A Crimean Shako Plate for Sale. The 'Albert Pattern,' OR/NCO' brass shako plate to the  62nd Regiment of Foot (Wiltshires). Circa 1839-1855.

Condition report: This excavated shako plate is in splendid condition with a wonderful dark patina, and all detail crisp and uncorroded. The reverse shows clear signs of where it has been excavated (to its benefit, it has not been over cleaned). The two fixing loops to the reverse are missing. 

Note: The 62nd Regiment of foot, (also nicknamed The Splahsers, The Moonrakers and The Springers), saw considerable action during the Crimean Wars: besieging the Port of Sebastopol and most notably present at the attack on the Quarries (5th April 1855), and in the failed attack on the Great Redan Bastion where the regiment suffered heavy casualties, (8th september 1855).*   

With the end of the Crimean War, the 62nd returned to  policing the British Empire. During its last quarter century, as an independent regiment, the 62nd  served in Canada, Ireland, India, as part of the Aden Garrison. As part of Cardwell reforms in 1871, the 62nd was linked to the 99th Regiment of Foot. Following the Childers reforms,  the regiments were amalgamated and re-named The Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment, (1881).

*The shako plate may have been excavated from this area.