Introduction & Acknowledgements
The King’s Colonials (KC) were a unique yeomanry Regiment in the British Army in the opening years of the 20th century. Although formed in the final stages of the Boer War, the Regiment itself did not see service there although a number of its individual members had. The King's Colonials were comprised of colonial volunteer's resident in Britain initially from those living in London but in time extending to Cambridge, Oxford and Liverpool. A combination of colourful characters, rich and flamboyant uniforms, iconic badges proudly reflecting Dominion heritages and Royal patronage ensured that the King’s Colonials became a much talked about Regiment. The King’s Colonials bore a number of distinctions and among them that they were the only colonial unit administered from Whitehall.
The King's Colonials were re-named in 1910 as the King Edward’s Horse (King’s Overseas Dominions Regiment) (KEH/KODR) following desire to leave some of vestiges of Colonialism behind. The KEH went on to see active service in the Great War. Service in the King Edward's Horse (KEH) proved to be a highly-regarded training ground for future Officers with some 550 men transferred from the KEH to become Officers in other units. The men of the KEH were discharged to the Reserve upon their return to England in 1919 and were never re-embodied and the Regiment was disbanded in 1924.
Much of the time in the Great War, the KEH were kept in reserve waiting for breakthroughs in the line which rarely if ever occurred. They spent much of their time foraging for themselves and their horses and delivering messages. The infantry took their abbreviated title of ‘KEH KODR’ and jeeringly called them the ‘King’s Own Despatch Riders’.
The truth is that the KEH had an exemplary wartime service record. During the war the Regiment lost ten Officers, two Staff Serjeants (Sergeants) and 69 Other Ranks (Private is used but Trooper is often used in different sources) killed in action (KIA), died of wounds (DOW) or died on service. They were awarded four Distinguished Service Orders, one with bar; eleven Military Crosses, one with bar; ten Distinguished Conduct Medals, one with bar; five Meritorious Service Medals and twenty-five Military Medals plus a number of foreign service awards and Mentioned in Despatches.
The 2nd King Edward’s Horse (2KEH) have nothing more than a namesake as a link to the KEH (1st). They too have a proud history of service including having fought as dismounted troops in France. I am currently collating information regarding their gallantry medal entitlements as part of compiling their Nominal Roll. This includes a Private of the 2KEH, John Sherwood-Kelly, a South African with considerable colonial military service passed through their ranks albeit briefly before being commissioned into the Norfolk Regiment. He went on to command the 1st Battalion, The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on 20 November 1917, during the Battle of Cambrai.
The King’s Colonials/KEH and 2KEH represent a tremendous topic for research. The badges of these Regiments in particular make a fascinating study. This was my initial interest in the Regiments which grew over time to a fuller appreciation of their uniforms, medals, service history and place in history.
I am currently adding additional information about individuals who served in the King's Colonials from the Regimental history and other sources. It is my intention to build comprehensive Nominal Rolls for the King's Colonials, KEH and 2KEH. This is possible for the KEH and 2KEH using medal entitlements from the Medal Index Cards (MICs) as per the attached illustrative images of a MIC to a 2KEH Officer. The KEH and 2KEH both saw service in the Great War and more often than not the MICs do not distinguish between them nor does the naming of the service medals themselves which causes much confusion and incorrect attribution. As far as I can determine there are no surviving Official Rolls for the King's Colonials and so the task of building a Nominal Roll is in that case much more difficult. I acknowledge the pioneering effort of Peter Nemeric www.kingedwardshorse.net to piece one together for the King's Colonials and KEH. The Nominal Rolls on my own website are similarly being complimented with photographs of individuals, gravestones and medals. Hopefully the Nominal Rolls on this website will aid in the identification of the actual Regiment a medal recipient served in. Names and biographical details are recorded in italics were the individual was Killed in Action (KIA) or Died of Wounds (DoW) or taken Prisoner of War (PoW). Those that appear in bold are where there is an accompanying photograph/s. I have used multiple sources of information to build out the Nominal Rolls including 'ANGLO-ARGENTINE RAILWAYMEN WHO SERVED IN THE GREAT WAR, 1914 - 1918', Caribbean Roll of Honour, Lieutenant Colonel Neil C. Smith AM's 'Under Friendly Flags', Cambridge and Oxford University Memorials, multiple school and college memorials, irishwarmemorials.ie, medal sales, the Imperial War Museum's 'Lives of the First World War', Ancestry, Robert Bicker's "SS Suwa Maru" Shanghai Contingent list, the Australian War Memorial records, the Glenbow Archives (University of Calgary) for those with prior service in the Mounted Police, Old Comrades Association Bulletins of the King's Colonials and King Edward's Horse, the Great War Memorial edition of the South Pacific Mail and the records of the Auckland Online Cenotaph. The Nominal Rolls are being regularly updated as fresh information comes to hand. Information and photographs of any members of the King's Colonials/KEH and 2KEH is welcomed via the Contact page. Full acknowledgement will be given.
