illustrated encyclopedia of military insignia of the 20th century-chartwell books (1986)

THE ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIAOF MILITARY INSIGNIA is acomprehensive, illustrated guide to theinsignia of the world's major armed forcesin the twentieth century. It covers thebadges of the armies, navies, air forces,special forces and paramilitaryformations from World Wars I and II tothe present day.

As with many other objects used by ourpredecessors, badges are historicalsymbols which identify a group or nationand represent the taste and thetechnological limit of those who usedthem. The history of military insignia isexplored, in a 64-page introduction, fromtheir early beginnings in the days ofchivalry to their application in modernmilitary history.

The main part of the book is an A-Zdirectory of every aspect of insignia, fromaigrettes to wings. Organized by country,each section covers shoulder patches,proficiency badges, skill-at-arms badges,and badges of rank - from pips and starsto trouser seams and helmet markings.For each type there are details of itspurpose, forces in which it wasintroduced, methods of wear, dates ofservice, and information relating to thenational variations.

Full-colour illustrations of rare badgesand an extensive bibliography withreferences throughout the text make THEILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA OFMILITARY INSIGNIA a must for thecollector, the military historian, theresearcher and the general militaryreader.

Guido Rosignoli came to Britain fromItaly in 1960 to work as a commercialartist. He worked for magazines such asPlayhour, Jack and Jill, Valiant and manyothers. Since 1970 he has written andillustrated many books and magazinearticles on military insignia and ancientflags, and has published two volumes, oneon the uniforms and badges of theStaffordshire Ree;iment, and one on theItalian Fascist Militia. He has beencollecting military insignia since 1953and has one of the best collectionsaround.

CHARTWELL BOOKS, INC.A Division 01

BOOK SALES, INC.110 Enterprise AvenueSecaucus. New Jersey 07094

Prinlcd in Honr; Kong

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of

MILITARYINSIGNIAof the 20th Century

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of

of the 20th CenturyA comprehensive A-Zguide to the badges, patches and

embelishments ofthe worldsarmedforces

Guido RosignoliIntroduction by Will Fowler

CHARTWELLBOOItS, INC.

~

A QUARTO BOOK

Published by Chartwell Books IncA Division of Book Sales Inc,

110 Enterprise AvenueSecausus, New Jersey 07094

First published 1986© Quarto Publishing Limited 1986

ISBN 1-55521-085-6

All rights reserved. No part of this publicationmay be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,

or transmitted, in any form or by any meanswithout the prior permission in writing of the

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that in which it is published and without a similarcondition, including this condition, being

imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

This book was designed and produced byQuarto Publishing Ltd

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FrontispieceA selection of Austrian, Belgian. British and Danish

badges mounted or embroidered on a coloured backing.

CONTENTS

A HISTORY OF MILITARY INSIGNIAA-Z OF MILITARY INSIGNIABIBLIOGRAPHYINDEXACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

865

217221224

A HISTORY OF Mll.JTARY INSIGNIA

INTRODUCTION THE NEED TO distinguish between enemy and ally, leader andled, expert and novice has been a featureof war ever since men banded together toattack or defend their property.

The Romans, with their large armiescomposed of men from many nations,formalized rank and skills, although oftenthe specialists could be recognized by thefact that they marched and fought besidetheir special instruments of war. Theearly Middle Ages and the rather unstructured wars that followed saw a newdevelopment in insignia. The knight orbaron waged war accompanied by hisretainers, who wore simple garments toshow where they owed their loyalty.Heralds representing kings wore elaborate tabards, and so the French herald says'You know me by my habit,' when hecomes to parlay with the English inShakespeare's Henry V. Earlier, theCrusades had seen the formalization ofcoloured crosses according to nationalgrouping.

In the 17th century dress and theequipment of the soldiers were used todifferentiate different ranks and groups.Musketeers, for instance, wore their distinctive bandoliers, while grenadiers hadtheir slow matches and grenades. Thecavalry wore riding clothes and carried asabre, which allowed them to reach toattack other mounted men or to cut atfoot soldiers. Many of these tools andweapons have re-appeared as the badgesof modern soldiers and sailors.

By the 18th and 19th centuries theappearance of mass conscript armiesmade the wearing of uniforms essential,not only so that the armies themselvesmight be clearly differentiated, but alsoso that the status of the men within thosearmies might be identified. The armies ofEurope and North America wore coloured tunics and headgear, carrying theirfood, ammunition and bedding in packs,canteens and haversacks.

Although Wellington wore a simplegrey frock coat at Waterloo, many of hissoldiers were more formally dressed, aswere the men of the French and Prussianarmies. Non-commissioned officers(NCOs) had stripes or chevrons similar to

those worn today, and units could berecognized by the numbers and colouredfacings on their shakos and tunics.Officers wore epaulettes and sashes,while senior NCOs carried a short pike.The tradition of the regimental colourskept soldiers together under the pressureof bombardment or cavalry attack.Sailors were the most resistant to uniformdress, and indeed services like the submarine crews still strive to retain someindividuality even today.

An indication of how uniforms andinsignia would develop was given in theCrimean War (1854-6) and AmericanCivil War (1861-4). Mass-produced clothing began to be worn and there was ashift toward more practical designs. TheFranco-Prussian War (1870-1) saw theBritish adopt the headgear of the winners. Previously British soldiers had wornkepis or shakos, but when the Frenchwere defeated, British troops adopted thePrussian spiked helmet. Experience inIndia, where tropical white uniformswere easy targets, led to the first adoptionof camouflage when British troops dyedtheir uniforms khaki (the Urdu word fordust-coloured). Dressed in khaki theyfought many of the colonial battles of thelatter part of the century. The US Armyretained blue uniforms, although theyplaced greater emphasis on comfort thanthe Europeans, up to the time of theSpanish American war. By the time theycame to intervene in the rebellion inMexico in 1911 they too had adoptedkhaki, but retained the smart and practical 'Montana peak', the wide-brimmedhat that is still worn by senior NCOs inthe US Marine Corps.

The grim, grinding battles of WorldWar I, the fast and accurate fire frommachine guns and the improvement inaerial observation led to an increasedawareness of the need for camouflage.The elaborate patterns of green, brownand tan that have become the commoncolour of soldiers in the field in the latterhalf of the 20th century, were the outcome of work by French artists, co-optedby the military to design patterns thatwould conceal guns and equipment.

Insignia grew smaller and more dis-

..

1. Prince Mauricc of Orange-Nassau in anearly 17th Century portrait,long before theintroduction of badgcs,wearing an armoursuit. Heraldic insignia already existed inorder to distinguish friend from foc, in theform of painted or embroidered coat of arms,and coloured sashes were used for the samepurpose (Bibl.3).

2. An 18th Century drummer boy of theBritish Army in a photograph taken in 1898.Regimental distinctions developedthroughout Europe during this century in theform of facing colours and lace trimmings.Some old British regiments were authorizedto ~'ear special devices on grenadier caps, the3rd Foot for instance displayed the Dragon inplace of the Royal Cypher.

7

A HISTORY OF MrLITARY INSIGNIA _

creet, although there was a need for ameans of identifying a man at close rangein what had become nations in arms.Corps, divisional, and even brigadepatches were part of a man's uniformtunic. He wore his rank, stripes or bars toshow his service. Other badges indicatedhis skills and aptitudes. Together with hismedal ribbons, his badges and insigniarevealed much of his life history. Predictably this became an art practised byintelligence officers on all sides.

Every nation contributed something tothe evolution of insignia, and many countries still have reminders of early forms ofinsignia as part of their national army,navy or air force.

Before 1914 the air army had been abranch of the army or navy, its memberswearing the same uniform. By 1918,however, the British had shown the waytoward an independent force, and theirlead was soon followed by every nation.As air warfare became more complexdifferent skills were required. Mechanicaland electrical equipment, radio and improved artillery to counter aircraftneeded new technicians, and these tooneeded new badges and, in due course,new corps.

The inter-war years saw the development of airborne forces. Whether theywere air-landed troops, who were transported in converted bombers and airliners, glider-borne troops or, in those days,paratroops, the high standards of fitnessand aggressive initiative demanded ofthese men required a special type ofsoldier, and they received insignia todistinguish them from ordinary infantry.

World War 11 saw a vast increase inthe number of men and women in uniform. Radar and jet aircraft enteredservice, and elite forces for attack aboveand below the water, by air and land,were trained and launched against vitaltargets. If much that is written aboutinsignia in the 20th century appears toconcentrate on World War 11, it is because these years were an importantformative time for the three services andtheir badges and insignia. Even insigniafor modern equipment such as helicopters draw on the designs and motifs that

8

3. British cloth helmet model 1878/81, home pattern, as used by the Royal Artillery ie. withthe ball instead of the spike, with appropriate helmet plate bearing the imperial Crown thatwas adopted in 190 I.

(H.L. King collec[ion)

____________________ A HISTORY OF MILITARY INSIGNIA

4. Infantry helmet plate for other ranks,model 1881 with Victorian Crown, worn onIhe spiked helmet. The plate consisled of abase, the crown, slar and laurel wreath, onwhich was placed Ihe regimenlal helmet plalecentre, which varied according to regiment.

(H.L. King Col/eC/ion)

were made for airborne soldiers in WorldWar 1I.

The role that insignia could play inboosting morale and providing politicalinspiration was clearly seen by both NaziGermany and Soviet Russia, and bothnations produced original designs. Thetrappings of the Third Reich may now belimited to collections, but their designs,suitably modified, may still be seen in theinsignia of the armies of both East andWest Germany. The Soviet ArmedForces wear uniforms that were introduced by Stalin in 1943 but that look back.to the Tsarist days.

During World War I, women enteredthe services in numbers that had neverbeen dreamed of in 1914. Members of theBritish First Aid Nursing Yeomanry puton an elegant khaki uniform and plungedthemselves into the grime and blood offront-line nursing. The Soviet armed

forces in World War 11 included womenfighter, bomber and even stop-gap tankcrews. These women wore the badgesand rank of their male comrades. In theUnited States women served as nursesand specialists in all three services, whilein Germany and Britain they crewed antiaircraft guns and controlled the complexities of enemy intercept operations fromfighter headquarters.

With the end of the war, many menand women put away their uniforms, butthe armed forces remained. Independentair forces, no longer branches of the navyor army, were established, and for themnew insignia and uniforms were designed.Missiles and helicopters, the technologyassociated with radio communicationsand interception, encouraged new unitsand badges to appear.

The Korean and Vietnam Wars andthe many 'bush-fire' wars (such as the

5. Blue cloth shako of Ihe Highland LightInfantry displaying the green 'tufl', the black'boss', the regimental 'badge' and the diced'cap band' (Bib!. SO). Colonels and lieutenantcolonels had two rows of thistle pallern laceround the top, majors had onc.

(H.L. King Col/ec/ion)

Mau Mau uprising in Kenya in the 1950s)produced new veterans. New developments such as night-vision equipment andinfra-red detection have madecamouflage and low visibility vital, andthe soldier of the 1980s and his comradesin the navy and air force appear at firstglance to have little in common with theirpredecessors of 1918. Yet ceremonialuniforms are still worn, even if they havebeen somewhat simplified, and servicebands give us all a reminder of pastglories. Royalty, politicians and dignitaries could hardly be met by a paradeof men dressed in the overalls that theynow wear to service equipment or in thepullovers or shirt sleeves worn in theoffice. Even these functional garments,however, retain some traces of the dashing uniforms of the turn of the century inthe form of patches and cap badges.

9

A HISTORY OF MlLITARY INSIGNIA _

6. An officer and two privates ofthe 7th Middlesex (London Scottish)Rine Volunteers in a photograph of about 1900. They wear hodden greyregimental uniforms with dark blue glengarry, collar and cuffs and allthe trappings of the 19th century uniforms, such as lace edgings andbuttons on the cuffs and on the skirt ofthe doublet. They display theconventional badge on the head-dress and on the collar and being Scots

10

they wear the "hackle' and the sporran badge. The officer carries theclaymore on the left and the dirk on the right of the waist belt whichis fastened by the regimental-pattern locket, or 'belt-buckle' made ofsilver.

(The Regimenl, Apri//900)

---, '.

A HISTORY OF MILITARY INSIGNIA

FROM ITS ORIGINS military insignia hasfulfilled one, two and sometimes threefunctions: it has denoted rank and station, a man's skills and trades, and finallyhis loyalty to service, arm or regiment.

Over the years insignia has changedfrom being essentially functional additions to tunics and jackets to the stylizedloops, lanyards and badges that are worntoday. The introduction of camouflage toland force uniforms has meant that manyitems of insignia have become paradeaccoutrements only, and stripes and starsare now reduced to inconspicuous additions to an anonymous pattern of greenand brown. In smaller units, in fact, thereis often no need to wear a badge of ran k,since men recognize one another andknow who is in command or who has aparticular skill. When such a closely knit,specialized group encounters a moreformal and conventional force, evenwhen both are from the same nationalarmy, there can be confusion - sometimes funny, sometimes irritating - forboth groups.

Rank and insignia also give men andwomen a visible authority and status.This system has been adopted in thecivilian world, and companies dress theirstaff in different cuts and colours ofoveralls - the labour pool in blue,charge hands in brown and the foremanin a smart dark grey warehouse coat.

Some badges indicate membership of aspecial or privileged group. The paratrooper's wings, the submariner's dolphins, the diver's badge or the pilot'swings are outward indications of braveryand sustained application to training, aswell as of successful completion of testsand courses designed to 'weed out' theunfit or unconfident.

It is in part this totemic element thatmakes badges so attractive to collectors

7. Lieutenant of the British Army in Egyptbefore World War I wearing the first officer'stropical uniform with open collar. Insignia arereduced to the minimum necessary to identifyhis rank, ie. stars on the shoulder straps andprobably a 'puggaree insignia' on the left ofthe helmet.

11

A HISTORY OF MILITARY INSIGNIA _

and servicemen. To wear a ship's capband or squadron or unit insignia is toshow that you have been accepted as amember of a select group; being able towear such a badge is as primitive in itsown way as the initiation rites of a tribalgroup. There is, in the collecting of suchbadges, a sub-conscious element, inwhich the civilian owner possesses someof the magic that these badges exert inthe military environment. If this were notso, why should there be such a fascinationwith airborne insignia?

Lest the collector be seen merely as adealer in military voodoo, however, itshould be added that many badges areboth rare and beautiful. Some of theinsignia designed for special forces areboth rare and aesthetically pleasing. Theinsignia of the armed forces of NaziGermany has become rare. It also included some striking and very attractivedesigns, many of which have reappearedin the insignia of the Bundeswehr of WestGermany and the National Volksarmee ofEast Germany. The East German armyhas in fact retained more of the trappingsof the Wehrmacht, than the Bundeswehr,and East German soldiers wear a daggerwith their dress uniform and the Waffenfarbe (arm colours) piping on theirepaulettes. Both East and West Germanyhave retained the grey colour worn by theImperial Army before World War I andalso the collar patches and metal breastbadges for proficiency.

Soviet uniforms have a slightly theatrical quality, which makes them look gooduntil they are closely examined. Thebadges, however, use enamel work,which has been a traditional skill forcenturies, and they are therefore veryattractive. It is worth noting that theinsignia of the Imperial Russian Armywas abolished after the Revolution, and avery simple uniform with collar patcheswas introduced. However, as part of adrive to sustain morale in the grimmerdays of the 'Great Patriotic War' (WorldWar 11), Stalin authorized new rank insignia. The most notable change was thereintroduction of shoulder boards, whichhad been a classic Tsarist feature andwhich are, in effect, a 'hard' epaulette.

12

.'

8. Italian 'alpino' in Libya during the Italo-Turkish War of 1911-1912. He wears the sameuniform he did at his home station on the Alps, including the ~alpcnstock', the only tropicalprovision being a dust cover for the rifle. He still wears the old cap badge with the crown, greencollar patches and the company number on the shoulder pads.

___________________ A HISTORY OF MILITARY INSIGNIA

Together with a high collar, the shoulderboards were the dress uniform of theSoviet Army in World War 11.

Changes in uniform have also beenintroduced in the Chinese People's Liberation Army, and the soft cap and redcollared, green uniform bare of any insignia have been replaced by a hard cap anda tunic with epaulettes. These changesreflect the programme of modernizationbeing undertaken in the Chinese armedforces. The absence of insignia in theChinese Army had enhanced secrecyduring operations in the Korean War forinsignia can operate against its wearer. Ifhe is captured a prisoner is required togive only his name, rank, number anddate of birth. This information can thenbe passed through the International RedCross to his home country, where he islisted as a prisoner of war and can then becontacted by his next-of-kin and the Red

Cross.To his captors, however, he is a poten

tial source of information about the longand short-term plans of the enemy. Capbadges, the coloured backing to rankbadges and trade and skill insignia indicate the wearer's potential as a source ofintelligence. An ordinary infantrymanwill have limited value, but a skilledtechnician or senior officer. who mayknow about equipment and future plans,will have a long-term intelligence valueand will be worth retaining for a moredetailed interrogation before he is ispassed to a detention camp.

Soldiers on patrol 'sanitize' theirequipment: they remove letters and personal possessions from pockets and weara combat cap with no unit badge. Aircrewand men trained to infiltrate by canoe,sanitize their persons and equipmentbefore missions.

9. British Army corporal wearing the khakiuniform adopted in 1902, with the cap badgeofthe General List, Infantry for Scn'iccBattalions,the 1914 predecessor of theGeneral Service Corps instituted in 1942. He\\cars 'slip-ons' and the waist belt of the M.1914 leather infantry equipmenl.

(Rosigl/oli Collec/iol/)

10. Warrant officer of the Australian 13thLight Horse Regiment \\-'caring the standardBritish khaki drill uniform, officer's pattern,used during the Boer War and later in WorldWar I. His uniform displays the regimentalcap and collar badges, shoulder titles nodrank insignia above the cufTs.

(Rosigl/oli Collectiol/)

13

A HJSTORY OF MILITARY INSIGNIA _

11. Hungarian corporal of the pioneers of theAustro-Hungarian Army, in 1915, stillwearing the field uniform adopted in peacetime, with full length collar palches.

(Rosignoli Col/cc/ion)

14

12. Private ofa balloon observation unit in1918, wearing the latest field service uniformwilh 'reduced' collar patches. Note that manysoldiers kept on wearing the 'fJI' cockade tothe end of the war.

(Rosignoli Col/cc/ion)

There are always exceptions, and anow respected British military historian,Michael Glover was captured on patrol inItaly, crossing the Rubicon 'the wrongway'. His German captors looked at hismixture of insignia, which included a capbadge from a British yeomanry regiment,a pistol lanyard from the Palestine Policeand medal ribbons that showed that hehad served in North Africa. Fascinated,his captors asked where he had served.When they learned that he had been inTunisia, the questioning became moredetailed, and, deciding that events over ayear old did not constitute valuable intelligence Glover told the German officersabout a small but violent action in whichhe had participated in Tunisia. His captors explained that they had been on theother side, and they began to exchangememories. Recalling the episode longafter the war, Glover remarked, 'We hadalready had one bottle of Chianti and Imanaged to get them to open another onthe strength of the conversation.'


13. Hungarian colonel in service dress during World War 11.The Hungarian uniforms retained many similarities with the pre-1918 imperial uniforms.Namely the type of cap badge and rank insignia on the collar. The cap worn by this officer andthe pocket naps of his tunic arc typically Austrian.

(falas and Hillgyi Col/ec/ion)

BADGES 0 BATILEDRESSThroughout history, convention and national custom have dictated that rank,skill and unit badges should be displayedon different parts of a serviceman's uniform and headgear.

The hat has been a common place forthe name of the corps, regiment or ship tobe displayed. Like major corps of thearmy, the air forces of the world wearbadges that give no indication of theirsub-group, be it squadron, regiment orbattery. In the days before World War 11,the air forces of many countries wereunder the control of the army or navy,and pilots and ground crew wore uniforms that were similar to soldiers' orsailors'. However air crew worespecialized insignia.

The corps or unit badge could bedisplayed on a peaked cap, reinforcedwith wire to make it an acceptable item ofparade wear. Head-dresses include sidehats or 'fore-and-aft' caps, which couldbe unbuttoned to protect the ears andneck, berets, which were common byWorld War 11, and soft-brimmed hats,which were worn in the jungle fighting ofthe 1950s and 1960s. The US Army putinsignia of rank on the helmets and hatsworn in the field, and this practice wasadopted by the Royal Marines, who currently display rank on the cold-weatherheadgear worn in Norway.

At the beginning of this century, pithhelmets - known as ·Head-dresses.Foreign Service. Helmet Colonial Pattern' - were worn by British troops inthe war in South Africa. The US Armyhad the 'smoky bear' hat, a broad-brimmed hat that was shaped into the 'Montana peak' by pinching the crown at fourplaces. The smoky bear hat is still wornby the US Marine Corps Drill Instructors(Dls).

