Brian Burdett

Brian

I suggest you contact a researcher in South Africa, giving all the information that you have to hand. A good starting point would be with the records of the South African Mounted Rifles, which are in Pretoria. The researcher I use is Audrey, whose e-mail address is rhino.research@icon.co.za. I hope this helps.

Regards

Brett

Brian

The book "Regimental Devices in South Africa 1783-1954" by H H Curzon includes the following entry under ' Cape Mounted Rifles':

"Brass horse (white horse of Hanover) worn on arm above chevrons of N.C.O.'s, both Mounted and Artillery. Authority to wear the device was granted by the War Office in 1902. In the C.M.R. the horse faced to the rear. Later it was adopted by the S.A.M.R. who wore the horse facing the front."

The CMR and SAMR were paramilitary police. There is a version of the white horse insignia that is surrounded by a belt on which is inscribed "Cape Mounted Rifles". A friend of mine once acquired a similar badge, but with the inscription "Frontier Armed and Mounted Police" (1855-1878), the forerunner of the CMR (1878-1913), which in turn was replaced by the SAMR (1913-1926). My friend's badge turned out to be an extreme rarity and is now in The Castle Museum in Cape Town.

The 'white horse' badges I have seen or seen described were in silver, not brass.

Brett

Hi Brett, many thanks for your reply and apologies for my delay in return. The reason for my original query was to try and discover some background to my wife's paternal grand-father, John Frederick Webb..

He left UK to go to the Boer War and liked SA so much he got transferred via the British government to serve in tje SA mounted police; we believe he was an active member as we saw his spurs which have since disappeared. He had annual leave in UK but spent all his working time inSA.

He was serving overseas from approx. 1895/6 to 1930.

If you have an idea as to how I could investigate further it would be most appreciated.

Brian Burdett.

Dear Will

These old photographs are so valuable for info. - I think it is the first time a have seen a close-up for CP in this detail. I bought yesterday a very nice group to Cape Police District 1 - Cape of Good Hope GSM - one bar , Bechuanland + 2 bar QSA and King's. I will post it when I sort the computer out.

Best wishes Mervyn

Mervyn, I've just joined the group and am keen to discover which of the South African Police forces may have had a silver horse as their insignia. I believe it will be in the Cape or Durban during the period 1900-1930 at least.

Brian Burdett