Cambridgeshire Regiment

[Barney]

I was recently given a group of medals and badges formerly the property of a Private in the Cambridgeshire Regiment circa 1914 - 1918.

They comprise a trio (1915 Star), a silver Wound badge (numbered), a white metal Services Rendered Lapel badge, an enamelled Cambridgeshire Regiment Old Comrades Association Lapel/Tie pin and an 'original' cap badge.

I can research the soldier at the PRO but the Regiment is more of a mystery. I believe they were a TF unit but thats all I know. Can anyone help?

One last question directed at badge collectors (I am interested but definately no authority):

What makes a badge 'original'? If it comes from the ORIGINAL die is it any less so that one made from the same die 80 years later? A typical pub discussion that has no answer I suspect but I hope we have an authority in our midst!

Barney

[Nick]

The Cambridgeshire Regiment archive is at the County Record Office Shire Hall, Castle Hill Cambridge (01223 717281).

I believe the Cambridgshire Regiment was a TF unit that was independent and not affiliated to a regular regiment. The strength was 4 Battalions.

[Nick]

On doing a bit more digging came across this info may be of interest ?

Roll of Honour

As for badges (medals are more my thing) I would take restrikes to be reproduction badges that although made from the original die will generally be worth a fraction of the real thing.

However in the medal world especially Third Reich medals good early restrikes using original dies (one maker was producing many variants in the 50's using original war time dies) are becoming more collectable and collectors items in their own right.

[Guest Atilla Jones]

Presumably the badge manufacturer was Rudolf Souval. He produced badges during WWII, and began reproducing shortly after the war. His post war badges are definetly inferior, e.g. boxes on numbered tank badges affixed with Araldite ! However, some of his enamelled orders are very good, particularly the early ones, which must now be acquiring a very nice age patina. One sure way of detecting his breast badges - the lower retainer is made from a metal disc, slotted to produce a flat strip which is lifted to form a 'U' shaped retaining hook.

[John]

Is there a Cambs Regt museum?

[Ulsterman]

Is there a Cambs Regt museum?

←

No. No museum.

There's a guy in Nova Scotia who specializes in Singapore groups. The Cambridgeshire regt. was captured there in 1942. He may be able to help you.

By the way, I believe the regiment was a regular one and eventually amalgamated into the Anglians.

[Guest rsj]

No. No museum.

There's a guy in Nova Scotia who specializes in Singapore groups. The Cambridgeshire regt. was captured there in 1942. He may be able to help you.

By the way, I believe the regiment was a regular one and eventually amalgamated into the Anglians.

Yes, there is a museum. It's part of the Royal Anglian Regiment Museum, housed in the Land Warfare Hall at Duxford Imperial War Museum. The Cambridgeshires were a small regiment though so the museum is quite small as well.

[harribobs]

this link to the 'long long trail' will give you a good insight into the regiments's activities in WW1

long long trail

[Ulsterman]

Yes, there is a museum. It's part of the Royal Anglian Regiment Museum, housed in the Land Warfare Hall at Duxford Imperial War Museum. The Cambridgeshires were a small regiment though so the museum is quite small as well.

I just learned something. My Uncle was in the Cambs. Regt.-died in Burma in 1944. My Nan never got over it.

I was in the TA with the Anglians back in 1987- I never knew about a museum. I used to climb up Castle Hill as a nipper too.

[Guest rsj]

I just learned something. My Uncle was in the Cambs. Regt.-died in Burma in 1944. My Nan never got over it.

I was in the TA with the Anglians back in 1987- I never knew about a museum. I used to climb up Castle Hill as a nipper too.

Small world - I was also in the Anglians until the Cambs Coy was disbanded in the late 90's. I can recommend the following books:

With the Cambridgeshires at Singapore: William Taylor, 1971

Line of lost lives: J.S. Cosford, 1988

Battalion at war - Singapore 1942: Michael Moore, 1988

Not pleasant reading though as the allied POWs were treated appallingly. You could also try the following website:

http://www.britain-at-war.org.uk/Cambridge..._East/index.htm

All the best.