Officers' stars or pips were originallyworn on the collar in the 18th century andthen moved to the cuffs and/or shoulders.During World War I they were displayedon the cuffs of British officers' uniformsuntil it became evident that Germansnipers were looking for men with thisobvious rank insignia; it was then mademore discreet. The high casualty rate

IS


16

A HISTORY OF Mll.JTARY INSIGNIA

among first lieutenants or subalterns inthe British Army in World War I produced the bitter joke 'one star, onestunt': a first lieutenant would surviveonly one major attack (stunt). The actualstatistics were that a soldier in one of thebetter divisions could count on a maximum of three months' service withoutbeing killed or wounded, while a juniorofficer at the front had a life expectancyof five months in an ordinary regimentand a chilling six weeks in a crack one.The antagonism felt by front-line soldiersfor red-tabbed staff officers was powerful. Phillip Knightly recounts in The FirstCasualty that the sight of a staff officerwas like a red flag, and all the battalionofficers and men 'desired his death intensely'.

The convention that rank should bedisplayed on the shoulder is not exclusiveto officers. Many armies find it bothrational and tactical to display all rank onthe epaulette. It is, however, customaryamong officers that the most junior wearsone symbol - a star or bar being themost common - which is increased tothree as he advances in rank. Sometimesthe most junior officer is called a secondlieutenant. sometimes a First. In his bookWinged Dagger which described his service in the SAS in World War 11, RoyFarran recalled the way that the one 'pip'of a second lieutenant could be mistakenfor a major's one crown. When an Arabstreet vendor addressed him as 'MisterMajor' he recalled, 'Of course it wasreally the touch of calling me MisterMajor which did it. I prided myself onhaving such an air of authority that hehad mistaken mv single pip for a crown'.

Ethnic head-dresses not only identifythe regiment but also the nationality ofthe wearer. Turbans, the Scottish glengarry, the Irish caubeen and even the

14. A British and Irish officer in a photographtaken in the 1920s. The former is alieutenant colonel of the LeicestershireRegiment with two World War I overseasservice insignia on the right forearm. Thelatter is a major general wearing the rankinsignia adopted in 1923, ie. onc gold barbetween two red bars on the collar and on theshoulder straps.

Australian slouch hat served to identifythe owner. Further, in the case of aglengarry, a coloured band might alsodisplay the tartan, thus giving a furtherindication of the loyalty of its wearer.

From the head, the observer wouldshift his gaze to the neck. The lapels of ashirt or tunic could show the rank or armof a serviceman. The red gorgets with thesmall buttons at the top, which are wornby a British staff officer, are a throw-backto the two buttons that secured the metalgorget plate at the throat of an ensign ofthe British Army in the Napoleonic wars.Until the introduction of armour forsnipers in World War I, this plate was thelast remaining example of armour. InWorld War 11 the German Army gave itsMilitary Police a gorget breast plate bearing the word Feldgendarmerie in luminous paint so that the police could beseen at night when they were on trafficduty. The plate hanging from its chainearned them the nickname Ketten Hund(chained dogs), since their duties, whichincluded discipline, made them unpopular with ordinary soldiers.

Collars were often in a coloured material that indicated the arm of service.They indicated rank and also bore a motifsuch as crossed cannons, a lyre, crossedrifles, wheels, a tank or a flaminggrenade.

Buttons could be a further indicationof arm of service. In the British Army theminute detail of the regimental systemprovides black buttons for rifle regiments, while the cap badge was reproduced on each button of the khaki No. 2dress uniform. Such detail is in sharpcontrast with the Germans, who have asimple, stippled aluminium alloy buttonfor all ranks.

Belts and belt buckles could be used toshow rank, arm of service or nationality.The British Indian Army had exquisitebelt buckles made in white and goldmetal, while in World Wars I and 11, theGermans produced a tough leather belt,which formed the basis of their loadcarrying equipment. The Imperial Armyhad the Kaiser's crown in the middle ofthe buckle, and the Wehrmacht had theNazi eagle and swastika in the centre of

the buckle. German officers had a brown,double-claw buckle belt.

With the exception of the Hungarians,the Warsaw Pact forces today have followed the Soviets in belt design, and theywear a brass or aluminium alloy platebuckle with a national motif in the centre,Thus, the Russians have a star with ahammer and sickle, the East Germans ahammer and dividers with a wreath oftwo hands of wheat, while the othernational armies use motifs that have anational significance.

At the beginning of the century,officers wore complex gold and silver laceon leather parade dress belts, but, apartfrom supporting a sword, which was fastbecoming a dress item rather than aweapon, the belt had little function. TheSam Browne belt, which was compulsoryfor officers and warrant officers of theBritish Army until 1939, had a functionaluse. It has now become a badge of rankfor officers and senior non-commissionedofficers of almost every military power inthe world. Consisting of broad brownleather belt with a brass double-clawbuckle, the Sam Browne belt was designed to take the pistol and ammunitionpouches as well as the sword worn by anofficer. The designer, General Sir SamBrowne VC, a veteran of the IndianMutiny who gave his name to the equipment, had one arm, having lost the otherin action. He was thus unable to handlehis sword on the long sword frog designedfor mounted officers. The Sam Brownebelt carried both sword and pistol, and anammunition pouch on a belt was supported by two leather cross-straps. Thepistol holster is no longer used in thearmy, but is retained for police wear. Thesword is still worn on parades, but onlyone cross-belt is retained.

Although not a badge, officers' andwarrant officers' accoutrements like aSam Browne belt and the 'swagger stick',cane or pace stick are a clear sign of rankin the eyes of the men they command.The cane that was carried by officers inthe British Army up to the 1960s originated in the centurion's truncheon, which was used to administerpunishment to the soldiers under his

17

(Haermuseet, Oslo)


command. The threats offered on theparade ground by drill sergeants armedwith a pace stick (a 3-foot 10'ng, brasstipped pair of dividers, designed to checkthe correct pace of parade ground drill)would suggest that the centurion's spirit isstill alive.

With a few odd exceptions, like thecolour of footwear - black for soldiers,brown for officers - and a Scottishsoldier's kilt and sporran. rank and unitidentity are not displayed below thewaistband. The major area of display isthe tunic or jacket front, to the left andright of the buttons, the shoulders andthe outer face of the sleeves.

The origins of shoulder epaulettes areobscure. Two versions have been suggested. The first is that the leather lacesor 'points' securing a knight's armour tohis leather doublet were retained whenarmour was no longer worn. On a doublet, the laces indicated that the owner had'knightly status'. The second versiondates from the comparatively recent introduction of the musket at the turn ofthe 17th and 18th centuries. The soldierloading a musket needed to secure to hisshoulder the cross-belt carrying the cartridges. He therefore sewed a buttonedcloth loop on to his coat.

In Britain since World War H, thearmed services have made changes. Because load-carrying equipment can coverconventionally displayed rank, rank hasalso been displayed on the chest and on

15. Lieutenant of the orwegian Armywearing the service dress used in the 1930s.11 is an austere uniform which displays theindispensable badges: the national insigniaand rank stripes on the collar and greenpiping on the collar and cuffs and stripes onthe trousers.

16. Two Danish olliccrs photographed in1939, wearing the M.1923 khaki servicedress, with two different types of tunic'scollar. The typical Danish ollicers' forage capand the shoulder straps are ornated with silklace. Different patterns of stars, according toclass of rank, were worn on the shoulderstraps by ollicers(roseltes by olliciants) oradministrative officers. All regular officerswore a rour-pointed star on each side of thecollar. rr. ./ Ch)

I J 0/ wsmuseel, open agen

18


(8arbarski Collec/ion)

(Rosigl1oli Collection)

17. General Pietro Badoglio, later marshal,wearing the grey-green full dress used untilt934. His cap badge is gold embroidered onred backing and the aigrelle was worn byofficers in active command of regiments orhigher formations - he was then chief of thegeneral staff. He also wears the generals'silver aiguillelles and epaulelles, the lallerwith rank insignia, and on the forearm hedispla}'s seven badges of promotion for warmerit, which account for his extraordinarycareer.

t8. A Polish delegation in Italy, before WorldWar 11. In the foreground from left to right:Italian general commander of dh'isionwearing the greatcoat; Polish general ofbrigade in full dress uniform wearing theaiguillelles and decorations and medals; lhecity's ma)'or in Fascist party uniform with thetri-coloured sash, his badge of office, aroundhis waist. Both generals display theirtraditional and somehow similar general'sinsignia, the Italian "greea' and the Polish'zig-zag', below the cap badge and on the cuffsand, the latter on the collar also. Note thestaff badge and a regimental badge pinned onthe pockets of the tunic of lhe Polish general.In the background on the righl there is ageneral of lhe Polish mountain troops withhis traditional brimmed hat with a cluster offeathers.

the back on vertical epaulettes. TheFrench during World War 11 moved rankinsignia to the chest of combat clothingand their colonial armies followed thispractice; thus in Vietnam, the US forcesfound that Vietnamese officers wore aloop of cloth on their chest, rather thanon the shoulders or lapels, that showedrank.

Rank is also displayed on the sleevenear the cuff, although this is normallyonly done by senior non-commissionedofficers. The Israeli Army has retained asimplified version of the British ranksystem, even to the extent of using aleather wrist-band to display the metalsergeant major's rank when the wearer isin shirt sleeve order.

It is difficult to establish exactly whennon-commissioned officers began to wearinsignia, but in the British Army, suchinsignia was being worn in the late 18thcentury. The most usual form goes fromone to three stripes stripes taking theform of a V, either inverted or conventionally displayed. By the time the rankof sergeant is achieved, three stripes areworn, and above that they are embellished before disappearing completely inthe insignia of warrant officers. The USArmy, however, has a system by whichstripes are added below the inverted V toproduce a rather more complex patternof NCO rank insignia. Moreover, the USArmy has the rank of Specialist (orSpec), which was introduced in the 1950sand which has a parallel function to theline NCOs.

Above the rank of captain, a symbolicsingle motif can be used. A crown isconvenient in an army that has a monarchas its titular head, and stars are used inarmies of Warsaw pact countries. Eagles,flowers and sometimes simply more barsor bars of different thickness - a littlelike the navy - may be worn. Thedesigns can be kept fairly simple bychanging the colour of the epaulette orthe stars. The Soviet Union combinesstars with bars that run the length of theepaulette and uses different patterns andcolours of gold lace as a backing. Toindicate a more senior rank, the stars areincreased in size. The epaulette may also

20


21


22

19. A group of Italian fascists wearing theparty uniform at a village fair, ncar Trieste.All wear the fasces on the head-dress and onthe shoulder straps of the typical fascistjacket. The second man from the left displayshis appointment - not rank - insignia on thebreast, above the ribbons.

(Rosiglloli Colleclioll)

20. Black shirt of the 95th Legion of ItalianFascist Militia, with the fleur-de-I is ofFlorence on the breast above the ribbons,which include a medal for military valour, twocrosses for war merit, four years participationin World War I and tcn years service in theMVSN. It is unlikely,however, that anemhroidered legion badge and embroideredfasces were worn on a summer shirt, whichrequired daily washing.


21. ~Avanguardista'orthe Italian FascistYouth. He wears the cap badge used from1938to 1943, while collar patches withwhite melal badge and the GIL medallion onthe lapel. The medallion depicted Mussolini'shead surrounded by Ihe mollo of the youthorganisation.


A HISTORY OF MILITARY lNSIGNIA

carry a miniature badge showing the armof service that the officer belongs to:crossed cannon for an artillery regimentor a wreathed star for a motor rifleregiment.

Sometimes the epaulette was used tocarry the regimental number of the soldier, and this could be amplified byadding a coloured piping to show his armof service. Thus, in the German armyduring World War 11 an observer could.by looking at a man's epaulette. tell thatthe wearer was an CO or officer in the5th Infantry Regimen\. colour andnumber providing the extra information.

It is easy to sec why the War Officeissued a little pamphlet in January 1942called'A Guide to the Identification ofGerman Units'. With superb optimism itincludes the most senior ranks of theGerman Army and Air Force but adds inthe introduction: 'It should be remembered that for security reasons the enemymay do away with badges of rank, shoulder straps etc .. in the case of troopsselected for invasion ..

The British Army, however, has retained the practice of using a colouredbacking to cloth pips to indicate the corpsor divisional loyalty of the officer. Firstauthorized in 1940. these colours werelater amended.

The German Army both in the twoWorld Wars and afterwards as two separate national armies had an impressivestyle of knotted gold and silver. or silver.epaulette. Superimposed on these cordswere small metal pips. For ranks belowmajor the epaulette was a simple patternof parallel silver cords. NCOs had aborder of silver lace with silver metal pipsaccording to rank. Like the Russians.there were also small badges showing thearm or regimental number.

Metal shoulder badges arc a feature ofthe Polish Army, and they are used toshow that the wearer is attending a schoolor course. Cloth loops to show that theman or woman is an officer candidate arewidely used. The white loops used in anumber of British and Commonwealtharmies are nicknamed 'candy stripes'. apun on candidate by South African soldiers.

23


In addition to the use of a V to showjunior non-commissioned officer rank,single bars, either parallel or at an angle,have been used. The Army of the IrishRepublic has a rank insignia that has bothan upward and a downward v, producingsomething that looks a little like a wavyline. An NCO may sometimes display hisspeciality or skill above his stripes; crossed flags would be worn by the signalssergeant, for example, or axes by thepioneer sergeant.

Although the stripes may appear similar to an outsider, the names given toranks by different armies can cause confusion. The rank of corporal can bereferred to as brigadier in the Frenchspeaking armies, while a brigadier inEnglish-speaking armies is a one-stargeneral. An adjutant in English-speakingarmies can be a position held by a captainas an administrative officer in a battalionstrength organization; in Francophonearmies a man with that title rank is asergeant major. Even greater confusioncan arise with English-speaking armies.An officer in the Royal Artillery discovered that one of the US Marinesattached to his battery on a course heldthe rank of Gunnery Sergeant or Gunny.'Actually we discovered that he knewnothing about artillery,' said the Britishgunner officer. British cavalry regimentsand Guards regiments conjure up rankswith titles such as corporal of horse orlance sergeant, - which ordinary lineinfantry or corps can find confusing.

Rifle regiments in the British armywear black rank insignia on their sleeves;in dress uniforms these are black with agold or silver border, while in the fieldthey can be black and green. Thesecolours reflect the tradition ofcamouflaged rifle-green clothing that wasworn in the 19th century.

The US Army has a variety ot slangand nicknames for officers. The singlegold bar of a first lieutenant can be a'butter bar' or 'brown bar', while the fullcolonel, with his eagle insignia, is a 'birdcolonel' (the British refer to lieutenantcolonels rather unkindly as 'half colonels'). Young platoon commanders,who were made up from conscripted

24

men, were nicknamed 'shake 'n' bake'officers after the quick-bake cake mixes.

Epaulettes are also used in the BritishArmy to carry regimental initials. Thetradition is an old one, dating back further than the introduction of battledress inthe late 1930s. Some regiments have afacsimile of the cap badge with initials,like the Welsh Guards with their leek andWG; others, like the Duke of Wellington's Regiment, spell out their titlealmost in full. The original titles were inbrass or bronze, but they are now produced in an alloy that requires no c1ean-

22. Finnish Air force officer, World War 11period. He wears a dark blue uniform withthe cap badge shown on page 97, armypattern collar patches with black frames andfir twigs on blue background, which displaysthe usual rank insignia.

(SOlOlIIlIseo, Helsinki)

-- A HISTORY OF MILITARY INSIGNIA

ing. A split-pin backing used to securethe brass titles to the epaulette, but now,like most badges in the west, they arenormally held in place with a clutch-pinbacking. In the armies of Warsaw Pactnations, badges are still of the broochbacked or screw-pin type.

Rank was not displayed only on theshoulders, however. Non-commissionedofficers wore their rank insignia on theupper arms, while naval officers woretheirs as bands on their sleeves. Thisnaval practice was adopted by many airforces when separate air arms were established.

The French Army and Marines havecitation lanyards or fourrageres, whichare more elaborate in design than theBritish corps or regimental lanyard.Made in two or three colours, fourragerescan be worn in one of three differentconfigurations. They are attached to thebattalion or regimental standard and inthis respect are similar to a US Presidential Citation, being both a unit and individual decoration. Worn on the leftshoulder, the fourragere can be attachedto a button under the epaulette or passedthrough the epaulette like a conventionallanyard. After the protests and mutiny inthe French army in Algeria in 1962, someunits who were only at the periphery ofthe protests were deprived as a unitpunishment of some of the fourrageresthey had been awarded for past heroism.

Insignia that at one time had a functional role but that has become symbolicand that is also based on knots and cords,includes sword knots. Originally thesewere the cords that allowed the owner tohang the sword from his wrist, so that itwould not be dropped in battle and, if itsowner was mounted, lost forever. Later,sword knots became a trimming to theguard on the sword, indicating, by theircolour and the way in which they weretwisted through the guard, the corps orregiment of the owner. The Germans hadan elaborate system of side arm knots in avariety of colours, which were attached tothe bayonet frog. Since German officersalso carried a dagger, this too had a knot,normally in aluminium thread. The EastGerman Army has retained this tradition

in its parade dress.Aiguillettes have also been retained in

both the Bundeswehr and the NationalVolksarmee, and the German use of thisinsignia can be traced back to the Prussian army of 1730, although a 'modern'version was introduced in 1808. Soldiersother than a general's ADCarequalifiedto wear them, including unit adjutants

-and music directors, as well as men onheadquarters staff.

Another form of identification that is

23. German officer holder of the Iron Crossofl and 11 Class, with the 'Wounded badge'and SA Sports badge. Although he wears theSS eagle on the left sleeve it is not clear towhich of the multifarious Third Reichorganisations he belonged.

used for NCOs in some armies is thelanyard. This knotted cord hangs fromthe left or the right shoulder, where it isheld in position by the epaulette, and it istucked into the top pocket of the tunic orcombat jacket. Traditional colours include blue for engineers and signallers,white for gunners and black and green forriflemen. The lanyard is meant to have awhistle at the end, although someofficers' lanyards have a 'dog clip'. Onenational service soldier of the 1950s recal-

24. Polish rifleman of a mountain battalion inBritain during World War 11. He wears thecape instead of the greatcoat. The eagle andthe small strips on his beret identify hisnationality and rank - lance corporal respectively. Collar patches identify thebranch of service.

(Polish Illsfilwe and Sikorski Museum)

25


25. Fusiliers of the 9th Battalion of the 3rdCarpathian Division in 1945 have just beenawarded the medallion and certificate for theliberation of the city of Bologna, Italy in 1945.

26

On the beret they already wcar their specialbattalion badge (see page 110) on the side ofthe Polish spreadeagle.All wear shoulder titles which identify their

nationality and the divisional "formation sign'.(Polish l"slilllfe and .\'ikorski Museum)

------- A HISTORY OF MILITARY INSIGNIA

led that it was a measure of how seriousan officer was whether he had a whistle ora bottle opener at the end of his lanyard;very smart officers had a corkscrew. Insome regiments in which the rank chevrons were displayed on the right armonly, NCOs wore lanyards on the left sothat soldiers would have no excuse forthinking that they were addressing amember of the other ranks.

Lanyards can come in the rather grander form of aiguillettes, which are wornby the aides-de-camp to senior officers.ADCs to a monarch, Admirals of theFleet and generals wear them on the rightside, while attaches to foreign governments wear them on the left. Thesestriking and rather elaborate cords originated in the days when an ADC to ageneral carried the rope and tent pegs totether his chief's and his own horse. Theeasiest way to carry them was slung overhis shoulder, and so this cluster of cordsbecame the insignia of an ADC.

The colour and design of badgesreflected the fact that uniforms weregenerally dark 'navy' blue and white. Thechoice of this colour dates back to 1748when, according to a popular story, KingGeorge 11 noticed the Duchess of Bedford, the wife of the First Sea Lord,riding in Rotten Row dressed in a strikingblue and white habit. It may also be truethat she was so dressed to help the kingmake up his mind because the Admiraltyhad itself already chosen this colour combination.

Epaulettes, which are now a commonway of denoting commissioned rank inworking dress, were introduced in 1795,when it was said that officers of the RoyalNavy suffered a loss of prestige amongforeigners who all wore them. However,until 1812 captains of under three years'seniority and commanders wore onlyone. The epaulettes worn today are,moreover, a simple loop of gold ribbonon blue, or for the air force, of pale blueon darker blue; those worn in 1812 weremore complex creations in gold lace.

During the 20th century the navies ofthe world have faced many technologicalchanges, and the air forces, even thoughthey had a rudimentry existence at the

beginning of World War I, only properlycame into their own some 60 years ago.Many of the sleeve badges of these armsare, therefore, less traditional than thoseof the army. Non-substantive badgesworn by the Royal Navy in World War 11included those for trades like airmechanic ordnance, torpedo gunner'smate and higher submarine detector. Incontrast, there were badges for officcr'scook, chief sailmaker and stoker firefighter, although by the 1980s many ofthese had gone. The army, on the otherhand, sometimes retains old badges, butgives them new meanings: semaphoreflags are still used to indicate skill as asignaller, but now a signaller may beusing satellite ground station, or encryption and burst transmission on radiomessages. Post-war navies working withthis type of equipment have adopted asimple working dress of shirt and trousers, or sometimes overalls, but it is stillused to display rank and trade. On moreformal and traditional dress, the pulloverwith square collars and black scarf alsodisplayed rank. Colours for badges werecommonly red or blue. In tropical water,uniforms were either white or khaki.

