QVC Victorian Cinque Ports Volunteer Artillery Other Ranks White Metal Helmet Plate

1878 pattern helmet plate. Die struck in white metal with three original loops to the reverse, all present and correct, no missing fiddly bits. Design incorporates the Royal coat of arms within a garter bearing the motto, 'Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense' (Shame on him who thinks evil of it), surmounted by a crown and lion crest; lion and unicorn supporters above scrolls bearing the motto, 'Dieu et Mon Droit' (God and My Right), above an artillery piece, with a scroll below, bearing the unit title, 'Cinque Ports Artillery Vols'. In very good condition.

When an invasion scare in 1859 led to a flood of volunteers forming new military units to defend Great Britain, artillery volunteers corps were formed. Units of the Cinque Ports Artillery Volunteers were raised in Kent and Sussex with their headquarters at Dover, the 1st Corps being formed 6th January, 1860.

The Confederation of Cinque Ports is a historic group of coastal towns in Kent, Sussex and Essex. The name is Old French, meaning "five harbours". It was originally formed for military and trade purposes, but is now entirely ceremonial. The ports lie on the western shore of the English Channel, where the crossing to the European continent is narrowest. The ports were Hastings, New Romney, Hythe, Dover and Sandwich.

Volunteer artillery corps wore silver or white metal insignia, until the creation of the Territorial Force (TF) in 1908.

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Code: 64522