Wiltshire Regiment BRONZE Officers Service Dress Cap Badge

Guaranteed original. Complete & intact. This is an original Wiltshire Regiment BRONZE Officers Service Dress Cap Badge for sale. In good condition. Please see our other items for more original WW1, WW2 & post war British military cap badges for sale including other Wiltshire Regiment BRONZE Officer’s Service Dress Cap Badges.

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The Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh’s) was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 62nd (Wiltshire) Regiment of Foot and the 99th Duke of Edinburgh’s (Lanarkshire) Regiment of Foot. At the start of World War I, the Wiltshire Regiment, like most of the rest of the British Army, consisted of two regular battalions (1st and 2nd), a reserve battalion (3rd), and a Territorial Force battalion. Eventually, the Wiltshire Regiment expanded to ten battalions, seven of which served overseas. These included three additional Territorial Force battalions (1/4th, 2/4th, and 3/4th Battalions) as well as four service battalions (5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th battalions) formed for the Kitchener Army formations. Upon mobilization and declaration of war, the 1st Wilts deployed to France as part of the 3rd Infantry Division’s 7th Brigade, landing in France on 14 August 1914. The 1st Wilts remained with the 3rd Division until the 7th Brigade was transferred to the 25th Division on 18 October 1915.

The 1st Wilts served with the 25th Division until was transferred on 21 June 1918. On 21 June 1918, the 1st Wilts joined the 110th Brigade, part of the 21st Division, with which it served for the rest of the war. At the outbreak of war, the 2nd Wilts was serving as part of the Gibraltar Garrison. Recalled home to Britain, the 2nd Wilts was attached to the 21st Brigade, part of the 7th Division. As part of the 21st Brigade, the 2nd Wilts arrived in France in October 1914, in time to take part in the First Ypres, where it suffered heavy casualties in helping to stop the German advance. In December 1915, the 21st Brigade transferred to the 30th Infantry Division. In three years of action on the Western Front, the 2nd Wilts took part in most of the major engagements, including the battles of Neuve Chapelle, Aubers, Loos, Albert, Arras and Third Ypres. In May 1918, the 2nd Wilts received orders to join the 58th Brigade, part of the 19th (Western) Division. As part of the 19th Division, the 2nd Wilts would see action with the division through Hundred Days Offensive.

In 1919, with the division’s disbandment, the 2nd Wilts returned to its pre-war duties of policing the Empire. At the start of the Second World War, the Wiltshire Regiment found its two regular battalions stationed in India (1st Battalion) and Palestine (2nd Battalion). Eventually two more battalions would be raised for the war. The 1st Battalion remained in India, performing internal security duties at the outset of the war. During the reorganization of the Burma front in 1943, the battalion became responsible for guarding the lines of communications and support for the Arakan offensive as part of the Eastern Army. The 1st Wilts were transferred to the 4 Indian Infantry Brigade, part of 26th Indian Infantry Division, in October 1943. As part of the 26th Division, the 1st Wilts took part in the Battle of the Admin Box. Before Slim’s offensive to recapture Burma, 1st Wilts was rotated back to serve along the North-West Frontier.

Please see our other items for more original WW1, WW2 & post war British military badges for sale including other Wiltshire Regiment BRONZE Officer’s Service Dress Cap Badges.