The Japanese, who were widely influenced by western, particularly British,teaching, adopted a uniform and rankthat had much in common with thoseworn by their American and Britishenemies. Although rank could be displayed on the cuffs, epaulettes were usedon white uniforms. The Imperial chrysanthemum served as 'pips', taking the placeof the crown used in other 'royal' navies.The wreath and anchor dominate navalinsignia, just as eagles and wings are atraditional theme in air force badges.

As masters of iconography, the Japanese adopted a series of simple, understandable badges. Thus an engineer thirdclass had a spanner in a wreath; anengineer second class two spanners, andan engineer first class had two spannerswith the silhouette of an aircraft.

The arms have, however, been used todisplay a variety of insignia since the turnof the century. Insignia designating skillsand trades, long service, or membershipof regiments and corps are the most

27


26. Technical Sergeant of the USAAFdisplaying the unofficial chevrons withwinged propeller used during World War If.He has blue and yellow piping on lhe top ofthe curtain of the garrison cap, the wingedpropeller on the disc of the left lapel, the air

28

force patch on the left upper sleeve and thespecialist badge (Photographer) on the rightforearm. On the right upper sleeve he wearsthe official photographer's 'tab' and fouroverseas service bars on the other sleeve.

obvious, but brigade and divisional insignia have also been sewn on to shirts,combat jackets and battledress.

Some of these badges are also worn onthe chest. Paratroopers in the US Army,for instance, wear their wings on thechest, while the British carry them ontheir shoulders. The Soviet Union has aseries of arm badges: motor rifle regiments have a red backing and airborneregiments a pale blue backing, whileother arms, including armour, artilleryand engineers, have a black backing. Allthese badges include the Soviet star andhammer and sickle motif above the arminsignia.

The air forces and navies of the worlduse the arm of their jackets to displayskills and trades. The British Royal Navyhad a great influence on training anduniforms before World War I, and manybadges worn by navies today look verysimilar.

During World War 11, the BritishRoyal Navy adopted the practice of reducing a cap tally to HMS for 'HisMajesty's Ship' so that the ship would notbe identifiable from the cap. Commonwealth nations followed suit, changingtheir tallies to HMCS (Canada), HMAS(Australia), HMNZS (New Zealand) andHMIS (India). South Africans placed ananchor between the letters SA on theirtally. the Royal Navy made a distinctionin rank between the Women's RoyalNaval Service (WRNS), which had paleblue rank on their cuffs, and the RoyalNaval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) andRoyal Naval Reserve (RNVR), whosedistinctive 'wavy' rank bands gave themthe nickname 'the wavy navy'. The unusual British tradition of volunteer reserves, which produced the TerritorialArmy, RAFVR for the Royal Air Forceand the Royal Corps of Observers, provided a vital element in the defence of theUnited Kingdom in 1939-45. They stillexist and have a parallel in the NationalGuard and Air National Guard in theUnited States.

The United States, with its Atlanticand Pacific coasts, has always needed aneffective Coast Guard. The insignia worn

27. Blue jumper of a seaman 1st class (",hitebraid around the right shoulder and three",hite stripes on the cuffs) of the US avy,",ith discharge insignia on the right breast.Note the yellow anchor design embroideredinside on the inner lining. There is a pocketon the left breast and another one in theinner lining at the back within the anchor. Onthe back of each cuff is se"n a patch whichdepicts a silk \\-m·en Chinese dragon.

(Rosigno/i Collec/ion)

28. OD field jacket, pattern dated 1944, usedby a technical sergeant of infantry, attachedto the 5th US Army in Italy. lis wearer hadtwo years of overseas service and displayedthe combat infantryman insignia abOl'c hisribbons. His ribbons refer to a Bronze star,the medal for the American Defence Serviceand for the European-African-Middle EasternService. The latter carries a bronzearrow·hcad, a sill'er star and a bronze star.


29. OD service jacket used by a US Armysergeant on demobilisation, arter World War11. The insignia on this jacket identifies itswearer as a sergeant of the medical corps,who had served overseas for three years in theUS Army Forces Pacific Area and was laterattached to the 6th Army. The meritoriousservice insignia is displayed on the rightforearm and the discharge insignia above theright breast pocket.



by the Coast Guard is similar to that ofthe US Navy, but efforts are made todistinguish the two forces. For example,the officer's cap badge is different: thenavy has two anchors held in the claws ofthe US eagle, the Coast Guard only one.An interesting rationalization of naval,air force and army insignia involved thewearing of miniature metal badges onnaval garrison caps and the khaki shirtsused in the tropics. Army-style rank barsand stars were used, although naval rankapplied; thus the two silver bars of anarmy captain were worn by a navallieutenant. The army's 'buller bar', thesingle gold bar of a 2nd lieutenant, isworn by a naval ensign.

A commonly used and widely respected badge is the dolphin to indicatethat the sailor is in a submarine fleet.Both the US Navy and the Royal Navyuse it - as a breast badge, which isuncommon in many navies - andindeed, the Royal Navy shore establishment for training submariners is namedHMS Dolphin. The German navyadopted the Luftwaffe and army practiceof awarding metal breast badges, whichlooked very similar to those of the Army.Included were breast badges for submarines, destroyers, the high seas fleet,coastal artillery and E-boats. One of themore unusual ones was awarded to blockade runners, Axis ships that had evadedthe Allied blockade of occupied Europeconducted by the Royal Navy and RoyalAir Force and, with the entry of theUnited States into the war, by USAAFaircraft and ships.

One Allied navy that saw little actionin World War 11 was the Soviet Navy.Russian sailors have always enjoyed a

30. StafT sergeant, US Army, in about 1946.He displays his chevrons on both uppersleeves, the divisional shoulder sleeveinsignia on the left upper and the distinctiveinsignia of the 350th Infantry Regiment onthe left side of the garrison cap, the piping ofwhich denotes branch of service - light bluefor infantry. After World War 11 the seniorsergeants started to wear the officer's darkbrown garrison cap but with enlisted menpiping.

(fessie, Collection)

30


special place in the history of the SovietUnion since they spearheaded the Bolshevik uprising

After the war, the new Soviet Airborne Force were given a uniform thatincluded a striped, T-shirt vest, similar toa navy vest, as an indication of the specialrole assigned to the airborne forces.

Russian sailors did, however, fight onland and were present at the battle forStalingrad and in raids and operations onthe Baltic coast and in the Crimea. Sovietnaval rank is displayed on the shoulderboards that had been instituted in 1943 aspart of the new uniforms and insignia.Previously, rank was displayed on thecuff only. The cuff insignia remained, butas short bars rather than as the full ring ofgold lace. Shoulder boards were used toshow the fleet in which the officer orrating served: the Pacific Fleet, ArcticFleet or Lake Onega Flotilla, for example, was indicated on the shoulder

boards. Cap bands or tallies were retained, and they must be one of the mostwidely used forms of insignia in theworld, although they are not worn in theUS avy.

Army-style chevrons on uniforms displayed rank and special skills. Any serviceman who has tried unsuccessfully todraw stores or equipment from an unhelpful storeman, will find the crossedkeys of a storekeeper peculiarly appropriate. The predictable lightning bolts indicate a signaller. Cooks have severalgrades, from cook third class or officer'ssteward up to a chief officer's steward,and including cook and a baker cook.

The use of diamond-shaped badgeswith one or two letters marked a movefrom symbolic insignia. Symbols had theadvantage of being easily understood bymen who might have a low level ofliteracy; letter badges were used to represent trades like photographer, teacher,

shore patrol and gunnery instructor.While some badges indicated the trade,others could show the standards attainedby the rating; an unenclosed E in bluestood for excellence in gunnery, and thesame letter in red represented excellencein engineering.

One badge that was worn by USservicemen and is still found in the British

31. A group of Americans of the 350thInfantry regiment photographed in a USservicemen's club in Italy, in 1945. Most arcwar veterans judging by the number or theirribbons and by the overseas service insigniavisible on the left forearm of two men. Allwear on the shoulder straps the combatleader identification insignia, althoughdistinctive insignia at this time were still wornon the lapels. The shoulder sleeve insignia orthe 88th Infantry Division could be seen onthe left upper sleeve of the fifth man from thelefl.

(Tessier Collection)

31


_.'"_.

armed forces, is the Combined Operations badge. An elegant combination ofanchor, Thompson sub-machine gun andeither an RAF eagle or an Americanizedversion of the eagle, the badge was wornby men who were among the forceslanded by small boat or parachute intoOccupied Europe during World War 11.As the war progressed, it was morewidely worn, and RAF ground crewsoperating in temporary air strips on theNormandy beach-head wore it on theirbattledress. The British version was redon blue; the American yellow on red.

The US Marine Corps and the RoyalMarines have always been closely involved with their respective navies. Theyhave also always enjoyed a friendly rivalry. One of the most notable distinctionsbetween a Royal Marine and his UScounterpart is that, although the capbadges of both show the globe, that of theUS Marines has the two continents ofAmerica, while that of the Royal Marineshas the other side of the world, anddepicts Africa and India. The US MarineCorps cap badge has the American eaglewith an anchor; the Royal Marines badgehas a wreath with the royal lion andcrown insignia. On badges worn byofficers, the 'dog and basket' are detached, while for NCOs and marines thecrown is joined to the wreath.

A much larger force than the RoyalMarines, the US Marine Corps has aircrew, as well as their own artillery arm.The Royal Marines draw on the RoyalNavy and British Army for these resources, although gunners, sappers andother supporting arms complete the 'allarms commando course' and are 'greenhatted'-that is, qualified to wear thegreen beret. When these soldiers returnto their parent units they are permitted to

retain the World War 1I army commando

32. Four pages taken from Know Your Allies,an identification booklet published by theSupreme Headquarters Allied PowersEurope in the early 1950s. This publicationshows that most Western European Nationsworeat that time British-style uniformsalthough retaining, when applicable, theirown traditional insignia.

(SHAPE)

32

OTHER RANKS • ARMY -

OTHER RAHKS • ARMy Lt! I


.-

LES AUTRES SHADES • TERRE

-~ ..-...--

....

33


33. The nag of the 'Ier Regiment Etranger'on parade at Sidi-bel-Abbes, Algeria, in 1955.The 'sergent-cher in the foreground ..earsthe additional gold edged chinstrap whichidentifies his rank and the senior NCO.'dress epaulelles.

(Rosignoli Collec/ion)

35. NCOs of the Foreign Legion relaxingbefore a meal, 1956. Note the re-enlistmentchevrons worn below the main sleeveinsignia.

(Rosignoli Collec/ion)

34


34. The platoon ofIA orthe IsI REI onparade al Sidi-bel-Abbes in 1955. Theofficers and the NCRs in Ihe foreground wearIhe dark blue kepi while all other ranks wearIhe kepi 'blanc' typical of the 'legionnaire'.

(Rosignoli Collection)

36. As above, bulthe 'Compagnie desEleves Grades'. Two officers, one NCOand other ranks, all displaying Ihedislinclive insignia on the right pockel.

(Rosignoli Collection)

35


insignia of the red commando dagger on ablue background.

Although the Soviet Naval Infantryhas a long tradition, it is, in fact, a postwar force. The men are well trained andhighly motivated. Insignia includes armystyle rank worn on shoulder boards andmetal badges for skills and qualificationslike paratrooper. Naval infantry wear ananchor badge on the left sleeve, while ontheir stiffened, dark blue berets they haveeither an other rank's or officer's badge.The other rank's badge is a star in apierced gold circle, while the officer'sbadge resembles a naval one. On the left

36

side of the beret is a red, pennant-shapedcloth patch with a metal anchor badge.The belt buckle, which is similar to thenavy buckle, has an anchor and star. Thenaval infantry have the blue and whitestriped jersey T-shirt similar to the oneworn by the navy and paratroops.

37. The Earl of Derby inspects lhe EastLancashire Regiment on Somme Day, 1950.The officer on lhe left wears the war-patternbattledress while lhe olher ranks wear thepost-war (M. 1949) battledress. On lhe blueberet the 4cap badge' is worn on a primroseyellow backing and no collar badges are wornon the battledress. In 1948 lhe officersreplaced lhe bronze badges of the servicedress with silver badges and brass buttons.The formalion sign of lhe Lancashire Brigadeand the regimental cloth shoulder litle areclearly visible on the sleeve of the sergeant.

(The Chesler Chronicle)


CUFF TITLESCuff titles are a peculiarly German institution. Adopted by the army beforeWorld War I, they became more significant during World War 11, reappearingafter the war with the West Germanarmed forces. In his authoritative book,German Army Uniforms and Insignia1933-1945, Brian L. Davis identifiesthree types of cuff title: battle honour orcampaign medal. elite army unit insigniaand training school, and command staffor special formation. The cuff titles of theWaffen SS are part of the second category, and some army units have beenconfused with Waffen SS units because ofthis, for names like Grossdeutschland andFeldhermhalle sound like SS titles.

Waffen SS cuff titles range from thefamous through the notorious to theobscure. The LAH, Hitler's Body Guard,which had grown to divisional strength bythe end of the war, had a cuff title thatwas based on Hitler's signature. Duringthe heavy fighting in Hungary at the closeof the war, Josef 'Sepp' Dietrich, whohad commanded the division until July1943, heard that Hitler had questionedthe courage of the Waffen SS. Enraged,he and some of the officers dispatchedtheir cuff titles to Hitler in a chamberpot. Waffen SS units were sometimesgiven names of figures from Germanhistory - Hohenstaufen, Giitz von Berlichingen - Florian Geyer or PrinzEugen, for instance and the title wasnormally in white lettering on a blackband with white borders. The letteringcould be in gothic script or a simple scriptlike that for Totenkopf.

TotenkoPf, Death's Head, was the 3rdSS Panzer Division, and its insignia raisesan interesting point about the use of thismotif in military badges. The death'shead has become popularly associatedwith the SS, but it has, in fact, a longerand more respectable history. It was atradtional badge for German units as farback as the mid-18th century, and it wasworn by the Black Hussars who foughtwith the Prussians at Waterloo. In WorldWar 11 the insignia, in two forms, was stillworn as a cap badge beneath the nationalemblem by Wehrmacht units. German

armoured units adopted the death's headas collar dogs worn with a black uniform.

The death's head was the cap badge ofthe British 17th Lancers, who wore it inmemory of General Wolfe who died onthe battlefield at Quebec in 1759. It isnow the cap badge of the 17/21st Lan-

38. Two British Army sergeants in Japan, inthe t950s. Both wear the UN Korean ribbon.The Scot on the left wears the regimentaltartan flash above the formation sign of theCommonwealth Division and hackle abovehis cap badge. The RASe sergeant on theright wears conventional cloth shoulder titlesand a lanyard.

(Fisher Col/ec/ion)

37


cers. Elsewhere, the skull appears as thecap badge of the 17/21st - the badge ofthe Spanish Foreign Legion - the Bridesof Death - a force formed by Francoduring the Spanish Civil War. Syriancommandos have a death's head badge,and young PLO fighters were photographed in early 1982 with the badge ontheir camouflaged uniforms.

Cuff titles, like the death's head,should not be seen as a uniquely SSinsignia. A number were worn by theGerman Army and Air Force, includingAfrikakorps, Krela, Mel, and Spanien1939, and Ker/and, and were, in effect,battle honours. Titles like GrossdeUlschland, Brandenburg, Fe/dhermhalle andInfanterie were granted to elite armyunits. At the other end of the scale weretitles like Propagandakompanie, Fe/dpost or Fe/dgendarmerie. Female assistants working in army offices were giventhe title Stabshe/ferinllen des Herres. Inthe post-war BUlldeswehr cuff titles havereappeared for the NCO school, Vnteroffizierschu/e, and for the Wachbataillon,the Guards Battalion, which is based atSiegburg near Bonn. The West GermanLuftwaffe has followed a cuff title tradition that was developed in the war.Geschwader names like Ma/ders, Vdetand Imme/malln perpetuate the names offighter aces of World War I, and officerair reporters were called Kriegsberichterder Luftwaffe. There were also commemorative cuff titles for men who hadserved with famous formations in WorldWar I.Arm bands tend to be associated with thepolitical swastika insignia worn beforethe war in Germany, but, like the death'shead, they have a longer and more re-

39. StalTofthe ATO headquarters alHeidelberg in 1965, which includes Belgian,British, Canadian, German, Italian and USArmy officers and NCOs.

The dale of Ihis photograph is imporlantbecause in that year the Royal Army ServiceCorps of Transport and all ranks werere-badged. However, as the new badges werenot yel a.ailable al Heidelberg the RCTpersonnel slationed there wore RAOC capand collar badges temporarily - third row,first man on the left.

(Fisher Collection)

38

------------- A HISTORY OF MILITARY INSIGNIA

39


spectable history. They are perhaps mostwidely known for their use by stretcherparties, recovering wounded or dead onthe battlefield. During the Falklandscampaign in 1982, there were complaintsthat British stretcher parties had comeunder fire: Argentine soldiers observedthe letter of the law and said that theywould not have fired at the men if theyhad been properly and clearly identified.In addition to arm bands, members ofstretcher parties can also wear a simplepullover waistcoat with large red crosseson the back and front.

Arm bands were worn to identify staffofficers in World War I, different coloursbeing used according to arm of serviceand staff position. The arm band has alsobeen retained by shore patrols, militaryor regimental police, and by men whoassume a temporary status, such as amovements officer at a port, airfield orrailway station.

White arm bands have been widelyused as a means of identifying umpires ontraining exercises, and they may also

40

wear the umpire's cap or helmet and usea vehicle marked with a white cross. Onexercises, 'enemy' troops are often distinguished by their coloured helmetbands, since all the uniforms are similarin appearance.

In more recent times the arm band hasbeen replaced by the brassard, an armband with a loop extending up to theepaulette to secure the band and preventit sliding down the arm. A brassard alsohas a larger area, which allows moreinformation to be displayed. Men withthe United Nations or other peace-keeping forces can show their nationality,organization and rank on a brassard,which can be quickly moved from shirt tocombat jacket, or simply removed altogether. Brassards can also be used as asupplementary pocket on the sleeve,which may be invaluable if the man iswearing a fragmentation vest.

Another form of battle honouradopted by the Germans in World War Iwas the arm shield, which was a pressedmetal plate, worn on the upper left

40. An international gathering at theHeidelberg NATO headquarters in themid-1960s. From lert to right: a British stafTsergeant, a German officer, a Canadiancorporal, a Belgian private, another Canadianand another British stafT sergeant. Collarbadges on collar patches identify the branchofservice of all except the Canadians whowear cloth shoulder titles.

(Fisher Collection)

sleeve. If a man was awarded three, onewas displayed above two. Most shieldswere made of white metal, but the oneawarded to troops who had fought in theCrimea and the Kuban in Russia was ofbronze. The first shield awarded was forthe Narvik campaign in 1940, but othersfollowed, particularly during the desperate actions at the close of the war. Ashield was to have been produced for the6th Army that fought at Stalingrad, but itnever materialized. Other shields werestruck for the defence of Lorient and thefighting in Warsaw in 1944, but it is likelythat, in the pressure of war, the shieldsnever reached the men who had earnedthem.


PATCHES AND BADGES

The US armed forces, notably the Army,have the distinction of being theoriginators of the unit patch. As far backas the Civil War, General P. Keary gavethe officers and later the men in his corpsa red patch to wear on the front of theircaps to identify them. From this beginning in 1862, patches and metal badgesproliferated in the Union army, and somedesigns may still be found in today's USArmy.

The corps dictated the shape of theemblem, the division within the corps thecolour; in World War 11 the 24th Corpsstill had its heart-shaped patch and the 1stCorps its round patch. World War Iwitnessed the arrival of shoulder patchesfor the US forces when the 81st InfantryDivision wore a 'wild cat' badge on theleft shoulder. This and the other patchesthat were subsequently adopted in Francewere unofficial, and it was not untilOctober 1918 that they were officiallypermitted.

The patches worn in France in WorldWar I were often locally made. In WorldWar 11, the embroidery techniques andskills of the Far East allowed original andattractive designs to be made with metalthread and silks.

In World War 11 machines were usedto make a vast range of embroideredpatches. At first they were embroideredon khaki cloth but after the war. whenthe US Army changed to army green, thepatches were produced on an army greenbacking. Later, in Vietnam many badgeswere made in 'subdued' black and green.The 1st Infantry Division, which hadfought with distinction in North Africa,Sicily, Normandy and Europe had beenuniversally known as 'The Big Red One',after the red number on its shield shapedpatch. And although red was hardly atactical colour, tradition won.

41. A group of Italian paratroopers wcaringcamouflage combat dress, escorted by two~carabinieri' in full dress. They wear the oldpattern pre-1964 parachute insignia on theupper left sleeve and rank insignia on theberet and on the left breast. At the fronl, fromleft to right, a 2nd lieutenant and a captain,followed by two warrant officers.