There are many myths, mistruths and misunderstandings regarding the history, uniforms and badges of the King’s Colonials, KEH and 2KEH. Their headdress badges have been heavily copied and I have set out to try and advise the reader as to how best to distinguish an original headdress badge from a copy. In attempting to do so I have purposely chosen not to disclose certain characteristics and images of badges which I believe would help copiers of badges "improve their game".
As this website is intended for research purposes only, I have included several images from websites where I have been unable to make contact with the owner. My sincerest apologies in advance should the owner not wish the image to be used. I would hope to hear from them and seek their permission to support this project. All images without a specific attribution are from my own collection. The hyperlinks are embedded in the text in blue to allow the original source and additional information to be accessed.
Contemporary photographs provide a unique insight into the uniforms and badges of the King’s Colonials, KEH and 2KEH and the manner in which they were worn. A friend and major collaborator on this project whom I met on the Great War Forum, Darren O’Brien was very fortunate to have acquired a collection of photographs with annotations of the King’s Colonials by R. J. (Bob) Smith who made a detailed study of the uniforms of the British yeomanry regiments. The access to these photographs and notes was a turning point in being able to more critically detail the uniform and badges of the King's Colonials and KEH. This material was supplemented through the purchase of a photograph album of the King’s Colonials on annual camp in the period 1902-04. I am indebted to Simon Jervis for sourcing it.
I am deeply grateful to several friends and acquaintances who have generously provided copies of photographs, measurements and notes on the badges, buttons and uniforms of the King’s Colonials, KEH and 2KEH. My thanks to an unnamed Sydney collector, Robert Andrews, Del Badiuk, Ian Baker, Gardner Bell, Mike Bekkett, Pat Birley, John Burridge, Timothy Connolly, the late Ron Cook, Steve Bosley, Iain Davidson, Michael T. Finchen, the late Rod Flood, the late Phil Garland, Luke Halls, Keith Hook, Daniel Irving, Simon Jervis, David Knight, Paul Liddell, Rob Miller, Jon Mills, Ray Mitchell, Griff Morgan-Jones, Geoff Newman, the late David Oldham, Laurie Osborne, the late Peter Parodi, Ed Parsons, Alex Rice, Paul Spellman, James Stevenson, David Stewart, Victor Taboika, Pierre Vandervelden and Garry White. Many of these friends I have met through the British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum which is an invaluable resource for any badge collector.
I would like to thank and pay tribute to the following descendants and biographers of those who served in the King’s Colonials, KEH and 2KEH. They have all identified individuals in photographs and have generously assisted in providing biographical details, stories and additional photographs. My very good friend, Owen Dobson has generously provided biographical details for a number of those who served in these Regiments. Owen's biographical narrative of Private Osborne Lean, 1704, 2KEH is included in full in the Nominal Roll section of this website. It is the most detailed account of service life in these Regiments that I have come across. Many thanks Owen. Ray Mitchell and I met through this website and our grandfathers service on the Somme crossed over. Thanks to his research, Ray was able to work with the Office of the Australian War Graves to have his grandfather Trooper Jack Fraser Mitchell's headstone replaced with an official war grave surmounted with the emblem of the 2KEH badge.
Captain Frank Vans Agnew MC, 1112, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Jamie Vans (Great nephew and biographer).
Lieutenant Hugh James Aitchison MID, King Edward's Horse - Debra Brock (Granddaughter).
Bandmaster Peter Anderson, King's Colonials and King Edward's Horse - Philip Mayer, Fusiliers Museum (Biographer).
Captain Andrew (Kaid) Belton, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Squadron Leader Howard Toon (Biographer).
Second Lieutenant Walter Bolus, 1481, King Edward's Horse - Walter Stevens (Grandson).
Private John (Jack) Ryther Steer Bowker, 8, King Edward's Horse - Robin Hyland (Biographer).
Captain William Ernest Horatio Bradburn, King Edward's Horse - Diane Moss (Biographer).
Second Lieutenant William Smithson Broadhead, 705, King Edward's Horse - Stuart Shaw (Relative).
