The Royal Yeomanry

After the passing of HRH the Queen Mother  the Royal Yeomanry was adopted by HRH Princess Alexandra. It was decided that in honour of this the Regiment would make uniform a cap badge of HRH Princess Alexandra's cypher. All squadrons will keep their identity with insignia from the neck down.

Prior to 2006, the Royal Yeomanry kept each of its squadrons with the badges and insignia of each respective regiment.

1967-2006

2006-today

1992 issue "Patch" badge.

Due to the lack of LDY staybright badges, B (LDY) Sqn was issued with a cloth badge and this was worn exclusively until  "Tpr. Morgan-Jones" found a "Regiments" supply of staybright badges, in a Penrith army surplus shop,  whilst on annual camp in 1993.

Later version "Stay bright"

1992-2006

1975-1992

Staybright version c1970 onwards.

Early  version "Brass", the main badge had slider or lugs.

1956-1975

**White metal used from 1952 onwards.

1947-1956

1939-1946

Early 1900 "thin" crest Officer's collar badge.

There are two sizes of badge, (left) the early thinner crest (6mm) and (right) the later thicker crest (7mm).

OFFICERS BRONZE SERVICE DRESS	O/R BRASS	All RANKS No.1 DRESS

The Regimental Badge

The crest of the Prince Consort: A conical cap charged with the arms of Saxony (Barry of ten, Sable and Or, a Rue Crown in Bend, Vert). Crowned Or and surmounted by a Peacock's tail proper.

Tunic Front: 25mm Shoulder: 24.5mm Cuff & Breast Pocket: 17.5mm SD Cap: 15mm

The Bronze button is made by Jennens & Co London. The Brass button and Silver plated button are made  and J R Gaunt & Son Ltd, London ENGD. The button pattern is a copy of the c1850 button with the "LY" initials instead of the original "LYC". The Crown above the garter is the Hanoverian crown used by Prince Albert. (*** During WW2, and as part of the Royal Artillery, the Leicestershire Yeomanry wore the R.A. Button with the LY Cap Badge and Collars)

1922-56 (All Ranks)

Cap & Collar (same size used)

1916-22 (All Ranks)

White metal (4.2 cm Height and 4 cm width)

This badge is worn by other ranks, the officers appear to wear the later two badges (above) around this time. There is a brass version of this badge but it has not been identified in photographs yet, only the white metal version has been seen.

On the re-establishment of the Imperial Yeomanry to "Territorial" many of the "LIY" badges had the "I" removed. Hence, in many pre WW1 (post 1912) photographs you will see most of the men with the slightly smaller "collar" badge with a wider gap between the LY compared to the bigger LY cap badge on new issue.

1908-15

Cap badge (4.3 cm Height and 4.3 cm width)

Collar (2/3 size of the cap badge and lugged)

White metal (Dress) & Brass (Working)

1904-08

The rare LIY badge being worn by a Trooper c1902, note also that the Trooper is wearing the Scarlet embellished khaki serge frock that came into service on the  return of the Yeomanry from South Africa. The badge is believed to be made up of five individual parts. Also seen in this picture are the shoulder titles "L I Y", separate  brass letters (see example below). The LIY (P.A.O) brass button (Manufacturer: Sword Make). A general service button would also have been worn. Letter head cypher from 1903-10 1902-04 Imperial Yeomanry Lt. The Hon. P C Evans-Freke pictured here in the uniform of the Imperial Yeomanry, his folding Forage cap is the "Imperial Yeomanry" with a small white metal badge of the Imperial Yeomanry (Prince of Wales Feathers) with gilt coronet. It had a purple body and peak with a red crown and gold piping and the buttons were gilt with white metal POW feathers and gilt coronet. According to W Y Carman's book on Yeomanry Headdress, the purple seems to have indicated the "Imperial purple" of Rome and was kept by some new Yeomanry Regiments (Westminster Dragoons and the Rough Rider's for example).
7th Coy (Sqn), 4th IY	65th Coy, 17th IY

The slouch hat worn by the LIY in South Africa had on its side a rosette of dark red and blue with a brass numeral 7 or 65 respectively, it appears that the rosette differed in colour with the 7th Scarlet/Blue and the 65th blue/Scarlet.

Not to be confused with the Wiltshire Imperial Yeomanry, the "Imperial Yeomanry" also wore a red and purple silk rosette to be worn on the slouch hat and this carried a gilt badge of the prince of Wales feathers and IY.

South Africa 1900 -1902

Letter head cypher from 1844-1903

1873-99

Button size range: 22.5mm & 16mm.

The white metal LYC buttons are c1850 (as seen on Lt.Col. Legh-Keck's uniform). The small button is made by Hamburger & Co, London and the large button is made by J R Gaunt & Son Ltd, London ENGD.

"Bell top" Shako plate, Scroll added post 1844.

Shako Plate (c1830-60) & Leather Albert Helmet (c1860-73)

Light Dragoon Fur Helmets with Black cockade  with crowned garter "GR" (Left side) and white over red plume (right). Later version had Red silk turban (above).

A later pattern button

These buttons are possibly the earliest pattern.

c1796-1883

The rank names and insignia of non-commissioned officers in the Cavalry are unique in the British Army of the period:

Staff Corporal/Squadron Quartermaster Corporal = Staff Sergeant/Squadron Quartermaster Sergeant: Four chevrons, point up, with a star above, worn on lower sleeve

Corporal of Horse = Sergeant: Three chevrons, point down, with metal crown above, however, the rank above shows 4 chevrons pointing down for the LYC.

Lance Corporal of Horse = Corporal: Three chevrons with cloth crown above

Lance Corporal: Two chevrons with  crown above

Technically, Lance Corporal of Horse is an appointment rather than a rank: a new Cavalry corporal is automatically and immediately appointed lance corporal of horse, and is referred to as such thereafter.

Merit and proficiency badges are worn on the left lower sleeve.

The Warrant Officer ranks are the same as the rest of the army, but appointments include Regimental Quartermaster Corporal and Squadron Corporal Major (WO2) and Farrier Corporal Major and Regimental Corporal Major (WO1), again excluding the word sergeant.

Formerly, sergeant was exclusively an infantry rank: no cavalry regiment had sergeants. Only the Household Cavalry now maintains this tradition, possibly because sergeant derives from the Latin serviens (meaning servant) and members of the Cavalry, once drawn exclusively from the gentry and aristocracy, could not be expected to have such a title. However this origin may be apocryphal, since serjeant was a title used by some offices of comparative seniority, such as Serjeants at Arms, and Serjeants at Law.

***Uniquely, non-commissioned officers and warrant officers of the Household Cavalry do not wear rank insignia on their full dress uniforms (although officers do). Rank is indicated by a system of aiguillettes.

Private soldiers in the Cavalry regiments, are called "Troopers".

Second Lieutenants in the Cavalry are known as Cornets.

The Household Cavalry still uses this system of rank today.