41


As other divisions had 'Airborne', the10th Mountain Division, which trainedfor mountain warfare, had a tab reading'Mountain'; it fought in Italy at theGothic Line and the Po Valley. The 25thInfantry Division, made famous by theAmerican writer James Jones in his accounts of the pre-World War 11 Army inHawaii, has the famous 'tropic lightning'patch, which features a red taro leaf witha bolt of yellow lightning. Memories ofWorld War 1 are· recalled by the 26thInfantry Division, which has the initialsYD (for Yankee Division). A pun ishidden in the patch of the 27th; it showsthe constellation Orion, and in WorldWar 1 its commanding officer was MajorGeneral J.F. O'Ryan. The 29th has theOriental symbol of yin and yang, butwhereas the interlocked shapes are oftenin blue and red or yellow and red in theFar East, the divisional patch is in theblue and grey of the North and the Southin the American Civil War. The 34th andthe 35th look to the Mid-West with the34th's tab featuring a red steer's skull ona black olla (Mexican flask), while the35th's has the cross in a circle that wasused to mark the Santa Fe trail. The 39th,which did not serve overseas, has a triangle surrounding the letter D. The triangle symbolizes thc three states of theMississippi delta, Mississippi, Louisianaand Arkansas. The 41st has a patchsymbolizing a Pacific sunset, and it looksa little like the insignia adopted by theshort-lived state of Biafra, which fought acivil war in Nigeria in the 1960s. The 41stlived up to the image in thc patch duringfighting in Salamaua, the Marshall islands, Mindanao and Palawan. The 45thDivision's thunderbird with its yellowbird against a red background draws onRed Indian art. The 79th had the cross ofLorraine long before it was adopted bythe Free French in World War 11; thedivisional patch dated back to World WarI. The 90th has a patch that could bemistaken for a brand: an 0 on its sidebisected by a T. The orthodox version isthat this stands for Texas and Oklahoma,but the wearers of the patch asserted thatit stood for 'tough ombres' (tough men).The buffalo on the 92rd patch was a

42

42. Captain of the Royal Engineers wearing No. I dress in a photograph taken in 1969. Thegilt and silver cap badge is worn together with bronze collar badges and anodised rank insignia::md buttons. A bronze badge was used on the khaki service dress cap.

(M. CajJi/cy Collection)

reminder that Red Indians called blacksoldiers ·buffaloes·. and the division wasa traditionally black unit in the thensegregated US Army. The 93rd has aFrench Casque Adrien, the Frenchhelmet of World War I, to show itsparticipation in that war. The screamingeagle of the 10 Ist is based on a bird called'Old Abe', which was the mascot of aregiment in the Iron Brigade in the CivilWar. The black shield commemorates theIron Brigade, and the Airborne tab wasadded in World War 11. The divisionserved with great distinction in WorldWar 11, seeing action at the defence ofBastogne, and earlier it was in part ofoperation Market Garden. The Ist Cavalry Division, with its large shield patchwith a horse's head and diagonal bar, sawaction in the Philippines in World War 11.It returned to the Far East in 1965 duringthe Vietnam war as the Ist Air Cavalry.

Among the other shoulder patches

;"fII------- A HISTORY OF MILITARY INSIGNIA

43. Recruits of the 'Volksarmcc' being s\\ornin at the Sachsenhousen National Memorial.built on the grounds of a former Naziconcentration camp. They "car the paradedress uniform with cuff patches on the tunic.stccl helmet and the officer on the right "carsthe dress helt and s>wrd. The emblem in thecentre of the nag is "orn on all head-dressesexcept the sleel helmet.

(l)res3 Office ofthe /lli"i~lryofNlI/ionalDefence ofthe GDR - /97/)

44. Captain, USAF, in flying o>eralls. Thesquadron insignia of the 61 Si Tactical AirSquadron "Green Hornets' is visible on hisright upper sleeve. On the other sleeve hedisplal's the Select Lead Crew badge and onthe breast he has the Tactical Air Commandpatch on the right, and a composite tag whichshows the pilot wing and his name on the leftside.

(Huye, Col/eel;on)

-13

A HISTORY OF MlLITARY lNSIGNrA _

worn in World War 11 were insigniadesignating theatre. They includedChina-Burma-India, and this shieldshaped patch had the Chinese NationalistSun, and a US star and bar. It was mostmemorably worn by the pilots of USAAFfighters, bombers and air transport unitsoperating with the British and Chinese.

Other patches included those of thebase commands set up to defend areasthat had been established abroad as basesfor operations. The only foreign base thatdid not need protection was Britain, soalthough a patch showing Big Ben againsta red and blue background was worn bymen in the UK, they were not required todefend the island. Threats to the USmainland seemed very real in 1941, andin 1942, after the bombing of PearlHarbor, several Frontier Defence Sectorswere established. They wore patches forthe Pacific Coast, Chesapeake Bay, NewEngland, New York-Philadelphia andSouthern Coastal, and AA ArtilleryCommand Control D.e. and AA Artillery Command Southern D.e.

The Allies trained a large number ofmen from occupied territory, and the USArmy provided badges for men fromFrance and China, even issuing a patchfor the US Mission to Moscow. TheFrench Forces training with the US worea patch that looks rather like the FrenchWehrmachr volunteer badge worn byFrenchmen who were serving withGerman forces during World War 11.Each has the French national colours invertical bars with the national nameabove it.

With its total commitment to war, theUS put actors and entertainers into uniform as part of the USO Camp Shows,which toured the different theatres toentertain the troops. The patch they worewas a red and white curved design with awinged motif.

At the bottom of the cuff, men hadoverseas service stripes or chevrons. Thechevrons indicated time served in WorldWar I, each one standing for six months.Stripes worn on the right sleeve indicatedwounds received in action.

The US Army Air Force and the USMarine Corps aviation wings had a series

44

of patches during World War 11. TheMarine corps had a red shield with wingsand stars and Roman numerals; the headquarters for the USMC Air Force in thePacific had a crown in place of thenumeral. There were four wings, andalthough the shield patch had beenadopted in March 1943, it was changed toa diamond-shaped patch with the MarineCorps badge, wings and the number ofthe wing.

45. Chief Petty Officer, Fire Controlman, USNavy. The 'cap badge' and the rating insigniaon the upper sleeve identify his rate and theemblem within the 'arc' and ~chcvrons'

identifies his speciality mark. The bars on hisforearm denote 12 years service. Twelve yearsservice with good-conduct (top row, centralmedal) made him eligible to wear gold arc,chevrons and service stripes. The eagle andthe speciality mark arc of silver.

(Hayes ColleClioll)


46. A dog's life in the army? This onebecame a sergeant and proudly wearshis chevrons and regimental badge onhis lasl parade in 1966, before retiring.He is sergeant Watchman 11 of IhcStalTordshire Regiment.

(717e Stafford K110/, /9(6)

The US Army Air Force was ratherless formal. It chose as its dominantcolours blue and yellow, with red at thecentre of the white star.

Triangles were, however, used forspecialist cuff insignia for trades like engineer, armourer, photography specialist,communications and weather specialist.These patches were yellow on blue, andthey bore a symbolic representation ofthe trade - a bomb, a camera and, forthe weather specialist, a weather vane.

US personnel attending the WarCrimes trials at Nuremberg and Tokyowore special patches, which, predictably,

featured the scales of justice. Commandsset up in former Axis-occupied or ownedterritory also had their own patches.Troops in Guam in the Philippines hadtwo different patches: one showed a palmtree, sandy shore and fishing boat; theother, less like a holiday poster, had apalm tree. Commands in Berlin Districthad the Brandenburg Gate, while USForces Far East had the snow-coveredpeak of Mount Fuji. The Ryukus Command based in Okinawa had a traditionalJapanese torii gate.

As new nations, which had been colonies or had been under Axis occupation,

began to adjust to freedom, the USgovernment sent military assistance missions to help with the training of theirarmies. The Military Assistance AdvisoryGroups (MAAG) in Laos, Taiwan andVietnam had their own patches.

The Korean war produced its quota ofinsignia. The Imjim River Scouts pocketpatch of the Advanced Combat TrainingAcademy of the 2nd Division featured aRed Indian chief's head on an arrowpointing northward through the Demilitarized Zone into North Korea, thepatch itself being a map of Korea.

Out of the US Army presence in

45


Europe, the concept of special forces thatcould train insurgent groups inside theEastern Bloc grew into the Special Forcesor Green Berets. Some of the insignia forthis force looked back to earlierspecialized units in the US Army, but theshoulder patch with its dagger crossed bythree lightning bolts came to be known asthe 'Saigon Electrical Works' badge.Since most of its members were qualifiedwith other skills, the patch was topped offwith the Airborne tab or, sometimes, theRanger tab. The raid in November 1970made by Special Forces men on a suspected North Vietnamese prisoner-ofwar compound at Son Tay, 23 miles fromHanoi, yielded no prisoners, which was atragic ending to a well-planned operation, but so thorough had been the secrecy surrounding the raid that the participants had created an unofficial shoulderpatch. 11 showed a pair of worried eyeslooking out from under a toadstool otherwise the patch was black. Beneath itthe tab read 'KITDIFOHS' which stoodfor 'Kept in the DarklFed Only on HorseShit' .

Other Special Forces insignia worn inVietnam included those adopted by theMobile Strike Forces, and they tended to

mix South Vietnamese and US motifs.The Mobile Strike Forces had a verysimple patch, the death's head with MFbelow it on a black shield. The tigerfeatured in some patches, and when the1st and 2nd Mobile Strike Forces becamemore formalized, the Death's Head wasreplaced by patches showing a knife withSF-style lightning bolts. Between 1968and 1970, the 2nd Mobile Strike ForceCommand (USSF only) wore a patchdepicting a dragon against the yellow andred bars of the South Vietnamese flagwith the tab'Airborne Mike Force' aboveit. ('Mike Force' was the universal corruption of Mobile Strike Force.)

The Military Assistance CommandVietnam Studies and Observation Group(MACV SOG) advised and assisted theSouth Vietnamese Special ExploitationService, which was later called theStrategic Technical Directorate. Behindthese rather vague titles were the operations that penetrated Viet Cong and

46

North Vietnamese Communications onthe Ho Chi Minh trail. The patch, whichone can hardly believe was worn, was adeath's head on a Special Forces greenberet; it had a cheerful Oriental flamboyance.

A major characteristic of the war inVietnam was the use of helicopters to liftboth men and supplies. The assaulthelicopter changed tactics, but beforethese could become standard practicethey had to be tested. The 11th AirAssault Division, formed in the UnitedStates, worked through the drills andtechniques, and wore a new patch: a blueshield with the figure 11 in a red circlewith wings below the tab 'Air Assault'.The 11th became the 1st Cavalry Division(Airmobile) in July 1965. Other unitsbecame air mobile as the war progressed,and new patches appeared, but perhapsthe most interesting was the 163rd ACR(Air Cavalry Regiment), whose patchfeatured a steer's head on a yellow shieldwith a diagonal black bar. The 163rdACR had been the 163rd RCT (Regimental Combat Team) and could lookback to 1884-7, when it was the 1stInfantry Regiment of the Montana National Guard. Redesignated the 163rdInfantry Regiment in 1922, it becamepart of the Federal armed forces in 1940as part of the 41st Infantry Division. In1945 it became the infantry regiment ofthe 163rd RCT and in 1953 an armouredcavalry regiment.

The wearing of foreign decorationsand insignia is carefully controlled out-

47. A group of Warsaw Pact soldiers wearingcombat uniforms, with the exception of thetwo Soviets with peaked caps who wearservice dress. In the foreground from left toright: Hungarian, Czechoslovak, Russian,German, and Polish other ranks, and othersof the same nationalities in the background.The cap badge seems to be the only item ofnational identification for the ranklessprivate, therefore when the steel helmet isworn, any means of national allegiencedisappear. Nevertheless the men wear adifferent uniform according to theirnationality and speak a different language.Rank badges are the only important insigniain modern warfare.

(Mililiirverlag der DDR (VER))


47


_ #

48


side an operational area. US Army Special Forces advisors in Vietnam sported anumber of the patches and badgesawarded to the elite forces with whomthey were serving. The Vietnamese,Cambodian and Civilian Irregular Defence Groups produced patches thatreflected their national and local tastes aswell as the earlier French influence on thearea. Thus the Cambodian Army Airborne Reconnaissance had Frenchstyle parachute wings, but in placeof the parachute there was a skull with ared beret. Above the skull was the word'Recon'. The South Vietnamese JumpStatus patch drew on the French airborneberet badge with its winged Romansword; the French badge is enclosed in acircle. The Vietnamese adopted the USpractice of classing parachutists by thenumber and type of jump made, but theyretained a badge similar to that worn bythe French, and they also had a goldthread on a red background badge fornon-airborne honorary parachutists.

Unauthorized patches for air mobileunits included the vertical winged swordon a black shield below an airborne tab,the component of the 1st AviationBrigade with parachute competence. The11 th Aviation Group Medical Evacuationhad a helicopter bearing a Red Cross,with open hands and wings and the motto'Dust off', the slang name for an airborneevacuation of casualties. The 95th Evacuation Hospital had the motto 'We care forall'. The Reconnaissance Team AspCCN, the Recon Team Kansas CCNMACV-SOG, and the Recon TeamAlaska CCN, however, wore patches thathad various unauthorized motifs likewinged skulls, snakes and daggers. Allshared the same motto - 'We kill forpeace'.

Although shoulder tabs have not beena traditional part of US military insignia,they grew as accepted or unauthorizedadditions to uniform. Colours varied, but

48. Although well camouDaged in his combatdress, wearing the red beret with wingedbadge as the only colourful item of hisuniform, this 'para' still seems to be veryconspicuous in civvy street.

(Hayes Col/cc/ion)

common were white letters on blue with ared border, or yellow on black with ayellow border.

During the early days of US involvement, a 'Viet-nam' tab, printed as whitelettering on a red background, appearedon items of uniform. It was even sewn onto non-standard camouflaged hats madefrom parachute silk. Following the USinvasion of Grenada and the peace-keeping mission in the Lebanon, other nonstandard tabs were produced. Patchesand tabs have been produced for menwho served in World War 11, Korea andmore recently Vietnam. They can beworn on non-military clothing, althoughthey have also appeared on old combatfatigues at reunions and pilgrimages.The chest has been a common place todisplay rank and skills: medal ribbons,pilots wings and numerous unit and qualification insignia are positioned to the leftand right of the buttons of a jacket ortunic.

The French have traditionally wornsome very fine metal regimental badgeson leather fobs from the right pocket oftheir shirt or tunic. This insignia cameinto use informally between the wars as ametal badge pinned to the tunic. In theircolonial postings, units would have commissioned local metal workers to makeunit insignia, but after World War 11 thebadge became more formalized.

The French Foreign Legion adoptedand modified these unit and regimentalbadges in a way that allows an observer totrace the origins and history of each unit.The 1er Regiment Etranger has a badgefeaturing the Mexican eagle with a snakein its beak. This recalls the heroic battleto the death by men of the Legion atCamerone in Mexico on 30 April 1863.Some badges are private jokes. The lerEscadron du ler Regiment EtrangerCavalerie has a crab motif: during theiroperations in the swamps of Indo-Chinain the 1950s they had been mounted inex-US Marine Crab and Alligator trackedamphibious vehicles. The Beme DemiBrigade de la Legion Etranger (DBLE)became part of the Free French forcesfighting in North Africa and later inEurope in World War 11, and it has the

49


cross of Lorraine in its badge. Beneaththe cross and the seven-flamed grenade ofthe Legion, a serpent lies crushed. TheLegion's service in Indo-China and NorthAfrica appears in the shape of outlines ofVietnam, dragons or Moorish symbols.

A less well known elite of the Frencharmed forces are the CommandoMarines. Like their British opposite numbers, they wear green berets, but theydraw their traditions from World War 11.Their bronze, shield-shaped cap badgehas a motif that includes a commandodagger, a small fishing boat and the crossof Lorraine. The unit badge fobs worn onthe breast include the CommandoJaubert, which alludes to Indo-Chinawith its dragon motif, and the Commando de Montfort, which uses heraldry frompre-revolutionary France. They wereamong the French forces sent to Beirut aspart of the multi-national peace-keepingforce in 1983-4 - a curious twist ofhistory, since to the south, on the Israeliborder, the PLO had held Montfortcastle, a crusader fortification, which fellto Israeli commandos. The FrenchGroupement Aeroporte (GAP), of whichthe commandos were part, has an eaglemotif, and there is now a version backedby the cedar of Lebanon to commemorate this deployment.

The unit fob badge has been adopted

50

by other armies and has even been wornby British soldiers attached to alliedforces. The practice of wearing othernational badges is a carefully guardedprivilege. ormally the wearer hasundertaken training or a course, andparachute wings are, therefore, mostcommon. Normally soldiers are allowedtwo foreign badges, more can make themlook like Boy Scouts collecting qualification badges. One British soldier, whocompleted a course with the US Armywhen it was in the Panama Canal Zone,returned to his unit with a very colourful'jungle expert' badge. It proved to be toocolourful for his commanding officer,who would not allow the soldier to wear iton his combat jacket.

An exception was made for a Britishsergeant who passed the US ArmyRanger course. He still wears his Rangertab with great pride, having a black ongreen 'subdued' version for his combatjacket and a gold on black version for hisdress uniform. The Ranger course,spread over several months and through avariety of terrains including mountainsand swamps, is probably one of thehardest courses in the US Army. As onethree-tour Vietnam veteran said, 'Afterthe Ranger course nothing seemed hardin Vietnam.' This veteran had Cambodian parachute wings, which looked very

like the French wings.Like a number of armies, the French

wear their parachute wings on their chest.Known as the plaque it velo (bicyclebadge) because the wings resemble abicycle registration disc, the badge received a good deal of attention from itswearers in the 19505 and 19605. PierreLeulliette, in his autobiography StMichael and the Dragon (a title chosenfrom his parachute regiment insignia),recalls: 'There were a thousand ways, allin defiance of orders, of wearing thisdistinguished symbol. The artistschromed it over: so that it shone likesilver, even at night. The careful onesbacked it with red leather so as to set itoff. As for the born scrappers, obeyingsome deeper dictate, they twisted it, woreit down, and tarnished it until it becameyellow, the way that kids in St Tropezused to sandpaper their jeans at theknees .. .'

The Israeli Defence Force has anumber of distinctions for the insignia ofits experienced forces, and men whomade the parachute assault at the MitlaPass in 1956 have a red backing to theirparachute wings, and there are campaignribbons for 1948, 1956, 1967 and 1973.

US Army parachute wings have alwaysbeen a source of interest to other airborne soldiers. Some protest that they

49. Miscellaneous Western EuropeanInsignia:I. Pocket badge of the 4th Allied Tactical AirForce 2. Cockade for officers and NCOs ofIbe Danish Army and Navy 3. Forage capbadge of the 'Bundeswehr' 4. Beret badge ofFrench parachutists 5. Beret badge of theRoyal Artillery, British Army 6. Shoulderstrap badge of the Belgian 'ChasseursArdennais' 7. Collar insignia of the Turkishlank units 8. Breast badge ofthe Italian 'SanMarco' marines 9. Breast badge of the Italian77lhl78th Infanlry Regimenls 10. Norwegiancockade.


so. Miscellaneous Western EuropeanInsignia:I. Formalion sign of the Headquarters AlliedForces Norlhern Europe 2. Distinctiveinsignia of Ihe French 3rd ParachuleRegiment of Marine Infanlry 3. Distinctiveinsignia o(the 1st Company, \Aosta'Batlalion, 4th Alpine Regiment of the ItalianArmy 4. Collar badge of the NetherlandsArmy engineers 5. Nationality insignia of theNetherlands Army.

51


receive only one set of wings while theUS forces have three and, if Para Rangeror Rigger are included, four. There arethree classes of wings. Master Parachutisthas made 65 jumps, including 25 withcombat equipment, four at night and fivemass tactical jumps. The wearer mustalso be a qualified jumpmaster or haveserved as a jumpmaster on at least onecombat jump or 33 training jumps.

A Senior Prachutist receives his wingsafter 30 jumps, including 15 with combatequipment, two at night and two masstactical jumps. He too must be a qualifiedjumpmaster or have taken part in one ormore combat jumps or 15 non-combatjumps as a jumpmaster. Master andSenior Parachutists must also have servedon jump status for 36 and 24 monthsrespectively. Army-qualified parachutistswear a winged parachute insignia, andRanger qualified men wear the badgetopped with the ranger tab.

The development of helicopter air mobility has produced the Air Assaultbadge, which is seen as an equivalent ofparachute wings. To duplicate the challenge of a parachute jump, abseiling (orrapelling) from a hovering helicopter hasbeen introduced. Men are also requiredto rig helicopters for underslung loadsand to be able to layout a landing zone.Pathfinders in Vietnam, who fulfilled asimilar role with air mobile forces, worethe winged torch insignia on the front oftheir uniform.

The rivalry between the 82nd and101st Airborne dates back to their inception in World War 11. The IOlst maintains that the AA for 'All American' ofthe 82nd Airborne shoulder patch (insignia that predates its airborne role) in factstands for 'Almost Airborne'. Howeverthe 82nd has had the last laugh, because itis now the only truly airborne unit in theUS Army since the 101st became ahelicopter air assault division.

The combination of chest and arminsignia for airborne forces is notconfined to the US Army. War-time andpost-war practice has repeated the combination with German, Italian and Sovietairborne forces. The Bundeswehr has abadge that is similar 10 design

52

to the war-time Fallschirmjiiger badge;the eagle on the post-war badge is inwhite metal, and there is no swastika onthe wreath. In World War 11 the Luftwaffe had a variety of qualification badges,all of which used an oval wreath of oakleaves. With the exception of air crews,whose wreath was horizontal, the wreathswere vertical. The eagle had beenadopted by the Nazi party as an Aryansymbol, but this did not preclude its beingused by many other national air forces.The RAF, for example, had a blue eagleshoulder title, while the RAF Regimenthad a red eagle shoulder title.

