Waist belt : 2nd Battalion, Wiltshire (Duke of Edinburgh's) Regiment, British Army

Place Europe: United Kingdom, England, Wiltshire
Accession Number REL/07697
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Uniform
Physical description Brass, Buff leather
Maker Unknown
Place made United Kingdom
Date made c 1901 - 1910
Conflict Period 1900-1909
Description

Buff leather waist belt of unidentified pattern with British universal cast brass union locket buckle. The belt is cut from one piece of leather measuring 1 3/4 inches in width. There is a single brass buckle for adjusting the size of the belt on the proper right end. A lanceolate safe (tongue) has been stitched with three rows of horizontal stitching to the proper left end of the belt. The left end of the belt has been passed through the locket buckle and has been secured into the same rows of stitching. A single running loop lies on the proper right side. The locket (tongue) of the buckle depicts a Tudor crown (which was used during Edward VII's reign) surmounted by a lion. The circular surround has the words ‘DIEU ET MON DROIT' (God and My Right). On the reverse are stamped the following: '2 WILTS','157', '107' and '23836873'. There is another number on the reverse near the proper right part of the buckle but this is illegible.

History / Summary

The universal union locket for British infantry was first authorised in 1870 (List of Changes 2021). It was used by British units, though many preferred to wear their own regimental locket buckles, and by some colonial forces, including the colonies of Australia. The crown which the lion surmounts is changed to reflect the British monarch reigning at the time. The acceptance marks stamped on the reverse of the belt indicate that it was originally used by the 2nd Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment. It was not uncommon for buff belts to passed on to other units and other countries especially for ceremonial use.

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