Private Keith Cooper Brockman, 1316, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Owen Dobson (Biographer).
Acting Serjeant Charles William Brownell, 1344, King Edward’s Horse - Owen Dobson (Biographer).
Squadron Quarter Master Serjeant John Eayre Kellman Bynoe, 1, King Edward's Horse - Michael Chalk (Relative).
Squadron Serjeant Major Harry Campbell Calvert, 279, King's Colonials and King Edward's Horse then Captain Royal Field Artillery - James Morgan (Great Grandson) and Rob Bull (2x Great Grandson).
Private Alfred Capper, 433, King Edward's Horse and 2nd King Edward's Horse - Robert Cruickshank (Grandson).
Second Lieutenant Leonard Arthur Carey, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Trevor Harkin (Biographer).
Private Harold Cyril Corder, 1187, 2nd King Edward' Horse - Helen Peach and Doug Corder (Descendants).
Serjeant Edwin (Ted) C. Cowley, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Bob Hakewill (Local historian).
Lance Corporal Eric H. Cowan, 393, King Edward's Horse - Richard Daglish (Biographer).
Private Reginald John Daws, 595, King Edward's Horse - Nick Daws (Grandson).
Private Edward Feron Devine, 1128, King Edward's Horse - Giles F. Russell (Descendant).
Private William Leonard Denman, 2nd King Edward's Horse, KIA 11th Battalion, Tank Corps- Dana Cowie (Great Granddaughter).
Major Sir Ralph Dolignon Furse MC and bar, King Edward's Horse - Frances Whistler (Grandson).
Lieutenant William Eric Gilbert MC, 980, King Edward's Horse - Robin Martin and Sean Wright (Great Grandson).
Private Douglas Arthur Gordon MM, King's Colonials later King Edward's Horse then Royal Garrison Artillery - Jean Paxton, (Granddaughter).
Private Charles (Charlie) Ernest Hakewill, 1553, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Bob Hakewill (Grandson and local historian).
Private Robert C. Harris. 619, King Edward's Horse. His WW1 medal trio, Hotchkiss Machine Gun arm badge and shoulder titles were a kind gift of Malcolm Johnston (ex-3rd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers) and were originally with his Father's (ex-Royal Signals, who was captured at the fall of Singapore and interned in Japan) possessions. I would be happy to hear from a descendent of Private Harris to pass the medals on to them.
Serjeant Sydney Bywater Harris, King Edward's Horse - Carole McEntee-Taylor (Biographer).
Private Charles Hudson, 1124, King Edward's Horse later Rifle Brigade - Chris Standen (Relative).
Private William Hannen Hunn, King Edward's Horse - Richard Hannen-Williams (Descendant).
Colonel Lionel James CBE DSO, King Edward's Horse - Michael James (Grandson).
Private Carl Edward Jessop, 600, King Edward's Horse - Carl Hopkins (Great grandson).
Corporal Romer Frank Johnstone, 1316, King Edward's Horse - Helen Pollock (Niece).
Private Robert Philip Johnstone OBE, 1312, King Edward's Horse and 2nd King Edward's Horse - Helen Pollock (Niece).
Private Frank W. Jones, 926, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Bob Hakewill (Local historian).
Private Wilfred Sidney Knox, 1826, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Paul Sandford (Descendant).
Private Harold (Harry) Dudley Knox, 1827, 2nd King Edward's Horse, DoW - Paul Sandford (Descendant).
Private John Arthur Lange, 1352, King Edward's Horse - Jon Farmer (Military historian).
Private Osborne Lean, 1704, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Owen Dobson (Biographer).
Serjeant Edward (Ned) John Leake, MM, C de G, Medale Militaire, King Edward's Horse - Thomas McKernan (Descendant).
Serjeant Leslie John Leake, DCM, King Edward's Horse - Thomas McKernan (Descendant).
Private Jack Fraser Mitchell MM, 1338, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Ray Mitchell (Grandson and biographer).
Private William Morris MM, 1506, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Owen Dobson (Biographer).
Lance Corporal Charles Francis O'Donnell, 1587, 2nd King Edward's Horse - (Gerry Rogers - Descendant).
Private Victor Irvine Ernest Reid, 2248, 2nd King Edward's Horse - (Jim Lees, 1st Royal Dragoons Historian).
Lieutenant Colonel George Gray Russell DSO, King Edward's Horse - Natalie Wilson (Biographer).
Private William Henry Rutter, 1243, King Edward's Horse - Diego Hernandez (Relative).
