Material: White metal with copper pin fittings
Size: 22mm w × 22mm h
Description: Prince of Wales's feathers emerging from a coronet above a scroll inscribed ICH DIEN.
Reverse: Plain back with copper loops and pin.
Circa: 1876–1922
Notes:
Prince of Wales's feathers collar badge utilized by the 11th (Prince of Wales’s Own) Regiment of Bengal Lancers, an elite cavalry unit of the British Indian Army.
Originally raised in 1857 during the Indian Mutiny as the 1st Sikh Irregular Cavalry, the unit quickly established a fierce combat reputation under the leadership of Captain W.T. Hughes. Renamed the 11th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry in 1861, they saw active service during the Second Anglo-Afghan War, most notably launching a decisive tactical charge at the Battle of Ahmed Khel in 1880. Their distinguished service caught the attention of royalty, and in 1876, HRH the Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII) became their Colonel-in-Chief, granting them the honor of wearing his personal ostrich plume insignia. Re-designated as the 11th (Prince of Wales’s Own) Regiment of Bengal Lancers, the unit traded their traditional carbines for traditional cavalry lances, transforming into one of the most formidable shock-cavalry units on the subcontinent.