76th (Duke of Wellington’s) Regiment Mid-Victorian Officers Shoulder Belt Plate

The 76th (Duke of Wellington’s) Regiment Mid-Victorian Officers Shoulder Belt Plate. Worn prior to 1855 being a matted gilt backplate with burnished edge, on this a large hobnailed silver star and cross, on this In bright gilt a wreath of laurel and palm leaves with the battle honour Peninsula to the bottom surmounted by a Crown and the battle Honours Hindoostan and Nive. To the centre an elephant without howdah and the numerals LXXVI (76). Mentioned but not illustrated in Parkyn. Magnificent example. Price includes delivery within the UK. Additional charges apply for international shipping.This is a striking piece - a mid-Victorian officer's shoulder belt plate from the 76th (Duke of Wellington's) Regiment of Foot, and the detail on it is excellent.

The elephant device (silver, without howdah) references the regiment's Indian service — the 76th earned this distinction from its actions during the campaigns in Hindoostan (India) in the late 18th century.

"HINDOOSTAN" and "NIVE" on the scroll under the crown record battle honours — Nive relating to the Peninsular War (Battle of the Nive, 1813).

"PENINSULA" on the lower scroll is the broader Peninsular War honour.
LXXVI is simply the regimental number, 76.

The construction — a gilt backplate with a silver hobnailed star/cross pattern behind gilt wreath and battle honours — is very typical of Georgian/early-Victorian pattern belt plates, and the "worn prior to 1855" dating fits, since 1855 is when belt plate patterns were generally standardized/simplified army-wide.

The reverse shows the usual fittings: the two lugs at top for attaching to the belt, the wire hook-and-eye fastening mechanism in the center, and the two stud/ball fasteners at the bottom.

The 76th later amalgamated (in 1881) into the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment), which is why the "Duke of Wellington's" association appears in later cataloguing even though this plate predates the formal 1853 title change that added that subtitle.