Lance Corporal Patrick Ryan, 1530, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Marie Cooper (Granddaughter).
Corporal John Raymond Sadleir, 1102, King Edward's Horse - Ronald Land (Great nephew).
Private Ernest Gordon Saunders, -, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Peter Saunders (Son).
Private Harry James Scott, 252, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Robert Scott (Grandson).
Regimental Quarter Master Serjeant Frederick Willet Skepelhorn, 388, King Edward's Horse - Jenny Willis (Great granddaughter).
Corporal John (Jack) Francis Stewart. 1376. King Edward's Horse - Derek Wignall (Descendant).
Private Robert (Albert) Swinfen, 905, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Bob Hakewill (Local historian).
Private Thomas (Tom) Tibbits, 911, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Bob Hakewill (Local historian).
Private Albert D. J. Van Blerck (alias of Edward Bertram Price), 315. 2nd King Edward's Horse - David Drury (Researcher).
Private William (Billy) Jack West, 811, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Bob Hakewill (Local historian).
Peter Nemaric deserves special thanks for sharing several excellent photographs of the King’s Colonials and KEH. Peter created and manages the King Edward’s Horse website and I am deeply indebted to him for allowing them to be used and hope that the information on my website compliment the years of meticulous research he has invested in the service of the KEH.
My thanks go to the exhaustive research made available to me by Richard Breislin of www.blackthorn-antiques.com on the swords of the King's Colonials and KEH. This invaluable information is detailed against his photograph of a British 1899 Pattern Cavalry Trooper’s Sword, KEH in Figure 132 and under the Kings Colonials (KC) Officer's Full Dress Uniform 1901-04 section of this website.
I would also like to especially thank Carole McEntee-Taylor for her permission to use the photographs of Sydney Harris from her excellent biography of this remarkable man (From Colonial Warrior to Western Front Flyer: The Five Wars of Sydney Herbert Bywater Harris. London: Pen and Sword, 2015). Similarly, I would like to sincerely thank Jamie Vans, great nephew of Captain Frank Vans Agnew, MC for his permission to use photographs and the vivid biography published as "Veteran Volunteer: Memoirs of the Trenches, Tanks & Captivity 1914-1918". London: Pen and Sword, 2014.
Since this website went live an article by Keith Hook and David Knight entitled ‘The Badges, Titles and Buttons of King Edward’s Horse’ was published in the Journal of the Military Historical Society. 251:70-78, 2018. This excellent article contains a number of additional pieces of information regarding the badges and uniforms of the King's Colonials and KEH which I now reference on my site. I am appreciative of their efforts to document their research and subsequent correspondence with Keith and David has yielded a significant amount of fresh information and photographs regarding their badges, uniforms and history. Many of the King's Colonials and KEH badges featured on this website came from Keith's original collection. Photographs of these badges were used by Arthur L. Kipling and Hugh L. King in their treatise 'Head-dress Badges of the British Army 1800-1918: v.1'. My eternal thanks to Keith.
My heartfelt thanks go to my brother Stephen for his extensive and patient proof-reading, and encouragement. The badge photography was a considerable challenge. I would like to especially thank my father-in-law Michael for all his experimentation and technical tuition to assist.
I was encouraged to write this article by my close friend and badge muse John Longstaff who has sought to teach me much about the badges of the British Empire. The learning continues and I sincerely thank John for his edits, guidance and friendship.
My good friend Pat Birley has been a tower of strength and guidance to me in helping curate my collection and sourcing items for me in the United Kingdom. If I was to learn half of what Pat knows about shoulder titles then I would be a very satisfied.
There is no doubt in my mind that this project would have been accomplished without the guidance and practical support of Ivan Machin. Having read Ivan’s tremendous book on the ‘Badges of the York and Lancaster Regiment’ I eagerly contacted him to seek his guidance on how to go about tackling the compilation of my notes and assemblage of photographs into something concrete that I could share with others. Ivan has been generous with his time in supporting me on this journey and has openly shared with me his own experience of converting to a badges of York and Lancaster website so that fresh additions to a collection can be accommodated. I was very fortunate to be introduced to Michael Wood, who has published a splendid and authoritative guide to the 'Badges and Insignia of the Essex Yeomanry' and am very appreciative of his friendship, support and practical encouragement. Michael has also created a wonderful website to the badges of the County of Essex. I encourage readers to click on the links to these websites which provide terrific reference sources.
I am indebted to the love and support of Anna, my wife and four wonderful children Cameron, Elisabeth, Alexander and Charlotte for their infinite patience and tolerance for their Father’s fascination with badges and their history.