Lufrwaffe badges included aircrew,pilot, observer, wireless operator airgunner, pilot observer, air gunner flightengineer, glider pilot, parachutist, AAartillery, ex-flyer (the eagle had foldedwings) and un-qualified air gunner.Badges were also introduced for LlIftwaffe units pressed into ground combat.These included a ground combat award, asimilar award for 100 engagements, a seabattle award, a tank battle award and a 75tank engagements award.

In the strange empire-building worldof Nazi Germany, the Luftwaffe fieldedwell-equipped ground units before it lostcontrol of the skies, and its men wore acurious mix of army uniform and air forceinsignia. In World War II the Germansincluded a good deal of information inthe collar patches of their air force uniforms. Waffenfarbe were yellow for airborne and flying personnel, red for gunners and blue for medical personnel.Collars also showed rank and status.However, the Lufrwaffe also had tradebadges, although these were combinedwith metal breast badges. Unencumberedby tradition, they produced some pleasing and clear designs: an armourer forlight bombs had a grenade with a clusterof five flames emitted from one port;heavy bomb armourers had flamescoming out of three ports; AA artillerycrews had a recognizable outline of an8.8 cm Flak gun barrel.

For its chest badges, the US Army AirForce adopted a winged motif, and thebadges had a pleasing consistency ofdesign. They were standardized on a

design by Herbert Williams, which hadbeen adopted in 1919, and they weremade in sterling silver. The design hasbeen continued, with some alterations, tothe present day. In 1941, three classes ofwings were authorized to distinguishmore experienced pilots; the initial badgewas pilot, advancing to senior pilot and to

command pilot. Other qualificationbadges included balloon observer, balloon pilot and senior balloon pilot,navigator, aircraft observer and technicalobserver. The rank of senior balloon pilotwas for men who had piloted airships ormoiorized balloons for 100 hours and had10 years' service. Though this may seemrather antiquated in a war that saw missiles and jet aircraft in action, poweredballoons or blimps, with their low speedand high endurance, had an importantrole in anti-submarine operations.

Glider pilot badges were adopted byall the major combatants. They wereperhaps among the most demanding ofpilots' wings to be awarded, for the manat the controls of a glider had to put hisunpowered aircraft down in a safe landing zone to deliver the cargo and passengers intact. (Many gliders 'nosed over' ifthey hit rough ground, killing the pilotand many of the passengers.) Aftec thishazardous landing, the pilot joined hispassengers to fight as a conventionalsoldier. 1n the British Army glider pilots'wings were WOrn on the left breast abovemedal ribbons, a patch showing a whiteglider on a pale blue background was alsoworn on the forearm of the left sleeve.

Glider pilots in the US Army AirForce had wings with the letter G on ashield flanked by wings. Other badgesusing the same design were for bombar-

52. Miscellaneous World War 11 Insignia:t. Canadian General Service cap badge 2.Red Army cap badge 3. Formalion sign of theBritish 9th Armoured division 4. Cap badgeo(the Australian Commonwealth MilitaryForces 5. Branch of service badge of theYugoslav Motor Transport 6. Collar badge ofthe 12th 'Wolynski' Ri"e Battalion of thePolish 5th 'Kresowa' Infantry Dh'ision 7.Formation sign or the India EasternCommand 8. Branch of sen';ce badge of theRed Army tank unil.


51

4

5 I. Miscellaneous Eastern EuropeanInsignia:1. Collar insignia of the Hungarian BorderGuards 2. Other ranks' forage cap badge ofthe Yugoslav proletarian divisions 3. Collarbadge of the Yugoslav tank units 4. Polish

aY)' proficiency badge 5. Soviet Armyofficer's cap badge 6. Rank star of Hungarian2nd lieutenant 7. Other ranks cap badge ofthe 'Volksarmee' 8. Breast badge of YugoslavBorder Guards.

53. I. Formation sign of the SupremeHeadquarters Allied Powers Europe 2.Shoulder sleeve insignia of the DefenceAtomic Support Agency.

7

2

53

,•3 •

4

52

53


54


dier, aerial gunner and air crew member,and there were also similar designs forthe women's services including Women'sArmy service pilot, Women's Air Forceservice pilot and flight nurse. It is interesting to note that today women haveassumed a greater responsibility for flyingduties in the US Air Force, includingpiloting tanker aircraft, and, as armypilots, they crew troop-carrying helicopters. The Soviet Air Force, however, hasthe distinction of having the first womenpilots to fight in air combat. They had asimilar uniform and rank badges to theirmale comrades, but they introducedsome individual touches when they embroidered the collars of their flying overalls with traditional motifs. Like the armyuniforms, Soviet air force uniforms andinsignia changed in 1943 to a high collarand shoulder board design. The BritishWomen's Auxilliary Air Force (WAAF),which became the WRAF after the war,did front-line work in the Battle of Britain in 1940. The women wore similarinsignia to the RAF, but with the addition of the letter A to officers' lapels andbeneath the non-commissioned ranks''vulture' (the nickname for the RAFeagle) on the shoulder. A separate, darkblue uniformed force, the Air TransportAuxiliaries, included many women, whoferried aircraft to RAF bases from factories. The blue grey uniform of theRoyal Air Force was adopted by most ofthe Commonwealth air forces that foughtin World War 1I, however, in additionto the shoulder title, the Australian, NewZealand, South African and Canadian airforce cap badges included letters to indicate the nationality of the wearer. Thewings worn on the tunic breast were alsodifferent in colour or design. InterestingIy, the Canadians had the crown abovetheir aircrew badges, while the RAF andRAAF had a simple letter or motif surrounded by a wreath and with one wing.Badges included observer, navigator, airgunner, wireless operator, flight engineer, bomb aimer, parachute traininginstructor and signaller.

The air forces or men from the occupied countries of Europe and volunteersfrom the United States who joined before

December 1941 who served with theRAF in World War II displayed ranksand trades in a variety of ways. USvolunteers had the Eagle Squadronbadge: a US eagle with the letters US. Inhis autobiography Tumult in the Clouds,James Goodson, a former Eagle Squadron pilot, recalls one man who improvedon King's Regulations: 'Vic had gone onebetter for Texas. On the shoulder of hisjacket where foreign volunteers in theRAF had their "USA". "Canada", "NewZealand" "Rhodesia", etc Vic had a neat"Texas".' Vic France also wore a tailoredRAF uniform and a pair of highlypolished, black, pointed-toe, high-heeledTexas boots.

The Dutch and Poles adopted parts ofthe Royal Air Force insignia when theyserved with the RAF, normally retainingparts of their own national insignia tokeep a sense of identity. However, in wartime, British rank insignia assisted identification and reduced the danger of theirbeing mistaken for enemy air crew if apilot landed by parachute.

The Polish Air Force, which had seenaction against the early Soviet Air Forceduring the Russo-Polish war of 1919, hadsome striking breast badges. All depictedan eagle in flight, but some had aningenious chain that, when attached tothe tunic, gave the impression that thebadge was hanging although in reality itwas secured by a screw-backed pin.Badges were worn high on the tunicunder the left lapel. The 1919 patternbadge, which was still in evidence at thebeginning of World War 11, was either aneagle with a green enamel wreath in itsbeak, or a silver eagle with wreath. Thewreath could be used to enclose letters ormotifs to indicate specialities like radiooperator (R) air gunner (S), flightmeteorologist (M) or bombardier (B).The eagle's claws were used also to grasplightning bolts, which, by their number

54. Wearing their characteristic pale blueberets, troops of the United Nations PeaceKeeping forces check in by radio during apatrol. The UN forces wear blue berets orhelmets, arm band brassards with the UNbadge and their own national insignia, andsometimes blue cravat chokers.

55

A HlSTORY OF MILITARY INSIGNIA _

and direction, indicated other qualifications; for example, three gold lightningbolts and no wreath was the 1933 Observer Second Class badge, and the 1928Pilot Observer wore a similar badge,which included a wreath, but in gold.

In the early 1930s the Italian Air Forcehad some badges that looked a little likethe US Army Air Force insignia. Earlierin World War I an eagle and crown,which looked rather similar to the RAFother ranks' 'vulture', had been used.With the advent of the Fascist state, twotypes of breast badge were added: astylized winged air crew badge, whichwas echoed in white metal for trades likephotographer, armourer or driver, and awreathed badge for rescue, transport,dive bombers, interceptors, bombers,torpedo aircraft, assault-combat, reconnaissance at sea and strategic reconnaissance and aerial observation.These badges were rather similar to thoseadopted by the Luftwaffe. Although thismay merely be an indication of the way

azi Germany and Fascist Italy copiedsome aspects of their respective regalia, italso shows the fairly limited choice ofwings, eagle, wreaths and symbolicbombs, flashes of lightning, or parachutesthat can be used for air force badges andinsignia.

One original badge was designed inBritain as a result of attacks by theLuftwaffe. The Royal Engineers BombDisposal teams wear a yellow bomb on ared field as a patch on their pullover ortunic. It was designed during World War11 by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Motheras a tribute to the teams who were engaged in this hazardous work.

Although air forces throughout theworld have displayed their aircrew statuson the tunic fronts, a wide variety ofmetal and cloth badges has been used byarmies past and present. A significantdevelopment in the production of embroidered badges was mechanized multicoloured embroidery, which allowed unitbadges to be produced in a more attractive way, as well as being more durablethan printed cloth. Hand-sewn badgeshave not completely disappeared, for inVietnam men could have all their rank

56

55. A US Army Captain in combat kit talkswith a Soviet observer during the USRcforger Exercises in 1983. The Sovietpresence was part or the Helsinki agreementbetween President Carter and Brezhncv the West sent observers to Warsaw Pactexercises in return.

and qualification badges sewn directly onto the shirt fabric by local tailors, whoreplaced the cloth patches produced inthe United States.

One notable addition to US Army andAir Force uniforms came in the 19505,when name and arm badges were introduced. Name tabs have been adopted bya number of countries, but some wouldargue that, while it is useful to know thename of the man or woman to whom oneis speaking, an officer should make it hisbusiness to know his soldiers' names.

Arm-of-service insignia worn on thefront of shirts or jackets has even reachedthe Israeli defence Forces. The Nahalbadge, which is worn on the left shirtfront is a source of wry amusement tosome observers in the Middle East. UntilIsrael became involved in the Lebanonshe had no need to identify her forces she had no allies in the area. Contact withChristian forces, and later the peacekeeping forces in Beirut, however, obliged her to identify her troops.

During the protracted guerrilla war inRhodesia in the 1960s and 1970s theuniversal camouflaged uniforms adoptedby the police and army led to the intro-

56. A US Air Force pilot with nationalinsignia on his shoulder and his pilot's wingsand name tag on the front of his flyingoveralls.

duction of force name tags. Unit 'slides',which were cloth loops over the epaulettes, also displayed the rank and arm ofthe member of the security force.

The French, as we have seen, displayrank on the front of their uniforms. Nametags too are attached to combat jacketswith a 'velcro' fastening, which allows thewearer to 'sanitize' his clothing, by removing the name and rank.

In the US Army breast badges that areworn as metal insignia on service dresstunics, are reproduced in cloth for wearon combat clothing. During the Vietnamwar there was a move from the fullcoloured badge to a 'subdued' pattern inblack and green. Though this led to aslight loss of detail, the shape and patternof the badge were unchanged. Onemember of the Special Forces recalledthat the A and B team members could bedistinguished when they met at the unitclub house. An outsider would assumethat the 'front-line' A team men werethose men in camouflage clothing withsubdued badges, while the B team menwere those sporting flamboyant badgeson shoulder and shirt pockets, withcolourful Vietnamese special forces

------ A HISTORY OF MILITARY INSIGNIA

57

A-Z OF MILITARY INSIGNIA

58

scarves knotted at the neck. The realitywas the opposite: the A team men whoworked with the Vietnamese adoptedtheir allies' mode of dress, and the Bteam men wore the subdued insignia.Another soldier in Special Forces saidthat they kept their badged shirts on ahanger and wore them only when therewas a 'threat' of a high-ranking visitor;otherwise the uniform could be a T-shirt,'tiger stripes' and boots.

Among the breast badges available forthe US Army are the combat infantryman, expert infantryman and, sinceWorld War 11, a second and third awardfor combat infantryman as well as acombat armored cavalry and combat fieldartillery. On dress greens, breast badgesare worn for work in the Department ofDefense, the White House, Joint Chiefsof Staff, General Staff and for being amember of the Guard at the Tomb of theUnknown Soldier, Washington.

The use of badges to indicate theexperience and training of a soldier is notexclusive to the US Army. In World WarI the Imperial German Army institutedwound badges, a concept not dissimilar tothe US Purple Heart. This practice wascontinued with the operations of theCondor Legion during the Spanish CivilWar. In World War II a standard badge,a helmet in a wreath with crossed swordsand a swastika, was issued, but, followingthe July Bomb Plot of 1944, a woundbadge was produced for the survivors thatbore Hitler's signature and '20 Juli 1944'.

A tank battle badge came in threeclasses. It consisted of an oval wreathwith a stylized tank and eagle and swastika. There was an ordinary badge, one for25 to 50 engagements and one for 75 to100 engagements. Other combat badgesincluded the infantry assault, army parachutist, army balloon observer and armyanti-aircraft. Anti-aircraft guns and parachute forces had been appropriated bythe Luftwaffe, and so army-qualified menwere unusual.

57. Riggers from the 82nd Airborne prepare aheavy drop pallet - they arc wearing the redbcrelthat has become the trademark ofairborne soldiers in the west.

58. Soviet Observers with US Army officersduring Reforger 83. The Soviet officers insummer working dress have thecharacteristic shoulder board insignia fortheir rank.

A general assault badge was producedin three classes: general assault, 25 to 50assaults and 75 to 100 assaults. It wasawarded to men who were not eligible forthe infantry or tank assault badges, andthe initial qualification was to have participated in three assault actions on threedifferent days.

Although the tank destruction badge,which was awarded for the single-handeddestruction of a tank, was a sleeve decoration, it was, together with its aircraftequivalent, produced in the same spirit assome of the breast awards. The tankbadges were instituted in 1942, but backdated to 1941, but the aircraft destructionbadge came out near the end of the war,and it is not certain if any were awarded.


Up to four tank destruction badges couldbe awarded, and, with the destruction ofa fifth tank, the badge was awarded ingold. It consisted of a tank motif on asilver aluminium cord backing with blackborders.

A more sinister award dating fromWorld War II was the SS-instituted antipartisan war badge, which was awardedfrom the end of 1944 to members of thearmed forces who had engaged in antipartisan operations. Many of the awardsproduced during the war can now beWOrn in West Germany - provided theswastika is not included - but the antipartisan war badge is proscribed.

As observed earlier, the two Germanys have incorporated some of thisinsignia in their post-war uniforms. TheWest Germans have cloth and metalparachute wings, and the earliest postwar version looks rather like the closecombat badge of World War Il. Sportsqualification badges are also worn, and toachieve promotion a man must pass thefitness tests. The National Volksarmee ofEast Germany has, like other Socialistcountries, political as well as sportingbadges made of enamelled metal. Theseinclude insignia for the GS Academy ofthe Soviet Army, the Military Academyof the Soviet Army, the MilitaryAcademy F. Engels and the MilitaryMedical Section of E-M Arndt University, as well as a graduate officer's badge.Other badges worn by ordinary soldiersinclude those for parachutist, exemplarysoldier, army proficiency, border troopproficiency and military sports. Drivers oftanks, trucks and trades, such as signallerand diver, have a white and gold metalbreast badge, some of which include anumber indicating first, second or thirdclass. The most notable adoption fromNazi Germany is the aluminium threadmarksman's lanyard. It is awarded inthree classes for infantry, artillery andarmour marksmanship, and, but for alack of an eagle and swastika, it looksvery similar to the version awarded from1936 to 1945.

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CAP BADGESThe cap badges of the 20th-centuryarmed forces owe their origin to thehelmet plates of the 18th and 19th centuries. These normally had a numberindicating the regiment in which the soldier was serving.

By World War I, the Imperial GermanArmy had produced some superb examples of picke/ho/ben (spiked helmets),which had the imperial eagle and regimental number on the front. The Britishhad moved away from using numberdesignation to regional or corps badges,and in this practice they were not alone.During World War 11 there was a certainwry amusement when Italian units, withsplendid names like the 'Wolves of Tuscany', were captured by men with selfeffacing regimental name like The Buffs.However, many armies wore their distinctive unit insignia on their lapels,shoulders or as a badge on the chest. Thecap badge was thus a simple national orarm insignia, indicating membership ofthe cavalry, infantry, artillery or supportarms. Officers often had a different badgefrom ordinary men.

The Soviet Union has an oval surround in gold, flanked by oak leaves, witha red star in the centre for officers' caps,while other ranks have a simple red starwith a hammer and sickle in the centre.The US Army distinguishes betweenofficers, warrant officers and enlistedranks, although in some armies warrantofficers have the same cap badge asofficers. The cap badge of US Armyofficers has the American eagle with olivebranch and arrows in its claws; warrantofficers' badges are simpler, with theeagle surrounded by a wreath, and enlisted men have the eagle on a circulargold backing.

In East and West Germany the national colours of black, red and yellow areused. The addition of badges to the sideof a ski cap for alpine troops in the WestGerman Army follows a tradition dating

59. A crude and simple piece of insignia the name on helmets or uniforms, sometimeswith the wearer's rank. Here a'US armoured"chicle commander has his name stencilledon his helmet.

back to World War 11. The edelweissmountain flower, which is worn on theside of caps, was also worn as sleeveinsignia in World War 11.

Breast badges had been awarded inthe Soviet Army during World War 11,the most famous and prestigious beingthe Guards insignia, a status that wasconferred in September 1941 on unitsthat had performed particularly well inbattle. Fighter and bomber squadronswere also awarded Guards status, and theinsignia was painted on the fuselage ofaircraft or the turrets of tanks. The badgewas instituted in March 1942, and, likelater introductions in the war, was anattempt to sustain morale and give unitsidentity. In the post-war Soviet Army,Guards units retain this status by theirconsistently high standard of readiness.The badge is a simple red star with abanner bearing the word 'Guards', and awreath and the cyrilic 'CCCP' (USSR).Soviet badges are either pin- or screwbacked. Pin-backed badges are the lesssubstantial.

Although the badges are worn on theright side, either below medals andorders or, in their absence, in their place,there are exceptions. The Komsomol(Communist Youth League) badge isworn on the left. A shield and wreathdesign is widely used for infantry andproficiency badges, although armour androcket troops have stylized wing backingto their badges, which are awarded inthree classes. The most common coloursare gold metal with red, blue and sometimes white, enamel. Badges include athletics awards, one of which, 'Ready forLabour and Defence', depicts a sprintercrossing the line. The extended servicebadge shows how long a man has remained with the army after completinghis military service. Conscription is notpopular with the Soviet public, and thisbadge is one of the inducements fortrained men to stay on after their twoyears. Parachute insignia includes instructor parachutist, proficient parachutist and parachutist, and they are based onthe figure of a parachutist.with numeralsand other details added according toclass. A common badge worn by marines,

60. Sometimes headgear and badges arecreated for a specific role - here the beretand badge of the Combat Control Team onReforger 83 - the red beret, like the umpireswhite arm band is designed to be readilyrecognisable at a distance.

61. A mass colour party of the NATOparticipants in Reforger 83; though aregiment's colours were once the rallyingpoint in battle the role of nags has diminishedexcept as a means of identifying Ilillionalgroups in a multi·national exercise or peacekeeping force.

paratroops and ordinary soldiers is theproficiency award. In three classes, it hasthe numeral in white on a blue enamelbackground.

Operations in Afghanistan may haveled to the reintroduction of woundstripes. Instituted in July 1942, they weresewn above the left-hand side of the rightbreast pocket. Two classes were produced: a gold stripe for a serious wound,a red one for a minor wound.

Historically, badges, medals and retired rank have played an important partin Soviet life. The 'Great Patriotic War'has been portrayed as a time of inspiredsacrifice, unity and loyalty, somethinglike the 'Dunkirk Spirit' but on a largerscale. Old soldiers wearing their medals

61


and uniforms are, therefore, a reminderand an inspiration. Badges and qualifications are things to aspire to while theyoung man is doing his two years' service.Conscripts to the navy who do threeyears, may need even more inspiration.

Naval and air force uniforms haveoften used simple cap badges to differentiate between officer, warrant officer andother ranks. In the navy, the cap bandmight show the ship in which the ratingserves. Sometimes a distinction within abasic design might be used to show thatthe officer is an engineer, line or aviationspecialist, as happens in the RoyalNetherlands Navy. The cap badge ofchaplains in the Italian Air Force inWorld War 11 took the form of a cross,and an elaborate range of badges in theRegia Aeronautica showed the role andstatus of the wearer. Thus administration, medical, flying and technicalbadges were grasped in the claws of aneagle flanked by oak leaves and toppedby the royal crown. The CommonwealthAir Forces have retained the basic RAFbadge but, like their wings, it has included their national identity: RCAF forthe Royal Canadian Air Force, for example. When Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe)unilaterally declared independence, theRhodesian Air Force adopted the initialsRAF, but altered its insignia.

