Second Pattern Regimental Headdress Officer's Badge
Figure 184: Close-up image from the group photograph in Figure 91 of the second pattern Regimental headdress badge (KK 1371) being worn on the Undress peaked cap with matching collar badges by the Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant of the King’s Colonials circa 1905 (Courtesy of David Knight).
From 1905, the second pattern Regimental headdress badge was worn on the turned-up side of the second pattern Full Dress bush hat and on the front of the Undress second pattern peaked service cap by Officers of the Regimental Headquarters Staff. In 1909-10, when the Squadron badges were abandoned as the Dominion associations and designations were lost (as noted in the section on the Regimental history), they were said to have been replaced by the second pattern Regimental headdress badge (KK 1371) on the Full Dress bush hat and Undress peaked service cap. The photographic evidence, however, supports that the Squadron badges were worn up until the Regiment became the King Edward's Horse in 1910 and then King Edward's Horse headdress badges were worn from that time onward.
Kipling and King state that the second pattern Regimental badge (KK 1371) were made in gilt, bronze, and gilding-metal and in two sizes. The reference to two sizes stems from Kipling and King who noted that the second pattern Regimental badge worn on the upturned side of the Full Dress headdress was smaller than the one worn on the front of the headdress. Furthermore, the smaller version of the badge was also worn on the front of the Undress forage and peaked caps. To date, no genuine examples of different sizes of this headdress badge have been identified. The Officer's pouch belt badge is the same size as the headdress badge as shown in Figures 185-6, however, a small version of this badge with screw posts was worn on the Officer's pouch as shown in Figures 286-287. This badge is the same size as an Officer's collar badge and It could have been this smaller sized pouch badge which Kipling and King were referring to.
Second pattern Regimental headdress badges are found in either gilt or bronze metal finishes for Officers and in gilding metal for Other Ranks. Figure 185 shows a genuine second pattern Regimental headdress badge in Officer's gilt. The badge is die struck and of exceptional quality with three loops that lack feet. Additional examples of Officer's badges in both gilt and bronze finishes are shown on the following page.