I have recently received the most wonderful sentiment from Michael James, Colonel James's grandson on the website which he uses as a resource for his own grandchildren.
The old Colonel would be looking down wreathed in smiles and great pride in his old regiment and your unflagging diligence.
Lest We Forget.
Dr Dean Moss
The King's Colonials were re-named in 1910 as the King Edward’s Horse (King’s Overseas Dominions Regiment) (KEH/KODR) following desire to leave some of vestiges of Colonialism behind. The KEH went on to see active service in the Great War. Service in the King Edward's Horse (KEH) proved to be a highly-regarded training ground for future Officers with some 550 men transferred from the KEH to become Officers in other units. The men of the KEH were discharged to the Reserve upon their return to England in 1919 and were never re-embodied and the Regiment was disbanded in 1924.
Much of the time in the Great War, the KEH were kept in reserve waiting for breakthroughs in the line which rarely if ever occurred. They spent much of their time foraging for themselves and their horses and delivering messages. The infantry took their abbreviated title of ‘KEH KODR’ and jeeringly called them the ‘King’s Own Despatch Riders’.
The truth is that the KEH had an exemplary wartime service record. During the war the Regiment lost ten Officers, two Staff Serjeants (Sergeants) and 69 Other Ranks (Private is used but Trooper is often used in different sources) killed in action (KIA), died of wounds (DOW) or died on service. They were awarded four Distinguished Service Orders, one with bar; eleven Military Crosses, one with bar; ten Distinguished Conduct Medals, one with bar; five Meritorious Service Medals and twenty-five Military Medals plus a number of foreign service awards and Mentioned in Despatches.
The 2nd King Edward’s Horse (2KEH) have nothing more than a namesake as a link to the KEH (1st). They too have a proud history of service including having fought as dismounted troops in France. I am currently collating information regarding their gallantry medal entitlements as part of compiling their Nominal Roll. This includes a Private of the 2KEH, John Sherwood-Kelly, a South African with considerable colonial military service passed through their ranks albeit briefly before being commissioned into the Norfolk Regiment. He went on to command the 1st Battalion, The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on 20 November 1917, during the Battle of Cambrai.
The King’s Colonials/KEH and 2KEH represent a tremendous topic for research. The badges of these Regiments in particular make a fascinating study. This was my initial interest in the Regiments which grew over time to a fuller appreciation of their uniforms, medals, service history and place in history.
I am currently adding additional information about individuals who served in the King's Colonials from the Regimental history and other sources. It is my intention to build comprehensive Nominal Rolls for the King's Colonials, KEH and 2KEH. This is possible for the KEH and 2KEH using medal entitlements from the Medal Index Cards (MICs) as per the attached illustrative images of a MIC to a 2KEH Officer. The KEH and 2KEH both saw service in the Great War and more often than not the MICs do not distinguish between them nor does the naming of the service medals themselves which causes much confusion and incorrect attribution. As far as I can determine there are no surviving Official Rolls for the King's Colonials and so the task of building a Nominal Roll is in that case much more difficult. I acknowledge the pioneering effort of Peter Nemeric www.kingedwardshorse.net to piece one together for the King's Colonials and KEH. The Nominal Rolls on my own website are similarly being complimented with photographs of individuals, gravestones and medals. Hopefully the Nominal Rolls on this website will aid in the identification of the actual Regiment a medal recipient served in. Names and biographical details are recorded in italics were the individual was Killed in Action (KIA) or Died of Wounds (DoW) or taken Prisoner of War (PoW). Those that appear in bold are where there is an accompanying photograph/s. I have used multiple sources of information to build out the Nominal Rolls including 'ANGLO-ARGENTINE RAILWAYMEN WHO SERVED IN THE GREAT WAR, 1914 - 1918', Caribbean Roll of Honour, Lieutenant Colonel Neil C. Smith AM's 'Under Friendly Flags', Cambridge and Oxford University Memorials, multiple school and college memorials, irishwarmemorials.ie, medal sales, the Imperial War Museum's 'Lives of the First World War', Ancestry, Robert Bicker's "SS Suwa Maru" Shanghai Contingent list, the Australian War Memorial records, the Glenbow Archives (University of Calgary) for those with prior service in the Mounted Police, Old Comrades Association Bulletins of the King's Colonials and King Edward's Horse, the Great War Memorial edition of the South Pacific Mail and the records of the Auckland Online Cenotaph. The Nominal Rolls are being regularly updated as fresh information comes to hand. Information and photographs of any members of the King's Colonials/KEH and 2KEH is welcomed via the Contact page. Full acknowledgement will be given.
