British Indian Army - 4th (Prince Albert Victor's Own) Bombay Cavalry (Poona Horse) Pair of Other Ranks Shoulder Titles, 1890 - 1922

A pair of non matching die struck shoulder title badges (one looks gilt brass and the other bronze), but they display reasonably well together from the front. The badges are in the form of a finial in the shape of an upraised hand superimposed on crossed sabres and a scroll bearing the unit title, 'Poona Horse'.

Fixings on both parts are "As Found" and in poor condition, one converted to a pin fitting but with pin missing. Condition reflected in price. Sold as seen - no returns on these items.

The origin of the 4th (Prince Albert Victor's Own) Bombay Cavalry (Poona Horse) goes back to 1817 and the raising of an auxiliary horse unit for the East India Company's Bombay Presidency army which became the Poona Auxiliary Horse in 1818. It was renamed the Poona Irregular Horse in 1847 and became the Poona Horse in 1862. The unit became the 4th Bombay Cavalry (Poona Horse) in 1885 and the 4th (Prince Albert Victor's Own) Bombay Cavalry (Poona Horse) in 1890. In the 1903 reform of the Indian Army the unit was re-numbered as the 34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse.

The emblem of the raised hand on this badge represents the Poona Horse's standard finial. The original finial had surmounted the standard of the 1st Khushgai Regiment of Fars and was captured by the Poona Horse at the Battle of Koosh-ab during the Persian War of 1857.

Comm TeMo

Code: 69273