This is the third pattern of collar badge and is a Royal Tiger surmounted by the Union Rose.14 It was used by all battalions of the Regiment although with variations in materials. National Archives reference WO359/8 p150 relates to the third pattern collar badge (1514A of 1896).
A photograph dated 1897 in the York and Lancaster Regimental archive shows a group of soldiers from 1st Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment wearing a left facing Tiger and Rose collar badge as a cap badge in the Field Service Cap. Archive reference 578-K/2/9/3/4 titled ‘H Coy, Best shooting company in the 1st Bn, 1897 Colchester’.
Considering that this collar badge was sealed on 28th July 1896 and the new Tiger and Rose cap badge was sealed on 28th October 1897, it was clearly only worn as a cap badge for a very short period of time.
The Royal Tiger and Union Rose are made in gilding metal with a white metal centre to the rose. The badge is on loops.
This is the most prolific type of collar badge to the York and Lancaster Regiment.