There are many myths, mistruths and misunderstandings regarding the history, uniforms and badges of the King’s Colonials, KEH and 2KEH. Their headdress badges have been heavily copied and I have set out to try and advise the reader as to how best to distinguish an original headdress badge from a copy. In attempting to do so I have purposely chosen not to disclose certain characteristics and images of badges which I believe would help copiers of badges "improve their game".
As this website is intended for research purposes only, I have included several images from websites where I have been unable to make contact with the owner. My sincerest apologies in advance should the owner not wish the image to be used. I would hope to hear from them and seek their permission to support this project. All images without a specific attribution are from my own collection. The hyperlinks are embedded in the text in blue to allow the original source and additional information to be accessed.
Contemporary photographs provide a unique insight into the uniforms and badges of the King’s Colonials, KEH and 2KEH and the manner in which they were worn. A friend and major collaborator on this project whom I met on the Great War Forum, Darren O’Brien was very fortunate to have acquired a collection of photographs with annotations of the King’s Colonials by R. J. (Bob) Smith who made a detailed study of the uniforms of the British yeomanry regiments. The access to these photographs and notes was a turning point in being able to more critically detail the uniform and badges of the King's Colonials and KEH. This material was supplemented through the purchase of a photograph album of the King’s Colonials on annual camp in the period 1902-04. I am indebted to Simon Jervis for sourcing it.
I am deeply grateful to several friends and acquaintances who have generously provided copies of photographs, measurements and notes on the badges, buttons and uniforms of the King’s Colonials, KEH and 2KEH. My thanks to an unnamed Sydney collector, Robert Andrews, Del Badiuk, Ian Baker, Gardner Bell, Mike Bekkett, Pat Birley, John Burridge, Timothy Connolly, the late Ron Cook, Steve Bosley, Iain Davidson, Michael T. Finchen, the late Rod Flood, the late Phil Garland, Luke Halls, Keith Hook, Daniel Irving, Simon Jervis, David Knight, Paul Liddell, Rob Miller, Jon Mills, Ray Mitchell, Griff Morgan-Jones, Geoff Newman, the late David Oldham, Laurie Osborne, the late Peter Parodi, Ed Parsons, Alex Rice, Paul Spellman, James Stevenson, David Stewart, Victor Taboika, Pierre Vandervelden and Garry White. Many of these friends I have met through the British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum which is an invaluable resource for any badge collector.
I would like to thank and pay tribute to the following descendants and biographers of those who served in the King’s Colonials, KEH and 2KEH. They have all identified individuals in photographs and have generously assisted in providing biographical details, stories and additional photographs. My very good friend, Owen Dobson has generously provided biographical details for a number of those who served in these Regiments. Owen's biographical narrative of Private Osborne Lean, 1704, 2KEH is included in full in the Nominal Roll section of this website. It is the most detailed account of service life in these Regiments that I have come across. Many thanks Owen. Ray Mitchell and I met through this website and our grandfathers service on the Somme crossed over. Thanks to his research, Ray was able to work with the Office of the Australian War Graves to have his grandfather Trooper Jack Fraser Mitchell's headstone replaced with an official war grave surmounted with the emblem of the 2KEH badge.
Captain Frank Vans Agnew MC, 1112, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Jamie Vans (Great nephew and biographer).
Lieutenant Hugh James Aitchison MID, King Edward's Horse - Debra Brock (Granddaughter).
Bandmaster Peter Anderson, King's Colonials and King Edward's Horse - Philip Mayer, Fusiliers Museum (Biographer).
Captain Andrew (Kaid) Belton, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Squadron Leader Howard Toon (Biographer).
Second Lieutenant Walter Bolus, 1481, King Edward's Horse - Walter Stevens (Grandson).
Private John (Jack) Ryther Steer Bowker, 8, King Edward's Horse - Robin Hyland (Biographer).
Captain William Ernest Horatio Bradburn, King Edward's Horse - Diane Moss (Biographer).
Second Lieutenant William Smithson Broadhead, 705, King Edward's Horse - Stuart Shaw (Relative).
Private Keith Cooper Brockman, 1316, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Owen Dobson (Biographer).
Acting Serjeant Charles William Brownell, 1344, King Edward’s Horse - Owen Dobson (Biographer).
Squadron Quarter Master Serjeant John Eayre Kellman Bynoe, 1, King Edward's Horse - Michael Chalk (Relative).
