East Kent Yeomanry, Chilston Troop Officer’s Light Dragoon Helmet Badge, a very rare example in hall marked silver, London 1797, the balloon shaped back plate is engraved ‘Chilston Troop Captain Best’ this is mounted centrally in raised cast silver with the crest of the Best Family. The back plate is pierced with five sets of double holes for attachment to the side of the helmet. Together with an oval silk lined lined leather case (fractured), this with an attached hand written note, ‘Badge of the Chilston Troop of Yeomanry raised by George Best Esq. MP of Chilston Park, Kent during the War with Napoleon’, the badge very fine (2) £500-£700

Note: The Chilston Troop is not listed as such, in the 1798-1801 War office Lists it appears as part of the ‘Kent (East) Gentlemen & Yeomanry,’ ‘Provender’. A two troop unit under the command of Major Sir Edward Knatchbull, Bart. Best was Captain, the two Lieutenants the Hon. Philip Roper (a son of the 10th Lord Teynham) and William Coleman, Cornets Thomas Hilton and William Fairman. Knatchbull’s commission is dated 23 March 1797, the remainder 30 March. Coleman and Fairman were probably the other two Chilston officers.
Stood down in 1802 this was the end of Best’s military career and most probably the end of a Chilston Troop based at Chilston Park.
This is the second recorded instance of this special badge, so Best presumably gave one to his other two officers.