[Ulsterman]

Very small world indeed.

Thanks.

Did you ever go to the medal shop over near Castle Hill-just over the bridge on the left side of the street?

How about the army surplus up past the Catholic church on the way to the train station? they used to have WW2 badges for 50p.

Thise were the days.

[leigh kitchen]

Very small world indeed.

Thanks.

Did you ever go to the medal shop over near Castle Hill-just over the bridge on the left side of the street?

How about the army surplus up past the Catholic church on the way to the train station? they used to have WW2 badges for 50p.

Thise were the days.

"Granta Stamps & Coins" finished a few years ago when the proprietor died, I virtually lived in the shop since it opened.

The other shop sounds like "Surplus Supplies", long gone now - another place that I used to haunt in the 80's.

[leigh kitchen]

The Cambridgeshire Regiment archive is at the County Record Office Shire Hall, Castle Hill Cambridge (01223 717281).

I believe the Cambridgshire Regiment was a TF unit that was independent and not affiliated to a regular regiment. The strength was 4 Battalions.

The Cambridgeshires were one of the 4 TF regiments formed in 1908 that had no regular battalions - the other 3 were the Hertfordshires, the Herefordshires & the Monmouthshires.

Having said that, the Cambridgeshires were virtually a TF battalion of the Suffolks (although unconnected to the Suffolks WWI raised "Cambridge Battalion").

In recent years the only "Cambridgeshire" named units were the ACF, but a decade or so ago the Royal Anglian Battalions started using titles - the 1st Bn adopting "(Norfolk, Suffolk & Cambridgeshire)", but I don't think these lasted long due to disnbandments.

I don't know if it's still the case, but one of the hierachy of IWM Duxford had or has a deep interest in the Cambridgeshires, so it's worth some enquiries there, perhaps with the Soke MIlitary Collectors Society in Peterborough too.

Edited May 16, 2007 by leigh kitchen
typos

[Graham Stewart]

The 1st Bn, Cambridgeshire Regiment(T.A.) were placed in "suspended animation" after their capture at Singapore in February 1942 and were never re-raised as infantry. They were re-constitued in 1947 as "629 Light Anti-Aircraft Regt, R.A.(The Cambridgeshire Regt)" and then re-organised as "629(The Cambridgeshire Regt)Airborne Light Regt, R.A." in March 1955, when they amalgamated with 513 Light Anti-Aircraft/Search Light Regt, R.A..

In July 1955 they were re-designated as "629(The Cambridgeshire Regt)Parachute Light Regt, R.A.. The Regt less 'P' Bty were then converted to infantry as the 1st Bn, Cambridheshire Regt in October 1956 and in April 1961 amalgamated with the Suffolk Regt(T.A.) as the Suffolk & Cambridgeshire Regt(T.A.).

In April 1967 re-organisation they went onto form 'B' & 'C' Companies of the same Regt, while 'A' & ''D' Coy's were reformed as 'A' & 'D'(Suffolk & Norfolk Yeomanry)Coy's.

The regiment was reduced to a cadre in 1969 under the 5th(Vol)Bn, R.Anglian Regt and eventually disbanded to form 'D'(Cambridgeshire)Coy, 6th(Vol)Bn, R.Anglian Regt in April 1971.

Graham.

[leigh kitchen]

I forgot to mention - I have a medalss, photo, documents grouping to a Cambridgeshire who was captured in Singapore & later died in captivity also a similar grouping to an artilleryman who was a distant relative of mine & who died as a POW at Changi).

[alanowen]

The Cambridgeshire Regt did exist after 1942 - serveral thousand cap badges were made in economy plastic in 1944 for the regiment. There is a very good article on plastic badges which lists all the rpoduction numbers and dates.