Squadron Serjeant Major Harry Campbell Calvert, 279, King's Colonials and King Edward's Horse then Captain Royal Field Artillery - James Morgan (Great Grandson) and Rob Bull (2x Great Grandson).
Private Alfred Capper, 433, King Edward's Horse and 2nd King Edward's Horse - Robert Cruickshank (Grandson).
Second Lieutenant Leonard Arthur Carey, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Trevor Harkin (Biographer).
Private Harold Cyril Corder, 1187, 2nd King Edward' Horse - Helen Peach and Doug Corder (Descendants).
Serjeant Edwin (Ted) C. Cowley, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Bob Hakewill (Local historian).
Lance Corporal Eric H. Cowan, 393, King Edward's Horse - Richard Daglish (Biographer).
Private Reginald John Daws, 595, King Edward's Horse - Nick Daws (Grandson).
Private Edward Feron Devine, 1128, King Edward's Horse - Giles F. Russell (Descendant).
Private William Leonard Denman, 2nd King Edward's Horse, KIA 11th Battalion, Tank Corps- Dana Cowie (Great Granddaughter).
Major Sir Ralph Dolignon Furse MC and bar, King Edward's Horse - Frances Whistler (Grandson).
Lieutenant William Eric Gilbert MC, 980, King Edward's Horse - Robin Martin and Sean Wright (Great Grandson).
Private Douglas Arthur Gordon MM, King's Colonials later King Edward's Horse then Royal Garrison Artillery - Jean Paxton, (Granddaughter).
Private Charles (Charlie) Ernest Hakewill, 1553, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Bob Hakewill (Grandson and local historian).
Private Robert C. Harris. 619, King Edward's Horse. His WW1 medal trio, Hotchkiss Machine Gun arm badge and shoulder titles were a kind gift of Malcolm Johnston (ex-3rd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers) and were originally with his Father's (ex-Royal Signals, who was captured at the fall of Singapore and interned in Japan) possessions. I would be happy to hear from a descendent of Private Harris to pass the medals on to them.
Serjeant Sydney Bywater Harris, King Edward's Horse - Carole McEntee-Taylor (Biographer).
Private Charles Hudson, 1124, King Edward's Horse later Rifle Brigade - Chris Standen (Relative).
Private William Hannen Hunn, King Edward's Horse - Richard Hannen-Williams (Descendant).
Colonel Lionel James CBE DSO, King Edward's Horse - Michael James (Grandson).
Private Carl Edward Jessop, 600, King Edward's Horse - Carl Hopkins (Great grandson).
Corporal Romer Frank Johnstone, 1316, King Edward's Horse - Helen Pollock (Niece).
Private Robert Philip Johnstone OBE, 1312, King Edward's Horse and 2nd King Edward's Horse - Helen Pollock (Niece).
Private Frank W. Jones, 926, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Bob Hakewill (Local historian).
Private Wilfred Sidney Knox, 1826, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Paul Sandford (Descendant).
Private Harold (Harry) Dudley Knox, 1827, 2nd King Edward's Horse, DoW - Paul Sandford (Descendant).
Private John Arthur Lange, 1352, King Edward's Horse - Jon Farmer (Military historian).
Private Osborne Lean, 1704, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Owen Dobson (Biographer).
Serjeant Edward (Ned) John Leake, MM, C de G, Medale Militaire, King Edward's Horse - Thomas McKernan (Descendant).
Serjeant Leslie John Leake, DCM, King Edward's Horse - Thomas McKernan (Descendant).
Private Jack Fraser Mitchell MM, 1338, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Ray Mitchell (Grandson and biographer).
Private William Morris MM, 1506, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Owen Dobson (Biographer).
Lance Corporal Charles Francis O'Donnell, 1587, 2nd King Edward's Horse - (Gerry Rogers - Descendant).
Private Victor Irvine Ernest Reid, 2248, 2nd King Edward's Horse - (Jim Lees, 1st Royal Dragoons Historian).
Lieutenant Colonel George Gray Russell DSO, King Edward's Horse - Natalie Wilson (Biographer).
Private William Henry Rutter, 1243, King Edward's Horse - Diego Hernandez (Relative).
Lance Corporal Patrick Ryan, 1530, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Marie Cooper (Granddaughter).
Corporal John Raymond Sadleir, 1102, King Edward's Horse - Ronald Land (Great nephew).
Private Ernest Gordon Saunders, -, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Peter Saunders (Son).
Private Harry James Scott, 252, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Robert Scott (Grandson).
