Infantry and cavalry

Sometimes it is not easy to decipher the connection between the many badges worn on field caps. The officer in the latest image of Fortepan has three badges on his cap. In addition, he also has a “medal” hanging around his neck, which, if you look closely, is identical to the badge of the 30th Honvéd Infantry Regiment. This badge was also made with a pin, and a leather strap could be threaded into the opening at the top, and the medal could be hung on a belt or around the neck. That’s not what’s interesting. It’s not even the badge of the 40th Division on the front of the cap, because the 30th Regiment belonged to it.

The main feature is the two cavalry badges on the side of the cap. One is clearly recognizable as the Kappenabzeichen of the 8th Lancers Regiment. The other is from the 8th Cavalry Division. These two badges also belong together, the Lancers were assigned to this division.

But how do the boots end up on the table, the cavalry badge next to the infantry? Usually, the caps were pinned with badges that the soldiers were personally attached to, mainly through their position. It is a fact that in 1916-17, both divisions, the cavalry and the infantry, fought in the Carpathians as part of the XI. Corps. So they could have been close to each other. I can only assume that we are seeing an officer who was transferred from the 30. Honvéd Infantry Regiment to the cavalry division. The tassel on the bayonet indicates that he was Honvéd infantry officer. He could have performed some kind of liaison function, perhaps.