As regards what is an original badge, in my opinion it is one that was made contempory to the period of wear - there is much restriking and lots of new dies have been made but these are all fakes in the purest sense.

Alan

[leigh kitchen]

Contract dates for the Cambridgeshires plastic economy were 26/2/43 - 28/4/44, a total of 26,969 being produced by 2 manufacturers.

With both battalions banged up as POWs from 1942 it's hard to see why 26 thousand odd were required.

The Cambridgeshires cap badge was still worn after the regiment was designated a Royal Artillery unit in 1947.

[Graham Stewart]

Alan,

Being placed in "suspeneded animation", means that the unit would continue in name only through a H.Q. Cadre purely for administration purposes only and neither the 1st or 2nd Battalions were reformed. Placing units into suspended animation, especially after capture, was a common feature of the British Army's Order of Battle during the last war.

Contracts for the manufacture of the badges will have been drawn up before the debacle at Singapore, but the manufacture of them doesn't indicate that the units were still in service, although it was perhaps hoped that they would reform in the UK.

Graham.

[leigh kitchen]

I lived in the town of Whittlesey, Cambs for a number of years (the recruiting area for "E" Company of the old Cambs Rifle Volunteers as I recall), go back to the 1980's there were still quite a few of the old ex-Cambridgeshire Singapore POWs around.

The younger half brother of the Cambs Regt fatality I mentioned in post no. 15 served during the last months of the war in Italy & Austria in the RASC, following the war he joined the Cambridgeshires in their new role as LAA, I have some photos of him circa 1947 showing the Cambridgeshires cap badge in his GS cap.

Edited November 15, 2007 by leigh kitchen

[alanowen]

For my interest I was led to believe that the last pattern (post war) Cambridgeshire regt badge was an all w/m affair. Does the photo show this or the bi-metal version?

Ta

Alan

[leigh kitchen]

I've not heard of the Cambridgeshires badge being produced all in W/M after WWII - I can't remember offhand if there was an all siver coloured anodised version though.

[leigh kitchen]

Found this:

http://www.britisharmedforces.org/i_regiments/cam_index.htm

Cambridgeshire Regiment

Titles and Lineage

1860. 1st Administrative Battalion, Cambridgeshire Rifle Volunteers

formed with HQ at March to administer existing corps [see below for 2nd Admin Bn]

1st Cambridgeshire Rifle Volunteer Corps at Cambridge, raised Jan. 1860, transferred 1862 to 2nd Admin Bn; re-absorbed 1872

2nd Cambridgeshire Rifle Volunteer Corps at Wisbech, raised 1860

4th Cambridgeshire Rifle Volunteer Corps at Whittlesea, raised 1860

5th Cambridgeshire Rifle Volunteer Corps at March, raised 1860

6th Cambridgeshire Rifle Volunteer Corps at Ely, raised 1860

7th Cambridgeshire Rifle Volunteer Corps at Upwell, raised 1860; disbanded 1872

8th Cambridgeshire Rifle Volunteer Corps at Cambridge, raised 1860; transferred 1862 to 2nd Admin Bn

6th Cambridgeshire Rifle Volunteer Corps at Newmarket, raised 1861; absorbed 1862 by 20th Suffolk RVC

10th Cambridgeshire Rifle Volunteer Corps at Soham, raised 1862; disbanded 1865

1872 absorbed 1st Cambridgeshire RVC at Cambridge and 17th Essex Rifle Volunteer Corps at Saffron Walden from 2nd Admin Bn

1880.03.16 1st Cambridgeshire Rifle Volunteers

1880.06? 1st Cambridgeshire (Cambridge, Essex and Huntingdonshire) Rifle Volunteers

absorbed 1st Huntingdonshire Rifle Volunteer Corps, at Huntingdon as J Company

1881.07.01 volunteer battalion of The Suffolk Regiment

1887.12 3rd (Cambridgeshire) Volunteer Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment

1889 J Coy [Huntingdonshire] disbanded

1908.04.01 The Cambridgeshire Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment

transferred to T.F. with HQ at Cambridge

A Company at Cambridge (dets at Great Shelford and Burwell)

B Company at Cambridge (det at Sawston)

C Company at Cambridge (det at Madingley)

D Company at Cambridge

E Company at Wisbech

F Company at Whittlesea (dets at Coates and Thorney)

F Company at March (dets at Benwick and Doddington)

H Company at Ely (det at Sutton)

1909.03 1st Battalion, The Cambridgeshire Regiment

(part of the corps of The Suffolk Regiment)

1920.02.07 reconstituted in T.A. with HQ at Cambridge

1947.01.01 629th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA (The Cambridgeshire Regiment)

reconstituted in T.A. with HQ at Cambridge

1955.03.10 629th (The Cambridgeshire Regiment) Airborne Light Regiment, RA

amalgamated with 513 LAA/SL Regiment RA

1955.07.27 629th (The Cambridgeshire Regiment) Parachute Light Regiment, RA

1956.10.31 1st Battalion, The Cambridgeshire Regiment

converted to infantry, part of the corps of The Suffolk Regiment

1959.08.29 transferred to the corps of the 1st East Anglian Regiment (Royal Norfolk and Suffolk)

1961.04.01 ? Company

} The Suffolk and

Cambridgeshire Regiment

HQ at ?

? Company

(amalgamated with The Suffolk Regiment)

1964.09.01 transferred to the corps of The Royal Anglian Regiment

1967.04.01 disbanded and concurrently reconstituted in TAVR III as The Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Regiment (Territorials) with no units in Cambridgeshire

1969.04.01 reduced to cadre at Ipswich

1971.04.01 D (Cambridgeshire) Company, 6th (V) Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment

at Cambridge and Wisbech, reconstituted from cadre

1975.04.01 D Coy formed pln at Haverhill, transferred from B Coy

1992.04.01 3 (Cambridgeshire) Company, 5th (V) Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment

at Cambridge with Pln at Wisbech, redesignation of D Coy, 6th Bn

1996.04.01 D (Cambridgeshire) Company, 6th (V) Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment

at Cambridge and Wisbech

1999.07.01 amalgamated into HQ (Suffolk) Company, The East of England Regiment at Bury St. Edmunds, and Cambridgeshire lineage ceased

[Ulsterman]

" East of England regiment"- hrumph!

[Graham Stewart]

The Suffolk & Cambridgeshire Regiment(Territorial) was formed on the 1st April 1961 as an amalgamation of two territorial battalions - the Suffolk Regt(T.A.) & 1st Bn, Cambridgeshire Regt(T.A.). It consisted of the following four Companies;-

'A'(Suffolk & Norfolk Yeomanry)Coy.

'B'(Suffolk & Cambridgeshire Regt)Coy.

'C'(Suffolk & Cambridgeshire Regt)Coy.

'D'(Suffolk & Norfolk Yeomanry)Coy.

Still unsure of the units locations, but they would have been published in ACI's and I do remember Soldier Magazine bringing out a Special Supplement of those amalgamations and locations.

For an update on all old & new units this is probably one of the best sites for British Army organisation, which I recommend;-

http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volm...f-ea/cb1908.htm

Also in hardback "The Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660 - 1978, Vols I(Infantry) & II(Royal Artillery)" by J.B.M. Frederick. Although only taking us up to 1978 the team on the above website are in the process of updating Fredericks work, which hopefully will be republished updated.

However Frederick also did all of the Corps and this team were also given access to his notes regarding the Corps, but it's not clear what they hope to do with them.

Graham.

Edited November 15, 2007 by Graham Stewart

[leigh kitchen]

Finally got 'round to checking Kipling & King - they show an all white metal Cambridgeshire badge, sealed 24/10/52 - KK1817.