It is however on land that individualityin cap badge becomes most notable. TheItalians, Belgians and British are amongthose nations that retain or have developed this tradition. The amalgamationof British regiments in the 1960s posedthe problem of blending two or morebadges, an exercise that rarely satisfies allconcerned. But, in the 20 years that havepassed since these changes, most soldiersare happy to serve in such anonymousregiments as the Royal Regiment ofWales or the Duke of Edinburgh's OwnRegiment. The Light Infantry and RifleRegiments have been amalgamated, buttheir cap badges seem to have workedwell.

In World War 11 cap badges includedsome logical and simple designs as well asbaffling and historic ones. The RoyalScots Greys sported the French eagle that

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they captured at the Battle of Waterloo;the 9th, 12th, 16/5th and 24th Lancershad crossed lances in their badge. TheRoyal Tank Regiment bore the outline ofa World War I tank with a wreath, royalcypher and the motto 'Fear Naught'. TheRoyal Armoured Corps had a simple, butrather brutal, design of a mailed fist witharrows moving round the flanks as itpunches the centre of the objective. TheRoyal Artillery, with its motto UbiqueQuo Fas et Gloria DUCUIII, has aNapoleonic cannon, and some versions ofthis badge were made with a movingwheel on the gun. Of the Guards Regiments, the Grenadier and Welsh Guardshad the most attractive designs: theGrenadier Guards have a flaming grenade and the Welsh Guards a Welsh leek- few military formations can have avegetable as their cap badge.

Fusilier regiments retain a flaminggrenade design, while the light infantryhave the bugle horn, a motif that datesback to the days when, as elite troops inthe Napoleonic wars, they used the lightbugle horn instead of the conventionaldrum to signal manoeuvres on the battlefield. It is a motif that has been used bythe Belgians as well as the Italians. TheSomerset Light Infantry, now part of theLight Infantry, having previously beenamalgamated as the Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry, had the battle honourJalalabab, which dates back to the BritishAfghan wars. One of the more unusualbadges is one of the two worn by theGlosters. The smaller badge on the backof their caps reminds them of the 'thinred line' that fought French troops attacking from both front and rear in Egyptin 1802. The sphinx on the back is asmaller version of that on the front and issurrounded by a wreath. Like the Argyleand Sutherland Highlanders and theRoyal Welch Fusiliers, the Glosters haveavoided disbandment or amalgamation,even though there were plans in the 1970sto merge them with the Hampshire Regiment and a badge was designed.

The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment, which incorporates the formerRoyal Berkshire Regiment, has retainedthe red triangular backing worn by that

regiment to commemorate the battle ofBrandywine in the American War ofIndependence, when the regiment foughtas the 49th Foot. The cap badge is acombination of the badge of the WiltshireRegiment and that of the Royal Berkshire Regiment.

The sphinx as a cap badge is notunique to the Glosters, for it was alsoworn by men of the East LancashireRegiment, the South Wales Borderers,the Lancashire Fusiliers, the Dorset Regiment and the Essex. However, some ofthese cap badges incorporated the sphinxas part of larger design. The RifleBrigade and King's Royal Rifle Corps(the 60th) passed on a tradition to theRoyal Green Jackets of displaying battlehonours on their cap badge. The traditionis that these regiments, operating as smallindependent skirmishing and scoutinggroups in advance of the squares ofsoldiers in the Napoleonic battlefield,could not have a regimental colour withinthe security of a square; their battlehonours were, therefore, displayed ontheir badge. The Royal Marines have onebattle honour only: that awarded for thecapture of Gibraltar in July 1704 and itssubsequent defence against the Frenchand Spanish during a nine-month siege.

The Italian Army currently has a rangeof cap badges, many of which include aflaming grenade as part of the design.These badges cover the different types ofartillery from missiles through heavy,medium and horse artillery to light andheavy AA artillery. They include variations on crossed cannon barrels and aflaming grenade, while the infantry havecrossed rifles, and support arms, such asrailway engineers, miners, bridging en-

62. Atrooper ofthe 1st Cavalry Division getsa helping hand with his pack as he boards aUS Air Force Transport. The female US AirForce ground crew is wearing a jacket withthe squadron badge on the shoulder.

63. Sporting both US and West Germanparatroopers wings a US NCO in his brightred Combat Control Team cap talks to a USAirborne officer. The wearing of foreign wingsis a popular, but carefully controlled, practice- some men like to 'collect' wings by jumpingwith different armies.

--- A HISTORY OF MILITARY INSIGNIA

gineers and combat engineers, have crossed axes or anchors topped by a flaminggrenade.

Belgian badges have a pleasing logic,although there is more variety than thoseof the Italians. Corps are identified byfairly obvious motifs like lightning boltsfor electrical and mechanical engineers,or crossed cannon and flaming grenadefor the artillery. Lancer regiments havevariations on crossed lances while Chasseurs a Cheval have crossed sabres, withthe numeral superimposed with a buglehorn, a means of communication for menspread out and moving fast on horseback.It is, however, the Belgian infantry whohave some of the most original badges.For example the 4e Linie has a ratheraggressive bear, and the Chasseurs Ardennais a wild boar, similar to those thatstill inhabit those mountainous areas.Some of the old fortress units have retained a symbolic connection with castellated motifs. Many Belgians served withthe British forces in World War 11, andthey have their own SAS unit, whichretains the winged dagger and motto'Who Dares Wins', and with this theyretain the characteristic SAS parachutewings.

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I SIGNIA IN THE TWENTY·FIRSTCENTURYCamouflage has removed much of thecolour and glamour that silver, gold andcoloured uniforms gave to the appearance of sailors and soldiers. Practicaluniforms for work in ships and onairfields have led to simplified insignia colours have become more subdued. Thearmed forces, however, are a conservative organisation with a strong sense oftradition and the badges and rank of anearlier generation represent continuity ina changing and sometimes very dangerous and short-lived world.

As security against terrorist or specialsaboteurs becomes an important consideration for men manning missilesights, airfields or even stores and offices,so insignia must move towards an individual form of identification. At presentflying overalls have a clear pocket on thechest to take the air crew members nameand rank badge. This principal of visualidentification is being extended. The eraof the intelligent microchip credit cardwill soon be with us and will vastlyincrease the amount of information thatinsignia will be capable of carrying. The'smart card' will know next of kin, religion, medical history, any other relevantinformation of a non-tactical variety, andwill soon replace credit cards, passportsand national identity cards.

The current range of night vision devices give the viewer a very good image ofa human moving in the dark - but do notshow great detail except at very closerange. The new rank could be used togive a pre-programmed response to laserinterrogation. The sentry on duty wouldsend an eye-safe laser pulse at an incoming patrol and the rank reflectors wouldgive a return signal that identified themen. Systems like this could be used totrigger remotely controlled signals, oreven an ambush. If this all seems ratherfanciful it is worth remembering thatsensors have been in use since theVietnam war, and laser interrogation of vehicles is now a common training technique in anti-tank gunnery exercises. Insignia that can answer for itself isnot such an unbelievable idea - it is after

64

all the logical extension of the visualinformation that was given and receivedby the sergeant's stripes, or the officer'sepaulet.

If the reader fears that a presidentialhonour guard will one day appear inoveralls with multi-function name tags onthe chest, nuclear biological and chemicalwarfare kit, light-weight 5.56mm riflesand carbon fibre helmets, he or she canbe assured that the day will be a long timecoming. Ceremonial uniforms will alwaysbe needed to give due weight and dignityto public functions, and with them will goall the gold braid, embroidery, gold,silver and bronze metal work, and the

64. The brassard in action - a MilitaryPoliceman assigned to Customs dutieswatches as US troops disembark in Germany.The brassard can also be used as a sleevepocket for pencils or a note book.

rainbow of colours that have been usedfor centuries for military insignia.

A ZOF

MILITARYINSIGNIA


ANOle: Words in bold in the description indicatc that the word in question forms an entryelsewhere, and reference should be madeto it.

AIDE-DE-CAMP A term of French origin,whose usual abbreviation is ADC. An aidede-camp is an officer whose duty is to assistand generally attend on an officer of highrank. Distinguished officers are appointedaide-de-camp to a monarch or to the presidentof a republic.

The appointment is identified by uniformtrimmings, aiguillettes or badges. which varyaccording to custom.

In a monarchy, the ADC to the sovereignusually wears the sovereign's cypher. [n Britain the personal aide-de-camp to KingGeorge VI wore a special cypher in blockletters, 17.5mm ("'in) high, but the otherhigh-ranking officers and equerries who heldthe appoinlment wore the official royal cypherin dull silver. The cyphers are worn on theplailed cords of the aiguillette, on the epaulettes, on the shoulder straps or on the slip-on ofthe shirt's shoulder straps.

Officers who held the appointment undermore than onc sovereign could wear thecypher of each of the sovereigns under whomIhey had served.

In the former Kingdom of Italy the ADCto the king or to the households of the royalprinces wore special stars on their collars, withthe king's or princes' cypher upon the star andthe crown or a coronet above it. The ADCalso wore a crowned cypher on the epaulettesof his dress uniform (see Epaulette).

In the Republic of Italy the ADC to thePresident wears special stars on the collar: amural crown above the star on which theinitials RI are embossed. Aides to highranking officers wear a silver star on bothsleeves of their uniforms.

In the United States of America the aidesbadges depict the eagle perched on the nationalshield; the number of slars in the blue chiefindicates the grade of the general served bythe aide. The insignia of aides to generals.which were adopted in 1902, are worn on bOlhlapels of the jacket or. if no jacket is worn. onthe left of the shirt collar (Bib\. 164).

The badge with five stars shown on thecover of this book belonged to an ADC toGeneral Eisenhower; it was made in Londonby Gaunt Ltd.

After World War 11 the badges of the aides

66

to General of the Army were changed to ablue shield with five white stars arranged in acircle. The highest aide's appointment is thatto the President of the United States, and theinsignia consists of 13 white stars arranged in acircle on a blue shield ensigned by the eagle(Bib\. 167).

AIGRETTE A word 01 French origin, anaigrette is an ornament made of straightfeathers and worn on the head-dress. Italiangenerals and colonels in active command worean aigrette of heron feathers in dress uniformuntil 1940. The word plume is synonymous.

AIGUlLLETTE Of French origin. Ihe wordderives from aigllil/e (needle) and refers to thepointed metal ornaments at the end of thecords. An aiguillette is a combination of plaitcords and plain cords. made of gold. silver orspecially woven cord. worn around one shoulder and ending on two front buttons.

The aiguillette is a mark of special appointments. and it is worn in specific orders of dressaccording to regulations.

Insignia ofa Major General ADC of the 8ritishArmy, displayed on" slip-on and made ofbulTand brown embroidery.

Aiguillette ora Polish Arm)' general, worn fromlhe right shoulder strap to the front bullons ofthe tunic.


2

..'I" :1'1 '-- [:-.

'" '.<7'". ,..' .-\.~ '; ~;~~~ :'. ~ ': l

:..:.-:...~-

4

Embroidered arm badge of the 4th Queen's Own Hussars (1) and, in metal, the Prince of Wales'sPlume (2) and the Irish Harp (3),

The small metal crown (4) and the gun (6) wereworn in combination with chevrons to identifysome specific NCOs' ranks. Both are still usedbut in anodised metal versions - the pattern ofthe crown was changed in 1953, The pearblossom (5) was worn by NCOs ofthe Queen'sOwn Worcestershire Hussars.

ARM BADGE Any insignia worn on thesleeve could legitimately be described as anarm badge. In British military terminology,however, this designation is reserved for thecrowns, regimental badges or similar devicesthat are worn by warrant officers and noncommissioned officers of certain regimentsand corps in association with their rank insignia or at the top of the sleeve of the jacket (seeShoulder ftash). The wearing of arm badges isparticularly common among cavalry regiments(Bib!. 52).

Although arm badges are associated withrank insignia, they are also regimental or

ARC A word of US origin. The non-commissioned officers of the US Marine Corpswear inverted V-shaped chevrons, which,from the 3rd grade upward, are joined belowby one or more stripes. Non-commissionedofficers of the Line have the two bars of thelowest chevron joined by arcs - ie, curvedstripes - while those of the Staff have thebars joined by ties, as they are straight.

In the US Navy, the rating insignia (seeRating) of the chiefs are surmounted by anarc, and the senior non-commissioned officersof the army also wear chevrons combined witharcs, which are sometimes called rockers(Bib!. 164).

67

A-Z OF MILITARY INSIGNIA _

appointment badges, and they thereforebelong in a category of their own.

Embroidered arm badges were worn withfull dress; otherwise metal ones were worn. Itis often difficult to distinguish between theembroidered badges used by officers onforage caps and on collars, and those worn bynon-commissioned officers. In the case of thebadges illustrated there can be no doubt,however, as they were completely different.

The Prince of Wales's Plume was worn bythe 3rd Dragoon Guards, the 10th RoyalHussars, the 12th Royal Lancers and the

Royal \yiltshire Yeomanry. There are alsoexamples on which the coronet is in gildingmetal and some on which it is embroidered;and there are some smaller, metal badges.The Irish Harp was used by the Irish cavalryregiments, and the pear blossom belonged tothe Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars.

The sergeants' crown and the gun of thegunners are also seen in embroidered versions. (See also Chevrons.)

ARM FLASH See Shoulder flash.

2......- __rIIl

ARM·OF·SERVICE STRIP The ArmyCouncil Instructions dated 18 September 1940introduced a new system of branch-of-serviceidentification because collar badges were notworn on battledress and, when a helmet wasworn instead of a cloth head-dress, no alternative branch-of-service identification was displayed.

These Instructions provided for the adoption of coloured cloth backing to the officers'rank insignia (see Rank insignia), and for theintroduction of worsted shoulder titles andarm-of-service strips.

The strips, which measured 50 x 6mm(2 x '/4in), were of coloured material andwere placed on each sleeve of the battledressblouse immediately below any corps or divisional sign, and on the sleeves of the greatcoat. The number of strips worn by thepersonnel of infantry battalions in divisionsidentified the brigade's seniority - eg, thepersonnel of the first divisional brigade hadone strip, the second brigade, two and thethird, three. The guards were exempted fromwearing these new markings.

dark blue (laterred-blue-red)

red-yellow-blue(adopted later)

dull cherry

yellow-blue

Colourredyellow-red

Cambridge blue

red-blueblue-redblue-whitescarlet

yellow

red (with MP armlet)

rifle-greenblack (later purple)

green-whitered-green

greenblack-red-black

(adopted later)grey-yellow

(adopted later)scarlet

Arm ofserviceStaffRoyal Armoured

CorpsRoyal ArtilleryRoyal EngineersRoyal SignalsInfantry (except Rifle

Regts)Rifle RegtsRoyal Army

Chaplains' DeptRoyal Army Service

CorpsRoyal Army Medical

CorpsRoyal Army

Ordnance CorpsRoyal Electrical and

MechanicalEngineers

Corps of MilitaryPolice

Royal Army PayCorps

Army EducationalCorps

Army Dental CorpsAuxiliary Military

Pioneer CorpsIntelligence CorpsArmy Physical

Training CorpsArmy Catering

CorpsGeneral List

6

43

5

The first three arc the conventional arm-or·service strips of divisional brigades, followed by thoseof the R. Signals (4) and REME (5), followed by strips modified in order to identify individualbattalions and with additional nash.

Where more than one colour is mentioned,the first colour was worn to the fore.

68

______________________ A-Z OF MILITARY INSIGNIA

Most strips were cut out from felt, butsome were embroidered and others wereprinted directly below the formation sign. Theillustration shows some different types ofstrips: on the left are the one, two and threescarlet strips that would officially be worn bythe 1st, 2nd and 3rd infantry brigades of anaverage infantry division.

However, during the course of World War11, many battalions added regimental devicesto their strips, others modified them, andmany battalions were changed from oncbrigade to another but did not change thenumber of strips accordingly. As a result, agreat deal of confusion ensued.

The 183rd was the 2nd brigade of the 61stDivision, and it was composed of the 7thBattalion, the Gloucestershire Regiment(which correctly wore two scarlet strips), the10th Battalion, the Worcestershire Regiment(which had two scarlet strips, the second onebroken, and a green strip below), and the 4th,Northamptonshire Regiment (which had thesecond strip in three segments and a blackstrip, its regimental colour, below). The 1stBattalion of the Sherwood Foresters becamepart of the l83rd Brigade in August 1944, butit wore only onc scarlet strip above its regimental flash.

Arm-of-service strips were also used bymen of other nationaHties who wore battledress, and the Norwegian Army, for example,still used the strips in the 1950s.

ARMLET Sometimes known as armband,the word derives from the word 'arm'; it issynonymous with the ternt brassard, whichderives from the French bras and which isused in the United States. In modern terminology the word armlet refers to a clothdevice worn around the upper arm. A typicalarmlet is that used by the Military Police, butthousands have been used for differentreasons and at different times.

An armlet may be worn in lieu of auniform. During World War I, for instance,many recruits of the British Army were issuedwith special armlets when stocks of uniformswere not yet available. The armlet was linedwith holland material and buttoned up at theback. Other examples used for the samepurpose displayed the crown only.

White armlets bearing the title of themilitary districts were issued to recruits inItaly for the same reason, and armlets withgreen, white and red horizontal stripes wereworn by workers engaged in reserved occupations. On the armlet was pinned a whitemetal stor bearing the name of the establishment, usually ammunition factories.

Paramilitary forces and partisans oftenwore armlets in lieu of uniforms (Bib!. 156),as the armlet, although serving its purpose ofidentification, could be easily hidden or destroyed if its wearer was captured by the

Two British armlets: the first was worn byrecruits during World War I in lieu of auniform, the second one was worn on the leftsleeve of the blue battledress of the CivilDefence during World War Il.ll could be wornon civilian clothes.

enemy.In Britain during World War Il the armlet

was adopted as a badge of office by manycivilian organizations, including the HomeGuard, before it was given a uniform, andthe Civil Defence. After the publication of theFire Prevention Order of January 1941, theFire Guards also wore armlets, which weredark blue and had the words FIRE GUARD inyellow or white block letters in two lines.

Armlets were and are used on uniforms sothat their wearers may be seen at a distance ordistinguished among others at a glance. Themost important of these is that worn byrepresentatives of the International RedCross, which is always white; Muslim nations,Turkey for instance, have adopted the' RedCrescent. Armlets could also be worn bypersonnel engaged in manoeuvres, with different colours being used to distinguish onefaction from another.

Belgian staff officers used to wear a crimson armlet, and by the late 1930s the FrenchArmy used about forty armlets to identifydifferent appointments.

In June 1943 the US armed forces usedonly a dozen brassards (Bib!. 164), four ofwhich identified the type of formation towhich general staff officers were attached;however, several others were adopted later.The US forces that landed in Morocco worethe Stars and Stripes on a white background asa national identification device, and the personnel of the Transportation Corps later obtained a brassard in branch-of-service colours.The personnel of the Headquarters AlliedForces in the Mediterranean sector wore aspecial armlet with hand-embroidered initials

3

TPN.CORPS.U.S.A.

5

6

Top: Armlet 01' the Army Medical Service (3),with the red cross, and of the TransportationCorps, US Army (4). Above. The armlet of theHeadquarters Allied Forces (5) was laterreplaced by the' AF' shoulder sleeve insignia.The last armlet was worn by civilians in'Wehrmacht' service, one of many used by themultifarious organisations of the Third Reich.

on a grey cloth background, edged by goldlace.

In the early 1950s. the US Military Policeon duty at Checkpoint Charlie in Berlinadopted a new type of brassard, which wasattached to the shoulder strap and incorporated the Berlin shoulder sleeve insignia.

The German Third Reich made extensiveuse of armlets for the armed forces and itsauxiliary services, and for various politicalorganizations.

Armlets were and are used by international

6Y


on to the beret. The colours of the backingsare as follows:

Armlet of the Hitler Youth and the commontype used by United Nations Forces. Severalvariations of the UN badge are in existence.

The Chasseurs A rdennais , Commandos,the personnel of the Army Air Corps, airborne units, Armoured Engineers and recruitsin training do not wear any backing under thecap badge.

BritainThe use of backing on cap badges is commonpractice in the British Army, but there wereno strict rules governing its use until 1940.Before then, the backing was often worn on aparticular type of head-dress only or it wasworn unofficially and then abolished. TheDurham Light Infantry wore a round, lightinfantry-green patch behind the beret badgeduring World War 11, but it is not known if allthe DU battalions wore it. The distinction ofwearing a patch of brown holland materialwas granted to the South Staffordshire Regiment in 1935 by King George V, but itappears that the 2nd South Staffords favoureda smaller patch than the one used by the 1stbattalion.

Most Scottish regiments had tartan patchesunder the head-dress badge, and in somecases the hackle, with or without the capbadge, was worn.

The Army Council Instructions of 18 September 1940 introduced worsted rank insigniaon coloured backing for officers to wear onthe shoulder straps of battledress. The colourof the felt backing depended on branch ofservice and was the first colour shown on thearm-of-service strip. The first embroideredrank insignia were flat, but padded stars andcrowns in different sizes were also made andworn for many years after the war.

