BUSBY - ROYAL ARTILLERY

[Mervyn Mitton]

BUSBY for the Royal Artillery Band. Queen's Crown and still in use. I am told they are the only RA unit still wearing it - although King's Troop certainly does ??

[Mervyn Mitton]

I should have added that it is of rabbit skin.

[Mervyn Mitton]

[peter monahan]

BUSBY for the Royal Artillery Band. Queen's Crown and still in use. I am told they are the only RA unit still wearing it - although King's Troop certainly does ??

Yes, the King's Troop still do too but, to be a tiny bit pedantic, aren't they Royal HORSE Artillery? And Do they not wear a red bag rather than the blue? I actually put on a RHA tunic and busby for a costume party [30 years ago, before my chest fell 18 inches to my waistline] and that's my recollection.

Peter

[leigh kitchen]

Yes, the Royal Horse Artillery busby bag is red, my first thought was that this blue bag may be RAF, but I don't think that they wear a busby bag.

I think I've got it - Royal Engineers?

Edited June 4, 2009 by leigh kitchen

[leigh kitchen]

Is the flame of the grenade one piece with the ball Merv, it looks to be a copper colour as compared to the ball & mounted design?

[Mervyn Mitton]

The flame is copper - to represent the flame - the body of the badge is brass. When I bought it in UK , I was told RA - now, I'm not sure. Peter's comment re RHA - I mentioned King's troop - but do RHA exist as a separate body nowdays ?

[leigh kitchen]

I don't know the intricacies of RHA in recent years, they were still around prior to the last batch of amalgamations, but this is a RE busby Merv, introduced in 1857.

Id've thought that the badge ball & flame would be in one piece, perhaps in two pieces because of different flame patterns used by different units?

[Mervyn Mitton]

I'll check the back tomorrow.

[Michael Johnson]

I actually put on a RHA tunic and busby for a costume party [30 years ago, before my chest fell 18 inches to my waistline] and that's my recollection.

Peter

Not to be pedantic, but while the tunic was RHA, the busby was RCHA - the only difference being that the RCHA wore a white over red hackle, rather than white over white. (I still have them as a matter of fact).

As I recall the flames on the bombs are different for the Royal Artillery and the Royal Engineers. The Engineers one has nine flames, at least from 1922, while the R.A. one has seven

Edited June 4, 2009 by Michael Johnson

[Mike Dwyer]

Peter's comment re RHA - I mentioned King's troop - but do RHA exist as a separate body nowdays ?

The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery was still around on 6 February of this year when this photo was taken in London's Green Park after firing a royal salute marking the anniversary of Her Majesty's accession to the throne.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Thanks - Mike. That answers one question. Have taken photos of the plume holder - but, left camera in shop. Will post them tomorrow - however, there are 7 flames.

[leigh kitchen]

The flame pattern varied between RA & RE on collar dogs & the like, I don't think that the flame pattern is significant to this type of badge, the main difference between the RA & RE grenades of this type was the addition of a gun below the fighting dogs in Victorian, King George VII, King George V times.

[Mervyn Mitton]

I will post a few pictures of the plume holder and hackle - not often that you see them away from the headgear. Probably worth as much as the Busby. Has 7 flames - so must be RA - what do you think Leigh ?

[Mervyn Mitton]

[Mervyn Mitton]

[Mervyn Mitton]

[Mervyn Mitton]

[tynesideirish]

Merv, That is definately RE as stated previously. Incidently if you look it has 9 flames not 7.

Modern RHA don't wear a badge in the busby.

RHA are very much still around. The public face is The King's Troop, a Battery sized Troop, obviously well known and Mounted.

Then there's 1st Regiment RHA, 3rd Regiment RHA and 7th Parachute Regiment RHA.

Cheers Mike (ex RHA)

Posted a few pic's for interest sake (?).

Edited September 9, 2009 by tynesideirish

[tynesideirish]

Out of interest. Here's a Midlothian Coast Artillery busby. This is no longer in my collection.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Great, Mike - lovely old examples and thank you for the information. Your background with R.H.A. would make such interesting posts - you see them on parade, but never know the full story of all the preparations and work. I think we would all enjoy hearing from you on this subject - and, some different photos ? Mervyn

[tynesideirish]

^{Sorry Mervyn,}

^{I hate letting the side down, but although I've been to the wood and know a few of the King's Troop, I can't tell great stories as I was never a member.}

^{My avatar is a clue, I was in G Parachute Bty (Mercer's Troop) RHA, a Battery in 7 PARA RHA.}

[Graham Stewart]

Here you go Mev - the RE Band at Taunton Flower Show.

[TS Allen]

Hello,

Does anyone know if these were reintroduced for the band recently (ie in the last fifty years)? I know that RE officers stopped wearing the busby with the introduction of the bluecloth for the RE in, er, 1881?

Thanks,

~TS

[tubbyboy]

Hello,

Does anyone know if these were reintroduced for the band recently (ie in the last fifty years)? I know that RE officers stopped wearing the busby with the introduction of the bluecloth for the RE in, er, 1881?

Thanks,

~TS

To quote from personal knowledge and (for the sake of brevity) from the Band History on their website :

In 1936 the Corps Band played at the funeral of King George V. With their scarlet tunics and bearskins, they were unfortunately mistaken for a Guards Band, and to avoid such confusion in the future it was decreed that busbies would be substituted for the bearskins, in time for the Coronation of King George VI in 1937.

The original photograph is definitely of a RE Busby. If people want, I can post some photos of the current busbies from both the RE and RA bands.

Tubs