25 Royal Frontiersman Fusiliers Cap Badge WW1

25 Royal Frontiersman Fusiliers Cap Badge

Roger Pocock an adventurer and author founded The Legion of Frontiersmen in 1905. It was originally intended to recruit ex-servicemen and adventurers to scout the Britsh frontier and report back to the war office. He placed an advert in the 'Times', asking for 1000 volunteers with horses to join. He persuaded the Earl of Londale to act as Patron and in April 1905 the Earl hosted the Inaugral Dinner. I was then that the Legion of Frontiersmen were born. The legion was a hark back to the days of the imperial world.

Reverse of badge

The  Frontiersman were the first British troops to see action during the First World War, fighting along side the Belgiums. They went on to form the 25th (Frontiersmen) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers in 1915 and served in the East Africa campaign, wining numerous decorations.  By 1917 the battallion had been ravaged by desease and had sustained heavy casualties, it returned back to the UK and was disbanded. During Second World War no named Frontiersman unit was founded, Frontiersmen enlisted individually in all branches of the army and home guard. They were instrumental in forming the Local Defense volunteers later to become the Home Guard.