Regimental Quarter Master Serjeant Frederick Willet Skepelhorn, 388, King Edward's Horse - Jenny Willis (Great granddaughter).
Corporal John (Jack) Francis Stewart. 1376. King Edward's Horse - Derek Wignall (Descendant).
Private Robert (Albert) Swinfen, 905, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Bob Hakewill (Local historian).
Private Thomas (Tom) Tibbits, 911, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Bob Hakewill (Local historian).
Private Albert D. J. Van Blerck (alias of Edward Bertram Price), 315. 2nd King Edward's Horse - David Drury (Researcher).
Private William (Billy) Jack West, 811, 2nd King Edward's Horse - Bob Hakewill (Local historian).
Peter Nemaric deserves special thanks for sharing several excellent photographs of the King’s Colonials and KEH. Peter created and manages the King Edward’s Horse website and I am deeply indebted to him for allowing them to be used and hope that the information on my website compliment the years of meticulous research he has invested in the service of the KEH.
My thanks go to the exhaustive research made available to me by Richard Breislin of www.blackthorn-antiques.com on the swords of the King's Colonials and KEH. This invaluable information is detailed against his photograph of a British 1899 Pattern Cavalry Trooper’s Sword, KEH in Figure 132 and under the Kings Colonials (KC) Officer's Full Dress Uniform 1901-04 section of this website.
I would also like to especially thank Carole McEntee-Taylor for her permission to use the photographs of Sydney Harris from her excellent biography of this remarkable man (From Colonial Warrior to Western Front Flyer: The Five Wars of Sydney Herbert Bywater Harris. London: Pen and Sword, 2015). Similarly, I would like to sincerely thank Jamie Vans, great nephew of Captain Frank Vans Agnew, MC for his permission to use photographs and the vivid biography published as "Veteran Volunteer: Memoirs of the Trenches, Tanks & Captivity 1914-1918". London: Pen and Sword, 2014.
Since this website went live an article by Keith Hook and David Knight entitled ‘The Badges, Titles and Buttons of King Edward’s Horse’ was published in the Journal of the Military Historical Society. 251:70-78, 2018. This excellent article contains a number of additional pieces of information regarding the badges and uniforms of the King's Colonials and KEH which I now reference on my site. I am appreciative of their efforts to document their research and subsequent correspondence with Keith and David has yielded a significant amount of fresh information and photographs regarding their badges, uniforms and history. Many of the King's Colonials and KEH badges featured on this website came from Keith's original collection. Photographs of these badges were used by Arthur L. Kipling and Hugh L. King in their treatise 'Head-dress Badges of the British Army 1800-1918: v.1'. My eternal thanks to Keith.
My heartfelt thanks go to my brother Stephen for his extensive and patient proof-reading, and encouragement. The badge photography was a considerable challenge. I would like to especially thank my father-in-law Michael for all his experimentation and technical tuition to assist.
I was encouraged to write this article by my close friend and badge muse John Longstaff who has sought to teach me much about the badges of the British Empire. The learning continues and I sincerely thank John for his edits, guidance and friendship.
My good friend Pat Birley has been a tower of strength and guidance to me in helping curate my collection and sourcing items for me in the United Kingdom. If I was to learn half of what Pat knows about shoulder titles then I would be a very satisfied.
There is no doubt in my mind that this project would have been accomplished without the guidance and practical support of Ivan Machin. Having read Ivan’s tremendous book on the ‘Badges of the York and Lancaster Regiment’ I eagerly contacted him to seek his guidance on how to go about tackling the compilation of my notes and assemblage of photographs into something concrete that I could share with others. Ivan has been generous with his time in supporting me on this journey and has openly shared with me his own experience of converting to a badges of York and Lancaster website so that fresh additions to a collection can be accommodated. I was very fortunate to be introduced to Michael Wood, who has published a splendid and authoritative guide to the 'Badges and Insignia of the Essex Yeomanry' and am very appreciative of his friendship, support and practical encouragement. Michael has also created a wonderful website to the badges of the County of Essex. I encourage readers to click on the links to these websites which provide terrific reference sources.
I am indebted to the love and support of Anna, my wife and four wonderful children Cameron, Elisabeth, Alexander and Charlotte for their infinite patience and tolerance for their Father’s fascination with badges and their history.
I have recently received the most wonderful sentiment from Michael James, Colonel James's grandson on the website which he uses as a resource for his own grandchildren.
The old Colonel would be looking down wreathed in smiles and great pride in his old regiment and your unflagging diligence.
Lest We Forget.
Dr Dean Moss