Warrant officers' rank insignia may also befound embroidered on coloured backing, andthe chevrons of the non-commissionedofficers' dress uniform are of gold lace sewnon coloured backing. Regimental and corpsarm badges are usually displayed on a coloured patch or directly embroidered on to it(see Arm badge).

Line InfantryRegiments

ArtilleryMilitary PoliceSchool of InfantrySchool of ArtillerySchool of AA

ArtilleryCarabiniersCyclistes, Carabiniers

CyclistesChasseurs ti PiedSecurity SectionsAdministrationSignalsLogistical unitsEngineersSchool of EngineersMedical ServiceGuidesLancersHQ 16th Armoured

DivisionChasseurs ti ChevalReconnaissance units

yellow

amaranthcrimsonwhite

deep green

royal blueblack

dark blue

scarlet

contingents assigned to the United Nationsforces. The normal type displays the UNemblem only; others incorporate nationalityinsignia as well.

BelgiumColoured backings are worn under the badgeof the khaki beret; corps that have colouredberets wear the badge only. Most bac~ingsarein the shape of shields - except that of the 4thLancers, which is square - and are made ofthin plastic - except that of the Guides,which is made out of cloth and sewn directly

embroidered on coloured backing are shown inthese two pages.

The light infantry green backing worn underthe cap badge of the DU (2) reappeared afterWorld War 11 in the form of background colouron the shoulder titles (see page 203) of the lightinfantry regiments. The brown holland patch(4) was also worn by the South Staffords behindthe collar badges and it is still in use today (seepage 124).

Three Danish badges are shown here (5, 14,IS) and several others complete with backingare shown on page 127.

Two representative Belgian beret badges, ofthe Engineers (8) and of the 1st Regiment'Chasseurs aCheval' (9) are illustrated, othersare shown on page 80.

The green backing of the chevron (9)identifies the Royal Army Dental Corps or theIntelligence Corps and the black on red warrantofficer 1st class insignia (13) was the type usedby the King's Royal RiOe Corps. Theembroidered Prince of Wales's Plume is anarm badge.

5

e12

7

+11

••

Left and opposite. A selection of Austrian,Belgian, British and Danish badges mounted or

3BACKING A badge's backing is any coloured background that is added under thebadge or on which the badge is embroideredand that has a special significance. It usuallyserves to identify a branch of service ororganization, but it can also identify an individual qualification.

Austria-HungaryThe edelweiss was the emblem of the Austrianmountain troops. The officers' badge wasembroidered on grass green, the colour of theSchutzen, while the other ranks hadaluminium badges.

B

70

_____________________ A-Z OF MILITARY INSIGNIA

13

9

8 10

14

71


The badges illustrated belonged to the 6thbattery of the 3rd Field Artillery Regiment,now the North Jutland Artillery Regiment,and to the Staff of the Royal Life Guards.

HollandDuring World War 11, and until about 1948,the personnel of the Royal Netherlands Armywore on the beret the Netherlands lion on anorange oval backing. Later, however, a seriesof about fifty large beret badges was adopted,each with a coloured cloth backing:

Backing Pipingcrimson General Staff

Technical StaffQuartermaster

Staffcrimson gold Special Duty

Officersblack Protestant

(velvet) ChaplainJewish Chaplain

black Security CorpsTechnical Service

(OrdIEME)black white Judge Advocate

Corpsblack Nassau blue Mobile Defence

Corpsblack green Commandosblack orange Infantry Regt vall

Heu!szblack red Field Artillery

Anti-tank

DenmarkBefore World War 11 the other ranks of theDanish Army wore as branch-of-service identification button-shaped badges on colouredbacking above the right breast pocket of thetunic. The colours of the backing were:

scarlet Infantrylight blue Cavalrycrimson Artilleryblack Engineerblue Trainviolet Army Technical Corpsredlwhite Medical Service

Sanitary Troopsgreen Veterinaries

Branch-of-service and regimental badgeswere adopted in 1948 and are worn on coloured felt backing, the colour changing according to battalion, numerical order of theunit or service:

The lion on scroll was adopted during WorldWar 11 by the Netherlands Army in Britain andas a beret badge it was worn on an oval orangebacking.

Shown above arc the badges of the'Limburgse Jagers' Regiment and theGrenadier Guards, others are shown onpage 102.

Doctors (goldbadge)

Dentists (silverbadge)

PharmacistsMilitary Medical

CorpsNeth. Indies

Instruction BnJager GuardsLimburgse lagers

RegtRoyal Military

School (NCO)SrooftroepenInfantry Regt

Johan WillemFriso

Infantry RegtOranjeGelderland

Infantry RegtMenno vanCoehoorn

Infantry RegtCh"ss"

Royal MilitaryAcademy

ArtilleryAnti-aircraft

ArtilleryMilitary PoliceTransport CorpsMedical CorpsSignal Corps

Grenadier GuardsSupply CorpsArmy Pay CorpsFusiliers Guards

Prinses IreneEngineersOfficers and

Supervisors ofFortifications

PioneersPontoneersReserve Officers

General ServiceHumanistic

Adviser

Army Women'sCorps

Hussars vanBaree!

Hussars PriusAlexallder

Hussars vanSylzama

Hussars Prins vanOranje

Catholic Chaplain

Nassau blue

with yellowverticalstripe

Nassau blue

white

white

poppy red

dark blue

orange

yellowcrimson

light blue

poppy red

poppy redwine redpink-redorange

Nassaublue

light blue

Nassaublue

light blue

yellowochre

turquoise

poppy red

light blue

light blue

dark brown

light green

green

greengreen

dark blue(velvet)

green(velvet)Regimental commander

and staff1st battalion2nd battalion3rd battalion4th battalion5th battalion6th battalion

crimson

scarletwhitelight blueyellowgreenviolet

72


2026

22 23

28

24 29

Service. All wore a special pattern of theRoman eagle on the peaked cap (see Capbadge), the eagle being embroidered in gold.silver or oxidized silver, according to the CivilService group - A, B or C- represented. Inaddition, the badges were embroidered ondifferent colours of felt, the colour indicatingthe Civil Service branch of the wearer asfollows:

III/IyThe divisional collar patch was adopted by anArmy Order of July 1940 in order to establishan alternative way of identifying the personnelof the divisions that, by the same order, wereforbidden to wear the formation sign.

Previously. all army personnel had thecollar of the jacket faced in branch-of-servicecolour, and, since 1936. the personnel of corpsattached to infantry divisions had added thecollar patches of the divisional infantry totheir coloured collars. As coloured collarswere also abolished in 1940, composite collarpatches, identifying the branch of service andthe type of division, were adopted instead.

The engineers of an infantry division. forinstance, who used to have black collars pipedin crimson, wore the engineers patch, whichwas black piped in crimson, sewn on to thecollar patch of the divisional infantry. Thepersonnel of supporting corps and services ofthe mountain d:visions wore their patch on arectangular deep green backing, and thoseattached to motorized divisions wore a patchon a blue rectangular backing.

A special uniform was adopted in September 1938 for the personnel of the Civil

Colollrwhitedark carminecrimsonpinklight yellowscarletbluelight bluelilacvioletgreengreyyellow

bluish-greengolden yellow

AdminislrmionCouncil of MinistersForeign AffairsInteriorJusticeCustoms and ExciseWarNavyAir ForceEducationPublic WorksForestry and AgricultureCommunicationsCorporations (Trade

Unions)PropagandaTreasury

Above left: Italian collar patches of Engineers.'Bresda' Infantry I)ivision (20) and oflhcMountain Artillery (21) adupted in 19~O.

Cap badges of Italhln Ch'il Service oflichlls, ufthe Customs and Excise Group B (22) and oflhc\Var Ministry Group C (23), used frolll 1938to1945.Abovc right: \Vings of lIalian ParachuleInstructor(24), with red backing.

S Army Parachutist badge on the o\albacking of the 50ls1 Airborne Regiment (25)and examples ofditTerent lypes ofbackings.including the domed backing used by Seniorand Master Parachutist (26).

In some cases, the backing indicates thatits wearer possesses a special qualification.Italian Parachute Instructors wear red backingunder their wings, just as. in the US Army.Combat Leaders have a green tab or slip-on.on the shoulder straps.

7J


United States of AmericaAmerican paratroopers usually wear thewings on an oval cloth backing, the colours ofwhich identify the unit. The backing wasinitially conceived mainly as a branch-ofservice identification, but, as many small unitsadopted it, there are now hundreds, with thecolours set in every possible way. fn addition,some have a domed extension on the top toaccommodate the star and wreath of theupper parachutists' grades. Some parachuteovals have the wings embroidered in thecentre, and technically, the backing is anintegral part of the badge.

BADGE A badge is a sign or device worn toshow the relation of the wearer to an organization or occupation. A military, naval or airforce badge, on the other hand, is a specificitem made of a specific material, metal, clothor embroidery, worn to show the function ofthe wearer within an organization.

The word badge does not have the samemeaning as 'insignia': the phrase cap insignia,for example, refers to all the devices worn on

the cap - including the chinstrap and the capband if they have any special significance while a cap badge is a single item worn on thecap.

BAR In general terms the word bar refers toany stripe, usually short, worn on its own or incombination with other devices. However. asa chevron is composed of two diagonal bars,only a single diagonal stripe should technicallybe called a bar. Belgian sergeants and corporals use bars, and the corporals of the Bundeswehr have worn two patterns of bars since1955, the first in gold woven silk, the second insilver silk. Two French bars as worn on thecombat dress are illustrated, as are the smallbars that in the 19605 used to be sewn on a tabbelow the second button of the blouse. Thelast illustration is a Spanish set of bars of aCabo of the air force.

Small rectangular devices, such as the rankinsignia of American lieutenants, are alsocalled bars, as are the devices worn by fieldofficers of the Belgian Army on the collarpatches.

Bed badge of Private Bayton F. oflhe orthStaffordshire Regiment.

BED BADGE Bed badges are a peculiarityof the British Army and were adopted about1900. They were hung on a hook at the end ofthe soldiers' beds and bore the regiment's titleand details of the bed's occupier. The typeand shape vary according to regiment.

Both the South and North Staffordshireregiments used the Stafford Knot as a bedbadge because both shared the knot as theirmain regimental device.

74

5

6

The bars of Belgian First Sergeant (I) are of British·pallern braid, forbattledress. Those of the 'Bundeswehr' identify the ranks of'Hauptgefreiter' (2) and 'Obergefreiter' (3) and the French Army barsidentify the ranks of'Sergent Chef' or 'Marechal de Logis' (4) and of'Brigadier Chef' of the Hussars (5), respectively.

The rank insignia of'Cabo' of the Spanish Air Force is followed by themetal bar of American Lieutenants (7) and by the narrow bar used on thecollar patches by Belgian field officers (8).


4

7

3

6

9

This selection of belt buckles includes the Austrian (I), German «4) Wurllemberg) and Turkish (5) pallerns used during World War I, a BrilishVictorian buckle of the Royal Engineers (2) and the other ranks' universal pallern 1881/1902 (6) oflhe British Army. It shows also lhe locket-typeclasp of Turkish officers (5), a Spanish Infantry buckle (8), the US Army buckle ((3) Engineers) and the lateslltalian Army model (9).

BELT BUCKLE After the decline in miltaryfashion of the shoulder-belt plate, the armedforces of many nations displayed a national orregimental emblem on the plate of the waistbelt. The belt buckle is also known as a waistbelt clasp.

During World War I, the Austro-Hungarians wore the double-headed imperialeagle on the plate of their buckles. The Italianofficers had a similar buckle made of brass orwhite metal, but on the plate was the Savoyeagle, which had only one head and a cross ina shield on its chest.

The officers of each regiment, corps anddepartment of the British Army had a different waist-belt clasp. The infantry favoured theround locket-type clasp, while, in QueenVictoria's reign, the Royal Engineers preferred a rectangular pattern, in the centre ofwhich was the Royal Arms and, within awreath of thistles, the Ubique scroll that alsoappeared on the helmet plate.

A rather large locket-type clasp wasadopted in 188J for the other ranks of theregular army. Described as a 'universal pat-

tern', this clasp was re-issued after 1901 withthe Imperial Crown.

During World War 1 German troops worebelt tJuckles made of brass, with the differentstate emblems in white metal in the centre.During the course of the war. Prussian buckles were issued to recruits regardless of theirstate of origin, and white metal buckles laterreplaced the two-metal pattern.

Turkish buckles for both officers and otherranks display Ihe Crescent and Star, Turkey'snational emblem. The rectangular buckle issimilar to the German pattern, for Turkey andGermany were allies during World War 1.

The Spanish infantry buckle illustrated wasworn during the Civil War (1936-9). It has themaker's name on the back - Castells-Barcelona.

For over forty years the US armed forceshave used a remarkable buckle on the trouserbelt, which, because of its unobtrusive efficiency, has been copied by other nations.Corps badges were often unofficially solderedon the plate. The Italians adopted a similarbelt buckle in the I96Os, but unfortunately it istoo large for its purpose.

BOSS A boss is a protruding round or ovalbadge made of coloured silk or braided cordwound on to a padded centre (see Cap badge).

The boss could have round or oval shape, theBritish type shown is usually worn with aregimental badge fixed in the centre (seepage 90).

75

A HISTORY OF MlLITARY INSIGNIA _

BRANCH-OF-SERVICE INSIGNIA The devices that identify the branches or arms ofservice of the armed forces are known asbranch-of-service insignia. As the infantry,the cavalry and often also other arms or corpsare divided into regiments, regimental badgesare an integral part of this category.

From the 1960s the massive regiment ofthree or four battalions, which had been thebackbone of the army since the early 18thcentury, has been replaced by small mobileunits of battalion strength, which inherited theregiments' traditions and badges.

The type and colour of the uniform, combined with the colour of the facings, were the

76

2

Some examples of post-World War II Frenchbranch insignia: 1- Engineers, 2- Anti·Aircraft Artillery, 3- Infantry of the Line,4- Foreign Legion, 5 - Moroccan 'Spahis'.

first means of branch-of-service identification;they were later replaced by badges. Nevertheless, the branches-of-service colours havenever disappeared, and coloured collars,cuffs, trouser stripes and piping are still displayed on dress uniforms. In fact, severalarmies wore them on service dress until the1940s.

Uniforms have developed on a nationalbasis and according to national traditions, andbranch-of-service insignia are therefore displayed in a variety of ways. They often takethe form of coloured collar patches or ofbadges worn on the collar, the shoulder strapsor the head-dress. In addition. some organizations display branch insignia according torank or order of dress.

The officers and warrant officers of themodern French Army, for instance, wearbranch insignia in the form of patches on thecollar of the jacket; the other ranks, however,wear branch insignia on the left upper sleeveof the jacket in the form of diamond-shapedpatches.

When in shirt sleeves and working orders,the officers and warrant officers wear thesleeve badge instead of collar patches. Theirbadges have the central device and/or theregimental or battalion numbers embroideredin gold or silver thread; the sergeants havedevices and numbers embroidered in yellowor white cotton; while the devices and numbers for the rank and file are embroidered inthe same colour as the frames. This rule,however, is not strictly observed, andsergeants usually wear officers' type badges.

Overseas troops, formerly known as NorthAfrican troops, are distinguished by threeframes, while metropolitan troops have twoonly or none.

BREAST INSIGNIA Many different types ofbadges have been and are worn on the breastby the armed forces of most nations to identifythe wearer's nationality, branch of service,rank, unit, qualification or proficiency, andother specific insignia are worn according tonational custom and type of uniform.

Most of these are described under theirappropriate entries. US breast pocket insigniaare listed under pocket insignia; Frenchpocket insignia, however, are discussed underdistinctive insignia because they are unit insignia made of metal or metal and enamel, andthey are not necessarily worn on the pockets.Italian Alpine troops used to wear their unitinsignia on the head-dress, but these badgesare now worn on the pocket.

BUTTON Regimental buttons have beenused for at least two hundred years andpossibly longer, for their dual purpose, bothpractical and ornamental, must have beendiscovered centuries ago, although information on this subject is scarce and oftenambiguous.

All the regiments of the British infantryand some of the cavalry regiments were numbered in 1751, and buttons bearing the regimental number were adopted by the RoyalWarrant of December 1768. Instead of numbers, the three regiments of dragoon guardsdisplayed the initials of the regiment on the


buttons.Officers' buttons were made of gilt or

silver; the other ranks had pewter buttons.Some unassuming ornaments were lateradded to the regimental numbers, and eventually regimental devices or emblems replacedthe regimental numbers (Bib!. 52, 67).

The buttons of other European nationswent through similar stages, although somenations adopted a single type of nationalbutton. Olher nations wenlthrough lhe cycle,from numbered to regimental buttons, butended with a single button for all ranks andregiments. The choice of buttons used in

Europe during the 20th century has, ofcourse, been influenced by both economic andpolitical factors. as well as changing fashions.

In the past officers' buttons were superiorin quality to those of the other ranks and wereoften of a different size. Moreover, as manyfirms were involved in the manufacture ofbuttons, their quality and the desig'n of thedevices embossed on them varied considerably. In recent years new economicpriorities, the modernization of the armedforces and social changes have led to thegradual simplification of miltary uniforms andtheir accessories.

The pictures show a selection of British Armybuttons, of large size, which display regimentaldevices, except the first onc, used by generals.

Buttons made of anodized aluminium or ofsimilar materials are now used worldwide byall ranks, and zips and press-studs have replaced them on field and fatigue uniforms.

BritainOf the three services the army has been themost prolific in the use of buttons, and eachregiment and branch of service had and stillhas its own type (Bib!. 50). They came indifferent sizes, the smallest being the buttonssupporting the chinstrap of the peaked cap.The Royal Horse Artillery has worn a ballshaped button since the 1790s, with the crownabove the field gun since 1873.

Some regiments and corps had their capbadge modified, often more than once, andthese changes were also recorded on theirbuttons or, alternalively. the design of theemblem on the button was changed. The typeof crown changed according to the sovereign:the Victorian Crown was used until 1901; itwas followed by the Imperial Crown. whichwas replaced in 1952 by the St Edward'sCrown, which was adopted for the reign ofQueen Elizabeth 11. Buttons displaying lheRoyal Cypher also changed according to lhereigning sovereign.

Between 1871 and 1924 only the officersand the non-commissioned officers of theinfantry of the line wore regimental buttons;the rank and file wore general service buttons.Later, however. all ranks had regimentalbuttons, until button less battledress wasadopted in 1937.

Gilded or brass buttons were used by armypersonnel apart from the Militia and theVolunteer Force, which were distinguished bysilvered or white metal buttons until 1908,when both organizations were embodied inthe newly formed Territorial Force. In addition; rifle regiments and some light infanlryregiments had black buttons, and bronze

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bultons were used by the officers on the khakiservice dress.

Some of the smallest bultons, worn on thefront of the officers' forage cap, had theregimental or corps emblem as a separatepiece, riveted on to the button. Some regimental blazer buttons had the regimentalinsignia or regimental initials engraved ontheir surface.

Five naval buttons are illustrated, including that of flag officers and of the officers ofthe Merchant Navy. The Royal Marines havebrass and bronze bultons, while the Royal AirForce has brass bultons, with the eagle andcrown as separate pieces for the full dress.(The initials CD stand for Civil Defence.)

Other buttonsMost collectors of buttons tend to collectexamples from their own country only, as thenumbers of buttons involved combined withthe lack of information on the subject deterthe enthusiast from extending his interest toother countries.

Illustrated are a few examples of buttonsfrom well known countries; all were usedduring this century.

I-Albania2,3 -Imperial Austria4-Denmark5 - Ethiopia (pre-1935)6-France7, 8-Germany (pre-1945)9, 10- Republic of Ireland11-16 -Italy. The last button, officers'pattern, was adopted in 1975 to replace all theregimental and branch-of·service buUonspreviously worn.17- Holland18- Vatican19-USSR20-25- Spain, including a button of theFafunge Espariofu and an old button of the'royal' artillery.26, 27 - Sweden28-30- Poland, showing the two differenttypes of eagle.31,32- USA for greatcoat.

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A selection of British buttons varying in size and type, made of different metals, or plastic, withdevices embossed, engraved, or soldered on the button, and with different crowns.

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cCAP BADGE The phrase cap badge is popularly used to describe a badge that is worn on acap, a peaked cap, a brimmed hat or any othertype of soft head-dress. Technically, however,the badge worn on the beret is known as aberet badge, but in several armies beret andforage cap badges are also worn on the collaror on the shoulder straps. The expressionhead-dress badge refers to badges worn on alltypes of head-dress, including helmets.

The main types of cap badges are discussedbelow: those that identify the nationality ofthe wearer by displaying the national emblemor colours, and those that identify his, or her,branch of service or regiment. The cap badgeusually also indicates rank, especially in thecase of general officers, or class of rank, sincethe same badge often exists in two patternsor in three - for officers, non-commissionedofficers and the rank and file.

AlbaniaLittle is known about Albanian badges exceptthat extensive use was made of the Skanderbeg helmet and of the black Albanian eagle(see Formation sign) until the end of WorldWar 11.

In the 1930s, according to regulations, theGjefleral A rmate , who was King Zog, worethe Skanderbeg helmet above a sceptresuperimposed upon crossed sprigs of laureland oak; the generals had the same, helmetabove the king's cypher, and above one or twochevrons below the oak sprigs.

