badge, headdress, British, Royal Warwickshire Regiment

bi-metal badge in the form of an antelope, with a coronet round its neck and a chain attached, cast, standing on a torse (heraldic crest-wreath). Below, an ornately curved scroll inscribed 'ROYAL WARWICKSHIRE'. The antelope is in white metal and the title-scroll in gilding metal. Slider to reverse.

As one of the 'Six Old Corps' the 6th Foot was permitted the privilege of displaying a regimental emblem on its colours and appointments. There are two accounts of the origins of the antelope emble. One has it that it derived from the capture by 6th Foot of a Moorish banner taken at the battle of Saragosa in 1707. The other is that it derives from the badge of the first Colonel of the Regiment, Sir Walter Vane, whose badge was a "an Antelope, ducally gorged and chained". This item is the style of badge worn by the Regiment from 1898 until 1958 or 1963. In 1958 the Regiment became part of the Midlands Brigade, shortly re-named the Foresters Brigade, at which time it was expected that the Regular battalions would have worn the Foresters Brigade cap badge. The Foresters Brigade was broken up in 1963 and the Regiment was re-designated the Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers on transfer to the Royal Regiment Fusiliers. At this time they adopted a blue over orange hackle. In 1968 the Regiment became 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and adopted the Fusilers Regiment cap badge.

(obverse) ROYAL WARWICKSHIRE