The Tower

The Worcestershire Militia battalions used a Tower emblem on their badges. The Tower was taken from the coat of arms of the City of Worcester on which a tripled tower castle was displayed. The Worcestershire Militia adopted a simple single tower representation.

Its first know appearance on badges was on a plate which is understood to have been worn on the 1800 shako by the Worcester Volunteers. It was first adopted by the Worcestershire Militia on their shako plates in 1844 as a central motif set in a Garter inscribed with the Royal motto. The Tower remained the central motif on badges of the Militia battalions until its absorption into the 29th Regiment (Worcestershire Regiment) in 1881. The Tower was used from 1882 to 1890 by the reformed Worcestershire Regiment and was seen on waist belt clasps of officers. The Tower was later replaced by a circular Garter enclosing a Crowned Lion.

The Tower motif

Worcester Coat or Arms

It is interesting to note that until the beginning of the 17th Century the City of Worcester Coat of Arms displayed the castle alone but in 1634 the 'castle' coat was registered along with the coat bearing the black pears and were described as the ancient and modern arms of the City of Worcester. Tradition has it that it was during the visit of Queen Elizabeth I to Worcester in 1575 that Worcester acquired its second coat of arms featuring the black pears.

In 1881 the 1st and 2nd Worcestershire Militia Battalions became the 3rd and 4th Battalions of the Worcestershire. However, they were renumbered the 5th and 6th (Reserve) Battalions in 1900 when two new Regular Battalions were raised.



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