Description
Physical description
A white metal headdress badge for the Kings Own Scottish Borderers, the badge is shaped around the emblem which comprises a circlet inscribed "KING'S OWN SCOTTISH BORDERERS", thereon is the Cross of St. Andrew and within the circlet is the Castle of Edinburgh with three turrets, a flag flying to the left on each, above the circlet is a scroll inscribed "IN VERITATE RELIGIONIS CONFIDO" and below the circlet is another scroll inscribed "NISI DOMINUS FRUSTRA", outside the circlet is a wreath of thistles, the whole is ensigned with the Royal Crest with a Victorian crown. One lug to reverse, the other missing.
History note
Alarge version of the badge of pattern worn 1887 to 1958 and 1968 to 2006.
The predecessor regiment was raised in 1689 as the Earl of Leven's, or Edinburgh, Regiment of Foot. It was the first of eight such units formed in that year at the instigation of the Scottish Convention of Estates as part of the measures to ensure the authority of William III in Scotland as well as England.
In 1747 it was ranked as the 25th Regiment of Foot and in 1751 formally named the 25th (Edinburgh) Regiment of Foot.
In 1782 the Regiment was re-named the 25th (Sussex) Regiment of Foot on the basis that its Colonel at that time, Lord George Lennox, had his family seat in that county. Between 1792 and 1795 the Regiment served dispersed, providing a number of detachments, mostly of company strength, to serve as Marines or for amphibious operations, mostly in the Mediterranean.
In 1805, on the death of Lord Lennox and after twenty-three years bearing an English county title, the Regiment was re-designated as the 25th (King's Own Borderers). In the 1881 Cardwell reforms it was the original intention to designate the Regiment as a militia battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment under the title of the York Regiment, King's Own Borderers, headquartered at York. After vigorous protests concerning the Scottish character of the Regiment it was re-named the King's Own Borderers, although headquartered at the English city of Berwick.
In 1882 the Lowland Scottish regiments were required to adopt tartan. Initially the Regiment wore the standard government, or Black Watch, tartan but around 1898 or 1900 the Regiment was authorised to take the Leslie tartan, the family tartan of Lord Leven who had raised the Regiment. A three-inch square of Leslie tartan was worn subsequently as a badge backing, except for pipers, who wore a Royal Stuart backing.
In 1887 the Regiment gained a Militia battalion when it had transferred to it 3rd Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers, traditionally known as the Scottish Borderers Militia. The Regiment took this opportunity to cement its Scottishness by taking the title of King's Own Scottish Borderers. The badge adopted at this time remained essentially unchanged until 2006, apart from the period 1958 – 1968.
The Castle and the motto 'Nisi Dominus frustra' (translated as 'Unless the Lord be with us all is in vain') were awarded to the regiment in 1832 in recognition of an old title and honorary freedom of the City of Edinburgh. The Royal Crest and motto 'In veritate religionis confido' (translated as 'I believe in the truth of my faith') were granted to the regiment in 1805 after the death of Colonel Lord Lennox, on the occasion of the 25th Regiment becoming The King's Own Borderers. When worn with the bonnet, white and black feathers from the blackcock were worn with the badge.
In 1958 the Regiment became part of the Lowland Brigade and as such its Regular battalions would have been expected to wear the Brigade badge. In 1968 the Brigade was dissolved and the Regiment regained its individual identity and cap badge.
In 2006 the Regiment merged with The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) to become the Royal Scots Borderers. They became 1st Battalion of the newly formed Royal Regiment of Scotland, adopting the new Regiment's badge and a black hackle.
(obverse) embossed
(obverse) IN VERITATE RELIGIONIS CONFIDO - I trust in the truth of my conscience
KING'S OWN SCOTTISH BORDERERS
NISI DOMINUS FRUSTRA - Unless the Lord be with us all is in vain