A General Order of 30 June 1874 authorised collar badges for the Infantry, initially in brass, but after 1881 they were made of gilding metal. These examples appear to be the latter, basically white metal but with patches of gilt. However, white metal badges were worn by the Cameron Highlanders from some point before the turn of the century. Paintings by Harry Payne and McNeill dated c1905 depict other ranks in dress uniform with white metal collar badges of this design.
The badge of the thistle surmounted by a Victorian crown was conferred on the 79th Cameron Highlanders in 1873 when the regiment was retitled Queen’s Own. A photo of men of the regiment in Hampshire in 1874 shows that the dress uniform did not have collar badges. But later photos taken in the years up to amalgamation in 1961 show the badge still being worn.
