Description
Physical description
A bi-metal headdress badge of a flaming grenade on which a laurel wreath enclosing a Sphinx on tablet embossed "EGYPT", below is a scroll in white metal embossed "THE LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS". Slider on reverse.
History note
Badge of pattern worn 1898 to 1958.
The predecessors of this Regiment were a number of independent companies raised in Devon in 1688 by Sir Robert Peyton for service with William III. The companies were expanded to regimental size and taken into English service in 1689 as Sir Robert Peyton's Regiment of Foot, shortly re-named Hamilton's Regiment of Foot on the death of Peyton that same year. The Regiment served as Marines in 1701 and was ranked 20th of Foot in 1747, being formally known by that number from 1751. In 1782 it was re-designated as 20th (East Devonshires) Regiment of Foot. The badge at this time included a laurel wreath, awarded for their service at the Battle of Minden in August 1759 when they stood against and broke a charge by French cavalry, subsequently refusing an order to be stood down in view of their losses. This incident won them one of their nick-names, "The Minden Boys".
During the Cardwell/Childers reforms of 1881 the Regiment was re-designated the Lancashire Fusiliers. A second permanent battalion was raised in 1858, thus preserving the Regiment from the amalgamations resulting from the 1881 reforms. The badge at this time changed to the fused (flaming) grenade common to all fusilier regiments, having a Sphinx superimposed but losing the laurel wreath. The Sphinx emblem was awarded to the Regiment for its service in Egypt in 1801.
With a change of headdress in 1898 the badge was again re-designed, with a semi-circular pattern to the grenade flames and the re-introduction of the laurel wreath, now around the Sphinx, with an ornate scroll bearing the Regimental title below all.
The Regiment became part of the Fusilier Brigade in 1958, with the regular battalions expected to wear the Brigade badge, each unit wearing a different coloured hackle, the Regiment's being primrose, presumably to reflect the yellow facings to the uniforms worn up to 1881. In 1968 the Brigade became The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, the Lancashire Fusiliers initially becoming its 4th Battalion before the battalions amalgamated and were reduced to two. All battalions have now adopted the red over white hackle.
(obverse) embossed
(obverse) THE LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS