GIBRALTAR Tradition

[Fritz]

A cuffband introduced in 1899 by order of Kaiser Wilhelm II. for all ranks in 3 units of the former Hannoverian Army:

Hannoversches Jäger-Bataillon 10
Füsilier-Regiment Prinz Albrecht v. Preußen (Hannoversches) Nr. 73
Infanterie-Regiment von Voigts-Rhetz (3. Hannoversches) 79

Worn above the right cuff, this particular example in gold wire from private purchase uniforms. Worn till November 1918
Rare to find. Internet picture.

[Kenny Andrew]

Nice cufftitle Fritz, the Gibraltar cufftitle, was the only commemorative cufftitle, it was instituted by the German Emperor Wilhelm II on January 24, 1901 and was issued to the personnel regardless of rank of three units  Füsilier Regiment General Feldmarschall Prinz Albrecht von Preußen Hannoversches Nr.73, Infanterie Regiment Von Voigts Rhetz 3.Hannoversches Nr.79 and Hannoversches Jäger Bataillon Nr.10.

Institution of Gibraltar cufftitle was aimed at immortalization of heroic deeds of three Hanoverian battalions that fought against Spanish forces during the siege of Gibraltar 1776-1780. It also stressed the intergenerational continuity of Hanoverian units. The Gibraltar cufftitle was initially introduced by the King of England George III to honor the survivors from three infantry Hanoverian battalions  Von Beden, de la Motte and Von Hardeberg that defended Gibraltar against the Spanish. The blue cloth cufftitle bearing the title Gibraltar was worn on the lower right sleeve of the tunic.

Hanover and England boasted tight relations within XVIII and XIX centuries. Hanoverian rulers became monarchs of Great Britain, and from 1801 of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The first of these rulers was Georg-Ludwig who acceded to the British throne in 1714. By the way the last British monarch who ruled in Hanover was William IV as the Salic law which required succession by the male line forbade the accession of Queen Victoria in Hanover. As a male-line descendant of George I, Queen Victoria was herself a member of the House of Hanover. However her descendants bore her husband’s titular name of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Three kings of the United Kingdom were at the same time Electoral Princes of Hanover.

During the American Revolution 1775-1783 the King of England George III who had  a title of Duke of Hanover replaced British troops in the Mediterranean that were sent to colonies by five infantry battalions from his native Hanover. Three of them, namely Von Beden, de la Motte and Von Hardeberg were dispatched to Gibraltar on October 16, 1775. After Spain declared war on England in June 1776 Gibraltar was besieged for three years and seven months until the Treaty of Versailles ended hostilities on August 15, 1783.

Prussian victory in the Austro-Prussian Seven Weeks’ War 1866 during which Hanover sided with the Austrian Empire led to the liquidation of Hanover as a kingdom and its annexation by Prussia. Hanover was made a capital of a Prussian province, its king George V left the country and Hanoverian infantry battalions were incorporated into the Prussian army. Three above mentioned battalions were renamed Füsilier Regiment General Feldmarschall Prinz Albrecht von Preußen Hannoversches Nr.73, Infanterie-Regiment Von Voigts-Rhetz 3.Hannoversches Nr.79 and Hannoversches Jäger-Bataillon Nr.10.

The commemorative Gibraltar cufftitle that was instituted by Wilhelm II in 1901 had simpler design but still had yellow hand-embroidered Gibraltar title on a blue wool cloth. It was worn by all ranks on the lower right sleeve of the dark blue peace time tunic. The color of the cloth, height and width of letters slightly differed depending on the manufacturer. Privately purchased cufftitles were of a higher quality. Officers’ version of the Gibraltar cufftitle made from hand embroidered gold wire could have been authorized for the tunic that was introduced in 1910. The Gibraltar cuff title was continued to be worn during the WWI on the lower right sleeve of field grey tunic.