WW1 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles (British Columbia Horse) cap badge

This is the cap badge of the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles (British Columbia Horse), a Canadian Expeditionary Force unit raised in British Columbia. The "(B.C.H)" on the title scroll records where the men came from: the regiment was mobilized on 15 March 1915 at Willows Camp, Victoria, with most recruits drawn from the local militia cavalry, the 30th British Columbia Horse and the Victoria Squadron of Horse. The 30th BC Horse was based in the Okanagan, with Vernon as headquarters and squadrons at Lumby, Enderby and Kelowna.  

War service. The unit embarked for Britain on 12 June 1915 and landed in France on 22 September 1915 as part of the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles Brigade. On 1 January 1916 it was converted to infantry, absorbing B Squadron and the headquarters staff of the 3rd CMR, and became the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion. It then fought with the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division, in France and Flanders until the end of the war. That places it at Mount Sorrel, the Somme, Vimy Ridge and Passchendaele. Its lineage lives on: the 2nd CMR is perpetuated by The British Columbia Dragoons, whose modern badge still carries maple leaves in its memory. 

• Maple leaf with King's crown, "2ND C.M.R. (B.C.H)" scroll over a "CANADA" scroll, the standard CEF format.

• Darkened bronze or copper finish, typical of CEF other ranks' badges.

• Die-struck: the reverse shows a crisp hollow impression of the front design, which is what you want to see.

• Long slider fastening, appears intact and original to the badge.