Swagger stick

[Hair Bear]

Hi,

As long as I can remember, back in the 1960's, tucked behind the doorframe in the back of the understairs cupboard at home there was a swagger stick. Didn't know what it was at the time and as kids it was used as a walking stick or a band sgt. majors baton for conducting music etc. until we were caught then it would go back in the cupboard and forgotten about 'till next time. Anyhow, I do remember it had a badge or emblem on the end of it although I can't remember what it was. The house was demolished in 1987 and I suspect the stick was either thrown out in the rubbish or still there when the dozer moved in.

So, doing a final clear out at my late parents house there was a pile of lengths of metal and scrap wood in the corner of the garage - what my dad would have called 'stock, ready for use' - bundled it all up and threw it in the trailer with a load of other crappola ready for the next dump run.

I don't know why, or what made me go through this pile of stuff as, amongst a load of broken garden canes, was the swagger stick.

Not in great condition as it's been in a damp garage for nearly forty years, it has a bit of a curve to it but nothing drastic, the ferrule in the thin end is worn (likely due to us playing with it) and the end with the badge on is quite corroded. Now obviously I'd like to clean it up and see what the badge is as it could give a clue as to who in the family it belonged to. I don't want to damage it any further but any suggestions for cleaning it would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Approx 26" long.

[mad dan eccles]

A very, or very very, soft cloth and some Brasso or Silvo gently done would probably do it.

If you had a better pic of it as is might be able to make out the cap badge stamped on it, the attached pictures aren't very clear.

[Hair Bear]

Thanks for the suggestion. Sorry about the pics, they were taken with a very old phone - I'll try again later with wifey's camera.

What limited research I've done (and what I can see with 2 pairs of magnifiers!), suggests a similar design to a Hampshire regiment cap badge on top. There isn't any makings on the sides.

If it is Hampshire, then I believe it belonged to George Phillips. The design on the stick appears similar to the badge on the right if this photo. Unfortunately, anyone that would have known the answer are no longer around.

[mad dan eccles]

Cap badge on the left of the poppy might be Hampshires (although there were several Regiments back then with similar or identical cap badges, differing only by having their respective names in the scroll at the lower portion). Cap badge to the right of the poppy looks like it could be Army Service Corps, subsequently post WW1 the Royal Army Service Corps then sometime post the Korean War the Royal Corps of Transport before amalgamating with 3 other cap badges and the RE postal courier trade in 1993 to for the RLC.

 

 

[AlienFTM]

A few years ago, one of the interminable auction programmes brought up a swagger cane. The experts ummed and awwed  about it and Google brought up that the word MEREBIMUR was somehow related to The Light Dragoons but none of them could relate the badge on the tip of the cane to that of the LD. Found myself shouting "15/19H" at the screen. It isn't as if the badge didn't display XV.XIX to give the clue.

Went to the auction, and stood in the crowd was my old mucker Florrie.

[mad dan eccles]

Only ever come across one in service, hidden away with a bunch of other presentation bits and pieces, all of which were beaten, broken or otherwise is poor states, that was badged RA. Not sure whether it was a remnant from the AOP days or from an RA bloke working alongside at some point in the depths of history.

I imagine it either found itself in a skip sometime after I left that Sqn or during its disbandment or is now secured away in a box with anything else deemed worth keeping, never to see the light of day again in some undisclosed location, when the Sqn disbanded.

[rog8811]

This thread has got me thinking, I have not seen my dad's swagger stick from his time in the RA for some years, I remember it was painted black and the paint was flaking off, I cannot remember whether the silver cap was engraved or embossed, I must have a look for it, I am pretty sure it must be somewhere in the house