Revolutionary Insignia

[agmohio]

Hello everyone,
The insignia page for the Philippines Republican Army is up and running. I still want to do some little improvement here and there, but the basics are in place. Have a look and let me know what you think. Your input and added information are important to me.

www.agmohio.com/LRenemyuniforms_Filipino_Insignia.htm

Hope you find it useful.
¡Viva España!
Bill

[insurrectomad]

Hi Bill, Do you Know if a belt buckle with the sun or the triangle device on it was ever worn by the Phil. Republican Army, or by any officers? I've always assumed that the square shaped buckles seen in some photos are those of the Spanish pattern. Kalayaan! David

[agmohio]

Hello David,
Sorry for the long delay in getting back to you. I have not come across a buckle that was specifically Philippine Army from the Independence period. However, I strongly believe that they may exist. Years ago I saw a framed group of souvenirs that came back from the Philippines. It was a mix of Spanish and Filipino insignia and buttons. One item in the display was a brass buckle with the insignia of the Spanish Supply Corps; a sun face encircled with a wreath. As I recall, a note with it said it was captured from an "Insurgent". As the two emblems were similar, I can easily see Philippine troops using these old Spanish buckles. Sadly, I did not buy the group and have been kicking myself ever since. I hope this is of some help to you. I will keep my eye out for any new discoveries and let you know what I find.
¡Viva España!
Bill

[paopadd]

Hi Bil, great work !!!! When you will publish the filipino flags in your collection ? About the shoulder strap " Shoulder strap of the revolutionary period based on the design of the Philippines flag. Unit and purpose are currently unknown, but it may date from the pre-1898 period when cuff rank was in use. ") I just wanna tell you that the filipino flag with blue ,red, white and stars and sun was born in Hong Kong in may 1898 so the shoulder strap can't be a pre- 1898 item....

[RayAdillO]

Not sure if this is indeed a "buckle" for a waist belt, it might also be a brass ornament for a cross belt?. It was once owned by a family whose ancestor was a colonel in Aguinaldo's army.



back part of "buckle".


It's made of brass and came with a set of four ornate bars. Again I'm not sure if these bars were supposed to be "ornaments for the belt or they could also be shoulder bars?, ( see pic of Aguinaldo).





Detail of the cap badge. I'm not sure if the background roundel is really red but it's just a guess. I felt that a blue background would make it look too much like the Chinese Kuomintang insignia.

[agmohio]

In my opinion this is not a buckle or a plate for an officer's cartridge box bandolier, in the European fashion. I believe that it goes with the General officer's rank bars that it came with and is the sun face insignia for a General's shoulder straps. I think the group should have had two of these badges to make a complete pair of shoulder straps. A very nice set of insignia. I remember seeing it offered on ebay. However, it still does not answer the belt buckle question to my satisfaction.
As for the color background of the cap badge, I think it would be in the branch of service color of the wearer. Red being correct for Generals and the Infantry.
These are just my opinions and need to be confirmed by more solid research. Keep up the good work!
¡Viva España!
Bill

[macky]

Mr. Combs,

I agree with Paolo that the shoulder strap that was based on the Philippine flag was not pre-1898. I think the exact period was during the return of aguinaldo in the philippines until the appointment of Gen. Antonio Luna as Supreme Commander of the Army.(During his time he ordered the standardization of the uniform of the republican army---Philippine Rayadillo---)

Or perhaps, those who wear this shoulder strap was a distinktive command who wears a distinktive uniform.

[macky]

Mr. Combs,

I agree with Paolo that the shoulder strap that was based on the Philippine flag was not pre-1898. I think the exact period was during the return of Aguinaldo in the Philippines until the appointment of Gen. Antonio Luna as Supreme Commander of the Army.(During his time he ordered the standardization of the uniform of the republican army---Philippine Rayadillo---)

Or perhaps, those who wear this shoulder strap was a distinctive command who wears a distinctive uniform.(Emilio Aguinaldo's Personal bodyguard, the "Kawit Battalion" wears a distinctive red trouser uniform. Perhaps the shoulder strap was part of their distinct uniform since the Philippine flag was Aguinaldo's symbol--just speculating on this)