Page 135 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2018

REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN) 133
The 9th Queen’s Royal Lancers – Queen Adelaide’s Cypher
In the April of 1830 the 9L moved to the Cavalry Barracks at Hounslow and entered upon the King’s Duty at Windsor, providing Guards, Escorts etc. for the Royal Household. This
role today is known as public duties. On the morning of the 26th June, King George IV died, and his brother William acceded to the throne. It was later that same day the regiment provided their first mounted Sovereign’s Escort to King William IV, from his home at Bushy Park to Windsor. On the 14th July the regiment provided the last mounted Sovereign’s Escort to the Late King.
The regiment was ordered to parade at
Hampton Court on the 22nd July for inspec-
tion by the King. It is clear the regiment made
a favourable impression, as the King was pleased
to direct, in the London Gazette of 24th July, that
the regiment was to assume the title of the 9L, in honour
of His Majesty’s Royal Consort, Queen Adelaide (Fig.1). The regiment, quite soon after receiving this honour, was authorised to use Queen Adelaide’s Cypher, which is officially described as AR (Adelaide Regina) reversed and interlaced. However, to clarify this a little more, the Cypher is effectively AR AR with the second R reversed to face the first, and interlaced.
It is interesting to note that the regiment was officially allowed to continue with the use of this cypher after Queen Victoria ac- ceded to the throne in 1837, although the crown that surmount- ed it did alter. The initial crown (Fig.2) was the Guelphic or Hanoverian crown, this was followed by a Victorian, then a Tu- dor crown in 1902, which continue to be used in the main, up to the amalgamation with the 12L in 1960. The exception being some regimental buttons were produced on which the cypher was surmounted by a St. Edward’s crown, which was adopted after the accession of the queen in 1953. The cypher was incor- porated into the regimental insignia and appeared on all manner of items including headdress, buttons, accoutrements and horse furniture etc. It is not practicable to cover or do justice to every example in this article. However, as an example of the cypher in use, I would like to focus on the introduction of the NCO’s arm badge which I believe was the last authorised addition of the cypher in the form of insignia to the regiment.
Fig.1
[Reynard]
The first NCO’s arm badge of the 9L was Queen Ad- elaide’s cypher surmounted by a Tudor crown, and was authorised in July 1903 with the Sealed Pat- tern No.5981/1903. It has the distinction of being the last hallmarked silver cavalry arm badge to be issued by Ordnance at public expense and it was to be worn by NCOs of and above the rank of sergeant. The first issues were made in India according to an entry in the Regimental Digest dated 1st November 1905, and the earliest photo- graphic record known, dated 1905, is of a Squadron Sergeant Major in A Squadron, his arm badge being worn between the crown and three-bar chevrons. The arm badge was always worn above the chevrons or below senior NCOs/ WOs rank badge on the lower left sleeve, and it was not worn with a col- oured backing cloth, nor is there any evidence that there was an embroidered version produced. The following examples of these arm badges are shown
and described in chronological order.
Fig.3 44.3mm high, 50.4mm wide, three loops lower two 28.3mm [RP]
The first is attributed to SSM C. Ambrose DCM, which is a sil- ver arm badge (Fig.3) was made by Bent & Parker, Hallmarked Birmingham 1904, and was probably from the first order of fifty- seven badges dated 26th October 1904.
Fig.4 43.7mm high, 50.2 wide, three loops lower two 28mm [RP]
The second (Fig.4), also attributed to Ambrose is a cast brass sil- ver plated arm badge. This type is known amongst collectors as ‘theatre made’, and this example was most likely made in India for wear on service dress or khaki drill. When serving overseas additional/replacement badges were not always readily avail- able from official sources, and it was common for individuals to privately out-source and have badges made for them by local craftsmen.
Fig.2 [Reynard]