranks' forage caps bearing just the number in the usual way. A notable variety was recorded for the bandsmen of the 31^st, however, c. 1859-73: whereas the other NCOs and men had the number in Arabic figures ("31"), the band wore black cloth caps of superior manufacture, with the number in roman numerals, "XXXI", in silver, about one inch high.

Glengarry badges, introduced c. 1874, included two varieties recorded for the 31^st. The ordinary version was of the common design, a crowned strap inscribed "Huntingdonshire" with "31" in the voided centre, in brass; another had "31" in the voided centre of a crowned laurel wreath, the crown of Victorian "imperial" style, also in brass. The 70^th's badge consisted of the crowned strap, inscribed "The Surrey Regiment", with "70" in the voided centre, in brass. Slight variations in the manufacture of such badges were not uncommon, one being in the shape of the figure "7", one version having a flat base to the figure, the other a markedly rounded base. A second pattern consisted of a small "70" with a line or rim around the numerals, with an "imperial" style of Victorian crown above and a scroll inscribed "The/Surrey/Regiment" below, in brass. A silver version is recorded for officers, conceivably for use on the pagri. The plates of the 1878 helmet were of the usual pattern, distinguished only by the number in the centre. Collar badges, introduced in 1874, consisted of a crown within a laurel-spray for the 31^st and an "imperial" Victorian crown for the 70^th, both in brass.

31st Foot Officers Cross Belt Badge 1840’s	70th Foot Officers Waist Belt Clasp pre 1881	East Surrey Officers Forage Cap Badge	East Surrey Officers Badge Helmet Plate 1881-1902

 

The amalgamation of 1881 also involved the 1^st and 3^rd Royal Surrey Militia becoming the 3^rd and 4^th Battalions respectively of the East Surrey Regiment. The star of the Order of the Garter, used by the 3^rd Royal Surrey Militia, was united with the arms of Guildford to form the badge of the new regiment; the design of these arms consisted of a shield upon which was borne a three-towered castle, the outer two with conical tops, with a lion on the front of the earth mound upon which the castle stands.

On the 1878 helmet the officers' plate was of the usual pattern, the central badge consisting of a silver, eight-pointed star bearing a frosted gilt shield with burnished edges, upon which was the castle in silver; all upon black velvet backing. The title scroll bore "The/East Surrey/Regt." Until 1891, when it became "The East Surrey. Regiment', changing back to the original version in 1904. The other ranks' helmet plate centre was the usual circlet, inscribed "East Surrey", with the star and shield in the voided centre, all in brass.

East Surrey Officers Waist Belt Clasp 1881-1959	Officers Glengarry Badge 1881-1902	Officers SD Badge 1902-59	23rd Bn. The London Regt. (E. Surrey) Officers SD

 

For officers, the 1891 regulations describe a badge for the round forage cap consisting of an eight-pointed silver star (diamond-cut though at this date this was not specified) bearing a voided gilt circlet inscribed "East Surrey" with two sprigs of laurel at the base, backed by blue velvet, enclosing the gilt shield bearing the arms of Guildford in silver, upon a blue velvet ground; the upper point of the star was covered by a gilt crown with crimson velvet cap. For the forage cap used on active service and manoeuvres, the badge was a gilt crowned Garter, bearing in its voided centre the shield-on-star device as used on the helmet plate. The other ranks' cap badge consisted of a diamond-cut white metal star bearing a crown (which covered the upper point) over a shield in brass, the shield bearing a white-metal castle, all upon a brass scroll inscribed "East Surrey". Initially it had the "imperial" version of the Victorian crown, succeeded by an Imperial crown proper. A version in silver and gilt was described in the 1900 regulations for the officers' field cap (succeeding the crowned Garter badge); the 1911 regulations specify that the star was diamond-cut, adding that for a service dress the same badge was worn in bronze on both cap and collar, and noting that the ordinary cap badge was also worn upon the foreign service helmet.

The officers' collar badge described in 1891 consisted of the arms of Guildford in silver, upon a frosted gilt shield with burnished edges, but the 1900 and subsequent regulations add that a gilt crown was worn at the top of the badge. The 1911 regulations confirmed that the same was used for the mess jacket and frock coat. A similar badge was worn by other ranks, in brass.

Two varieties of band pouch badge are recorded. One has a diamond-cut white metal star bearing a pierced brass circlet inscribed "East Surrey Regt." with laurel at the base, with a brass imperial crown above and enclosing the brass castle. The other, all brass, is of an eight-pointed rayed star with the upper point covered by an imperial crown, and in the centre of the star a circlet inscribed "East Surrey" with a laurel-spray at the base, with the shield and castle in the centre.

In 1887 the 3^rd, 5^th and 7^th Surrey Rifle Volunteers became the 2^nd-4^th Volunteer Battalions respectively of the East Surrey Regiment. The 1^st title and insignia. In general, the badges of volunteer battalions usually resembled those of the regular battalions, but in white metal instead of brass, or blackened for those which retained aspects of their old rifle corps status.

 

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