RoyalScotsVols
Well-known member
The Prince Regent’s Royal Ayr and Wigtown Militia was a historic militia regiment in the South-West of Scotland. The title of Prince Regent refers to George IV who held this position from 1811 to 1820 owing to the incapacity of his father George III during the final years of his life. Tracing its roots to the late 18th century, the unit officially formed in 1860 when the Prince Regent’s Royal Ayrshire Rifles merged with the Wigtownshire companies to create a new volunteer force covering both counties. Initially the combined regiment was known as the Galloway Rifles Militia but in 1866 it was renamed the Prince Regent’s Royal Regiment of Ayr and Wigtown Militia. Its commanding officer with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel was the Earl of Galloway. The regiment had an establishment of 1,000 men and following the Childers Reforms in 1881 it assumed the title of 4th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers.
Pictured below is an officer’s home service, blue cloth helmet from my collection which dates from between the introduction of this style of helmet in circa 1878 until about 1882. The helmet originally was owned by Sir Herbert Maxwell, the 7th Baronet of Monreith who was a notable Scottish novelist, essayist, artist, antiquarian, horticulturalist, prominent salmon angler and author of books on angling and Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1880 to 1906. Also shown is a painting of Sir Herbert in the uniform of a Captain of the regiment, wearing his Baronet’s Badge on a ribbon around his neck and with what is likely to be this helmet shown to his right-hand side.
Pictured below is an officer’s home service, blue cloth helmet from my collection which dates from between the introduction of this style of helmet in circa 1878 until about 1882. The helmet originally was owned by Sir Herbert Maxwell, the 7th Baronet of Monreith who was a notable Scottish novelist, essayist, artist, antiquarian, horticulturalist, prominent salmon angler and author of books on angling and Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1880 to 1906. Also shown is a painting of Sir Herbert in the uniform of a Captain of the regiment, wearing his Baronet’s Badge on a ribbon around his neck and with what is likely to be this helmet shown to his right-hand side.