Northumberland Hussars AKA The Noodles
 

After a conversation with 'Leslie' (forum member) last week regarding insignia of the Northumberland Hussars I was going to put some pictures up on here of Noodles Badges. Only got 3 photographed today, but it's a start. :o Not sure if anyone is interested in this stuff. Two people are anyway. :rolleyes:

I don't have many so it won't take long. It might still get a bit erudite considering it is supposed to be my day job. Or perhaps not :D

This fist one is quite scarce. The Victorian army loved its cypher badges. This is 'NNYC' What??? Well, the Northumberland Hussars in their striking miner clubbing days were called the 'Northumberland and Newcastle Yeomanry Cavalry'

This was worn on the sabretache, which is a cavalry/yeomanry pouch.

This is made from silver, 70mm wide, 30m tall, two short threaded stalks on the reverse for fixing.


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...ache-badge.jpg

Now this picture, of more recent and familiar 'Noodles badges', answers a question raised in the aforementioned conversation.

First point to note is that the Regiment served in the 2nd Boer War. For their service, in 1905, they were granted the battle honour 'South Africa 1900-02'

So.. anything you find for this unit which shows the battle honour must be post 1905.

These two badges then are a pre 1905 no battle honour cap badge (on the left) and a post 1905 battle honour cap badge (on the right)

The 'no battle honour' badge is scarce. Worth 5 times the other one. So our question was if the unscrupulous were to break off the scroll from the 'battle honour' badge would you not then be able to deceive the collector into thinking it was a rare 'no battle honour' badge??

Well, now we have them side by side we can see there is another major difference. The circular part of the badge that carries the title 'Northumberland Hussars' is a 'garter' on the older badge, with a strap end hanging down. The post 1905 it is a circlet, no strap end. So in theory, not possible to illicitly convert the post 1905 badge to an older one.



http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...-no-scroll.jpg

People have argued for years as to what castle the badge portrays. 'Newcastle' some say. 'Alnwick' for others.

It is of course... Newcastle.

Old photo interlude :)

Noodles with Maxims in South Africa, 2nd Boer War.


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...uth-africa.jpg

Now I know I'm thick, but I'm not called a "Noodle". Well I don't think I am.....why, if they fought in the 2nd Boer War and got a battle honour in 1905. did they have "South Africa 1900-1902"? and why, oh why, were they called "Noodles" :confused:

'Noodles' has a few interpretations, but the two authors of NH unit histories, Howard Pease and Henry Tegner tend towards a derogatory origin. Seems quite common for the various yeomanry regiments in the Victorian era to get an unpleasant nickname. Expected I suppose considering some of their 'tasks'.

A jingle of the time refers to the local yeomanry:

'Blue bummed bumblers
Cock-tail tumblers
Fireside sowjers
Dor'nt gan to war'

:D
(obviously pre 2nd Boer War)

Tegner suggests 'Noodle' as in simpleton.

Northumberland and Newcastle Volunteer Cavalry
 

Just found this picture which shows the Northumberland and Newcastle Volunteer Cavalry back in the day.

Note the sabretache hanging on belts, with sabre attached as well. On the flap of the sabretache is the very badge in the opening post, with a crown above it. (or an artist's interpretation of)


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...omanry-oil.jpg

Just a delay in dishing out battle honours. I can imagine the multiple high level army meetings to decide what they were going to be, and what units should have them. So three years after the event the bulk of the 2nd Boer War honours were dished out, but they were still being awarded years later. If my source is correct the last honours for the 2nd Boer war were awarded in 1948, to the Imperial Light Horse. Guess they got forgotten about?


2nd Boer War honours possible:

Defence of Kimberley
Defence of Ladysmith
Modder River [Northumberland Fusiliers]
Relief of Kimberley
Relief of Ladysmith
Paardeberg
South Africa 1899-1900
South Africa 1899-1902 [Northumberland Fusiliers]
South Africa 1900
South Africa 1900-01
South Africa 1900-02 [Northumberland Hussars]
South Africa 1901
South Africa 1901-02
South Africa 1902
Mediterranean 1900-01
Mediterranean 1901
Mediterranean 1901-02
St Helena 1900-01
St Helena 1901-02

Last bunch in red for guarding Boer prisoners I believe, Northumberland Fusiliers also entitled to one of those I think.

As discussed on here in "general topics - merchant seaman", an Amble lad William Neil Young, my great grandfather's brother ended up in East Transvaal, South Africa, as a trooper in the 2nd Imperial Light Horse. After all that; accidental immersion in the river Blyth did for him in 1918!

Ah yes I remember that thread. We also discovered one of the Dands served in the 2nd Boer War hence 'Pretoria' Cottage at Radcliffe.

We should keep a list. Think it would be short for that conflict?

Don't think we've come across many locals serving in the Northumberland Hussars during the Great War. Not surprising as they are probably out numbered by Northumberland Fusiliers by a couple of orders of magnitude.

Here's a single WW1 medal to a chap not from our immediate parishes but close, lived Alnwick, civilian occupation was 'miner' so possibly a Longdyke colliery man.

First to note is that this is a 1914 star rather than a 1914-15 star. The Northumberland Hussars got sent to France early for a territorial unit.

850 Private David Buglass Northumberland Yeomanry. Interesting thing is that after the war he stayed in the army.


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...nd-hussars.jpg

I have come across one Northumberland Hussar from WW1 in my research on the Eglingham War Memorial but he was transferred to the Worcestershire Hussars which were part of the Egypt Expeditionary Force. This one died of malaria in Jerusalem.
His father received a letter from the pals in his old Regiment who were still in France in 1918.

Buglass also went to the Worcestershire Hussars, possibly via the Gloucestershire Hussars and to the Middle East theatre. I think those two units were amalgamated temporarily due to depleted manpower.