The black and white illustration, which istaken from the regulations, shows the otherofficers' cap badge, complete with measurements.

The badges were changed after Italiansinvaded Albania in 1939. The white metal starworn by the Italians was combined with theSkanderbeg helmet and worn on the collar bythe new Albanian Army. Some Albanianunits also wore this badge on the fur hat.

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The pre- and post-1939 Skanderberg badge.

Austria-HungaryBefore World War I two badges were worn onthe shako: a boss at the top, with the Emperor's cypher on a black background in thecentre, ahd below that, but above the chinstrap, the double-headed Austrian eagle. Theboss was made of gold metallic wire forofficers and of brass for other ranks; the eaglewas made of gilt and brass respectively.

The gold boss and its black centre echoed

The first three are Imperial cap badges: theeagle (I) ofthe officers' dress shako, the metalboss (2) worn on the field cap during World WarI and the bugle (3) with the initial of EmperorKarl I.

Two versions of the post-1955 Austrian eaglefor the peaked cap. It holds in its claws thehammer and sickle.

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Belgian national emblem, and it is worn onarmy and navy peaked caps. The red comesfrom the red cock of Wallonia, the black fromthe black lion of Flanders, and, as both theseregional emblems are on a yellow ground, thecentral ring of the cockade is yellow.

The modern version derives from thelarger cockades of conventional pattern thatwere worn on the model shakos of 1831,1845and 1895. Large, oval, embroidered cockadeshave also been used since the middle of the19th century, and a large, round cockade,embroidered in whipcord pattern, was wornon the round, brimless model 'pillbox' hat of1868 (Bib!. 46).

All these head-dresses became obsoleteduring World War I, and they were replacedby the peaked cap and by the bonnet de police.A khaki beret was adopted in the early 19205for tankmen, and in the 19305 the ChasseursArdennais were issued with dark green berets,while the Ullites Cye/isles Frontiere obtainedroyal blue berets.

Since its adoption, the modern army'speaked cap displays the national cockade onthe crown at the front, while insignia ofbranch, combined with class of rank insignia,are worn on the cap band.

Large, medium and small cockades areavailable either embroidered or enamelled.The small pattern, which is 20mm (3/.in) indiameter, is made of enamel, and it is usuallyworn by all ranks except generals, who have amedium size cockade embroidered in whipcord. The larger enamelled badge is preferredby naval ratings, who wear it on the sailor hat.However, no strict rule governs the wearing ofone or another type of cockade, particularlyas far as the officers are concerned.

A cockade used before World War 11 hadthe cypher of King Leopold III (LIII reversed) in its centre, It was larger than usualand had narrow red and yellow rings.

Class of rank is displayed on the cap bandin a variety of ways. The generals have twosets of vertical bars with the category badgewithin; the generals des armes wear thefoudre, while the generals of the services wearthe insignia of their service or corps, The fieldofficers have one vertical bar on either side ofthe arm- or branch-of-service insignia, and theother officers wear the insignia only, withoutbars.

All ranks of the cavalry (Lancers) and alsothe warrant officers and non-commissionedofficers of all corps wear silver badges.

Metal or embroidered badges and barsmay be worn on the cap, but metal is moreusual, its surface being finished to imitateembroidery. General Staff officers wear thedemi-foudre, while all other officers and theother ranks entitled to wear the peaked caphave their branch-of-service badge on the capband.

The crown of the Infantry of the Line and

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The 'cockade' (I, 2) is the main Belgian capbadge. Generals wear a pair of vertical doublebars on the cap band (3, General 'des Armes'),GS officers are identified by the 'demi-foudre'(4) and the other officers have the branch -ofservice badge (5, 6,7) on the cap band.

The lion (8) was used by the Belgian troops inBritain and the other badges without (9) or withbacking are worn on the beret.

Austria1933-8 After World War 1 the Austro-Hungarian Empire broke up, Hungary regained itsindependence and territories that had beenpart of the empire were integrated into newnations.

Austria became a republic, and the imperial emblems were abolished. The new Austrian cap badge displayed a small red, whiteand red cockade in the centre of a boss.

1955-86 The cockade within the boss thathad been used before World War 11 was readopted in 1955 as the main head-dress badge.

The boss is all in gold for officers down tothe rank of Fiihnrich, gold with an inner silvercircle from the rank of Vizeleutnant to that ofWachtmeister, and of yellow metal for therank and file.

The cockade is worn on the crown of thepeaked cap and on the field cap. The modernversion of the Austrian eagle is worn on thecap band, in silver embroidery for officers,silver metal for sergeants and in bronze for therank and file.

The officers' field service shako carriedonly a boss, smaller than on the dress shakoand with a diameter of only 30mm (I V.in) ,with a double gold cord at the bottom loopedaround a small button. The other ranks' fieldcap had at the front a brass version of theofficers' boss, with the Emperor's cypher cutout in the centre. Austrian units had thecypher 'FJ!' while the Hungarians had 'IFJ'.

The liiger and Schiitzen regiments wore abugle on their head-dress. A large bugle wasworn on the dress hat above the holder of thecockerel feathers, and smaller versions of thebugle were worn on the field cap. The emblemor number displayed in the centre of the bugleidentified the type of unit (Bib!. 38).

After the death of Emperor Francis Josephin 1916, the cypher of the field cap badge waschanged to 'K' for the Emperor Karl forAustrian and Hungarian regiments alike, and,since metal buttons were not worn on fielduniforms, there was no way of distinguishingthe number of a specific regiment (see Collarinsignia).

To solve this problem a new system of unitidentification was introduced in 1917. Patcheswere worn on the left side of the field cap andon the shoulder straps of both the tunic andthe greatcoat. The number of the regiment orbattalion, together with letters of the alphabet, was stencilled on the patches in different colours according to the branch of service(Bib!. 17.38).

BelgiumThe red, yellow and black cockade is the

the national colours of Imperial Austria,yellow and black.

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of the Chasseurs ti Pied comes in differentsizes and finish, and although the pallern thatis 25mm (lin) wide should be worn on thepeaked cap, the smaller crown for the shoulder strap is often used on the cap as well. TheGuides wear the crown above crossed sabres,and the personnel of the pre-war FortressArtillery also wore a crown, but it was abovecrossed cannons. The gunners wear crossedcannons, and the Engineers have the Romanhelmet (see Shoulder strap).

The bonnet de police, the typical Belgianforage cap with the tassel, was in use until1940. It displayed the branch-of-service insignia and the unit's number on its right side.The Chasseurs Ardennais wore the boar'shead above the regimental number on theirgreen berets, and the regiments and ballalionsof the Frontier Cyclists were identified by abicycle wheel on their blue berets.

In 1940 the Belgian Army was re-formed inBritain, with British uniforms and equipment,and, although the officers endeavoured to useBelgian-type badges on their peaked caps, theBelgian lion was the only insignia worn by allranks on forage caps and berets.

In 1948-9 regimental and branch-of-servicebadges were adopted for use on new colouredberets, and they are still in use today, although in the meantime many of the originalbadges have been abolished, modified orchanged. These badges are in yellow or whitemetal with a polished or dull finish accordingto class of rank and branch of service.

Most badges are worn on coloured, shieldshaped backings (see Backing). The exceptions are the Chasseurs Ardennais who wearthe boar's head on green berets, Parachutists,who wear maroon berets, Commandos, withdark green berets, Army Air Corps, with lightblue berets and Armoured Engineers whohave black berets.

The badge of the Reserve Infantry Battalions is a smaller version of the Infantry'spre-World War I shako plate, which had theregimental number in the centre instead of thelion. The beret badge of the 1st Chasseurs onHorse - 1 Jagers de Paard, a Flemish regiment - is a warrant/non-commissionedofficer's silvered badge, which is privatelypurchased and therefore different from thegeneral issue badge (see Backing). The badgesof the Artillery, which have a polished giltfinish, and of the Engineers, which have a dullgilt finish, are also non-issue itelOs.

BritainBritain's comparatively early achievement ofunity, together with the benefits arising frombeing geographically separated from mainlandEurope, spared the United Kingdom the upheavals and revolutions that shook the rest ofthe continent. The steady continuity of poweris reflected in the vast numbers of Britishinsignia, which differed according to class of

rank and were, therefore, constantly changedto meet the requirements of the time.

Naval cap badges are discussed first, because the Royal Navy is the first in order ofpriority of the three services. The cap badgesof the Dominions, now the Commonwealth,follow in type and style those of Britain, andonly a few examples are shown therefore.

Royal Navy: The first dress regulations wereissued in 1748 by Lord Anson's Board ofAdmiralty, which sought to distinguish navalofficers from other officers.

The officers' cap badge consists of a wreathof gold laurel leaves surrounding a silver foulanchor with the Royal Crown above. Thispattern of badge was adopted in 1856, andsuch was the great power and prestige enjoyedby the Royal Navy during the 19th centurythat it was copied by other nations throughoutthe world.

Between c1870 and 1891, the badge wasusually embellished by a gold ring sel aroundthe anchor, and earlier badges were considerably smaller than those prescribed in the1937 Uniform Regulations, which were andstill are 65mm (21hin) high and 85mm (3Y4in)wide.

Cap badges may be hand embroidered ingold and silver, usually with the anchor partlyof metal, or they may be made of gold orsilver metal. They are also sometimes made ofbronze, which was used with khaki uniform'when exposed to enemy fire'.

The officers' cap badge of the Women'sRoyal Naval Service is smaller than the men'scap badge, and its laurel wreath is embroidered in blue silk. The chaplains obtained aspecial badge in 1940: it has the wreathembroidered in black silk and veins in goldwire.

Cap badges for chief petty officers wereintroduced in 1879. A gold and silver crownabove a silver anchor in a gold ring was wornby seamen, and non-seamen ratings wore asimilar badge but all in gold. Gold and silverbadges were adopted for all chief pettyofficers in 1918. 'Senior' petty officers wereallowed to wear the peaked cap in 1920 withthe badge described above, and a gold wreathwas added to the cap badge of the chief pettyofficers. The ring around the anchor waspurely ornamental and often consisted of twocords; in 1970, however, a new order specifiedthat only the Fleet Chief Petty Officer wouldwear two gold rings and that the others shouldwear one ring only.

The red cap badges for junior ratingsoriginated in 1890, when non-seamenbranches obtained cap badges similar to thoseof the chief petty officers but embroidered inred thread.

Ratings' badges were also made in metal,and those for non-seamen branches werepainted in red.


Above: Comparison between old ((I) c.1910)and modern (2) naval officer's cap badges.

Below: two metal badges, for officer (3) andchief petty officer (4), and embroidered capbadges for chief petty officer (5) and pettyofficer (6, 7) with different crowns.

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During World War I six battalions ofsailors formed the Royal Naval Division,which was deployed as an infantry formation.Each battalion had a different cap badgebearing its title on a scroll - Ansan, Drake,Hawke, Hood, Howe and Nelson.

Army: Most British Army cap badges identify a regiment or a branch of service. However, as they are also found in differentversions for officers and other ranks, they alsoidentify a specific class of rank. A few capbadges denote rank or class of rank, althoughsome of these should still be classified asregimental badges.

Field marshals, general officers, brigadiersand substantive colonels wear special badgesindentifying a specific rank in the first instance. In addition, they indicate class of rankfor the generals and a rank with specialappointment for the others. Two examples ofembroidered general officers' badges areshown, the small badge is worn on a foragecap or beret and the full size badge on apeaked cap. The field marshal's badge has twocrossed batons in its centre, embroidered inred and gold. The brigadiers, substantivecolonels and staff officers not on the cadre of aunit wear the Royal Crest.

Some regimental badges vary according torank, a practice common within the guardsregiments. For instance, there are three capbadges for other ranks of the GrenadierGuards: warrant officers, orderly roomsergeants and band sergeants wear a bronzegrenade with the Royal Cypher reversed andinterlaced, in silver, pinned on to the ball ofthe grenade; sergeants and musicians have thecypher embossed on the grenade in gildingmetal; the others have a plain grenade, without the cypher.

The warrant officers and sergeants of theGordon Highlanders wear the stag's head inrelief, a badge known as the 'staff badge'.

The cap badge is the main form of regimental and branch-of-service identification ofthe British Army, although collar badges,arm-of-service strips and other means are, orhave been, used for the same purpose.

The Royal Warrants of 1751 and 1768abolished the practice of naming regimentsafter their colonel and ordered that regimentsshould be numbered, thereby initiating anorder of precedence among them that exists tothis day. First in order of precedence is thecavalry, followed by artillery and engineers,the infantry of the line and branches ofservice.

Above right: Cap badge for the peaked cap ofjunior ratings, embroidered in red thread.

Right: Embroidered cap badges of BritishArmy generals, in two sizes, for forage cap (I)and peaked cap (2) and the Royal Crest worn bybrigadiers and substantive colonels (3).

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Above and lefl: Cap badge for warrant officers,orderly room sergeants and band sergeants ofthe Grenadier Guards (4) and for warrantofficers and sergeants of the GordonHighlanders (5).

[n modern terms, the number of cavalryand infantry regiments that existed in 1900(Bibl. 50) was disproportionately large inrelation 10 the few support arms and branchesof service. There were 104 regiments of regular cavalry and infantry, plus yeomanry,volunteers and militia battalions, all of whichwore different cap badges.

Many special volunteer battalions, all withdifferent badges, raised during World War I(Bibl. 56), were disbanded after 1918. TheMachine Gun Corps and the Tank Corps wereformed during World War I and the 'armour'was reorganized in the 19205, in the 19305 andagain during World War If. The airborneforces, parachutists and glider-borne troops,were constituted during World War 11, andthe Parachute Regiment is still in existence.

During the 1920s the number of cavalryregiments was reduced through the amalgamation of regiments, and some Irish regiments were disbanded after the creation of theRepublic of Ireland. The process of mergingregiments continued after World War 11,particularly affecting the infantry of the line.

The modern regimental cap badges of theBritish Army are the product of a long processof development that started in the middle ofthe 18th century.

The Royal Warranl of 1 July 1751 authorized some regiments to display 'devices andbadges' on the colours or on grenadiers' caps,drums and bells of arms. The 3rd Regiment ofFoot_ The Buffs, obtained Ihe mythologicaldragon, which later became the regiment'shead-dress badge. The 5th Regiment obtainedSt George killing the dragon, which was laterdisplayed on the grenade of the Royal orthumberland Fusiliers (see Collar insignia). The6th Regiment obtained the antelope, and the7th, which was already a fusiliers regiment,was granted the rose within the garter with thecrown over it. The 8th, the King's Regiment,oblained the white horse of Hanover, the23rd, The Royal Welch Fusiliers, had thePrince of Wales's feathers, and the 27thobtained Inniskilling Castle.

Two other important devices were grantedby the same warrant but only for display onthe three corners of the second colour: thelamb 10 the 2nd Fool and the lion of Englandto the 4th.

The Royal Warrant of 1768 adopted theflaming grenade as the badge of the grenadiers, and initially it was worn at the back ofthe hat. In 1814 the bugle horn was granted tothe regiments of light infantry.

Left: Examples ofembroidered British officers'cap badges: I. 1st King's Dragoon Guards2. The Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars3. The Yorkshire Hussars (Alexandra Princessof Wales's Own) 4_ The North SomersetYeomanry 5. The City of London Yeomanry(Rough Riders).


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9 10

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14

The period in which these badges were used isprimarily determined by the type of crown, buttheir pattern and type of metals further identifytheir age. No. 11 is a beret badge worn from1949 to 1959/61, nos. 7 and 8 also differ in stylethe horse is different and that of the first badgeis made ofstirling silver, a characteristic ofpre-World War 11 badges, while the horse of lhesecond badge is silver plated.

Most of these badges have two long shanks,for the split pin, at lhe back.

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the scroll of the badge of the King's Regimentwere modified. In 1937 the badge of the RoyalNorfolk Regiment lost the laurel wreath andthe scroll that had previously surrounded thefigure of Britannia. The badge of the Manchester Regiment was later changed completely from the arms of the city of Manchester to a fleur-de-lis.

Occasionally, often because the title'Royal' was granted to a regiment, the regimental title on the scroll was changed, as

Examples of gilt and silver plated badges for omeers: I. The Derbyshire Yeomanry 2. TheDevonshire Regiment 3. The Lancashire Fusiliers 4. 23rd Counly of London RegimentS. The Buffs(Royal East Kent Regiment) 6. 14th/20th King's Hussars 7. 3rd King's Own Hussars, which in 1930changed its title to 8. 3rd The King's Own Hussars 9. The Lanarkshire Yeomanry 10. The King'sShropshire Light Infantry 11. The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) 12. The RoyalHampshire Regiment 6th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Battalion. 13. The King's Own YorkshireLight Infantry 14. The Royal Scots Fusiliers.

Until 1881 it was usual for only officers towear a regimental device on the helmet plate,while the other ranks displayed the regimentalnumber only in the centre of their helmetplate. After 1881, however, following theamalgamation of regiments and their redesignation on a county basis, the other ranks'helmet plate centre displayed the regimentaldevice. In the late 1890s, when cap badgeswere adopted following the introduction ofthe blue field service cap, the regiment'sdevice - the dragon, lamb, sphinx, or Englishrose and so forth - became the centrepiece ofthe badge, while a scroll, inscribed with theregimental title and often surrounded bywreaths, was added.

The Scots retained the glengarry and therefore wore, and still wear, larger badges. Thebadge of the Royal Scots (The Royal Regt) isbased upon the star of the Order of theThistle; the officers' pattern has the thistle inits centre and the other ranks' badge has StAndrew and the cross. Most Scottish capbadges are decorated with a wreath of thistle.

The badge of the South Wales Borderers isdecorated by a wreath of immortelles, anhonour granted to the 24th Foot after itsparticipation in the Zulu War (1879).

Some cap badges retained the design andshape of the crowned helmet plate; for instance, in the centre of the badge of theDevonshire Regiment is Exeter Castle. Thecap badge of the Essex Regiment shows thecastle and key of Gibraltar, an honourawarded to four regiments in 1784. The sphinxon a tablet inscribed 'Egypt' is a battle honourgranted on 6 July 1802 to several regiments,including the Essex Regiment, that had takenpart in the campaign against the French inEgypt. During the battle of Alexandria, on 21March 1801, the 28th Foot beat off a Frenchassault from the rear, and all ranks of theGloucestershire Regiment have the uniqueprivilege of wearing the sphinx at the frontand at the back of their head-dress.

Two cap badges were changed duringWorld War I. The 1st King's Dragoon Guardshad borne the arms of the Empire of Austria,for Emperor Francis Joseph I was their Colonel-in-Chief between 1896 and 1914. Theoriginal badge had a scroll underneath, whichwas abandoned when the Austrian eagle wasre-adopted in 1937. The second cap badge tochange during World I was that of the 14th!20th King's Hussars, which depicts the Prussian eagle in honour of the Princess Royal ofPrussia, who had married the Duke of York in1791. It was abolished in 1915 and restored in1931.

Several badges were modified in the 1920s,including that of the Cheshire Regiment,which lost its scroll. At the same time, thebadge of The Queen's Royal Regiment lost itsscroll and the shape of the flag was modified aswell, while the horse and the inscription on

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5 5 6

Above: Solid silver cap badges for officers: no. 3is hallmarked 1918 and no. 5 is marked 1924.I. The Somerset Light Infantry (PrinceAlbert's) 2. The Green Howards (AlexandraPrincess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment)3. The Gloucestershire Regiment 4. 5th City ofLondon Regiment S. The Duke of Cornwall 'sLight Infantry.

Above: 1. Grenadier Guards 2. The Queen's(Royal West Surrey Regiment) 3. The RoyalScots (The Royal Regt) 4. The King's OwnRoyal Regiment (Lancaster) 5. The RoyalFusiliers (City of London Regt) 6. The RoyalWelch Fusiliers.

Below left: The King's (Liverpool Regt) 8. TheWest Yorkshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales'sOwn) 9. The Royal Berkshire Regiment(Princess Charlotte of Wales') 10. The RoyalInniskilling Fusiliers.

Below right: 13. The Manchester Regiment14. As 13. 2nd pattern 15. The LincolnshireRegiment 16. The Cheshire Regiment 17. TheShropshire Yeomanry.

Above: Officers' service dress cap badgesadopted in 1902. They were initially made ofbronze, later painted brown. The latter havebending blades at the back.I. The Royal Warwickshire Regiment 2. TheCambridgeshire Regiment 3. The SouthLancashire Regiment (The Prince of Wales'sVolunteers) 4. The Essex Regiment 5. TheRoyal Leicestershire Regiment.

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happened with the 3rd 'The' King's OwnHussars .

• Large cap badges were awkward to wearon berets when they were adopted duringWorld War 1I, and some regiments, therefore,wore a collar badge on their berets instead.After the war many regiments adopted smallcap badges, with versions for officers andother ranks, especially for the beret.

The Volunteer Force existed until 1908,when it was reorganized to form the Territorial Army. The volunteers wore white metalbadges and buttons, and their cap badgeswere generally similar in design to those of theregular army battalions to which they wereaffiliated. Many volunteer battalions carried

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18. The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders(Princess Louise's) 19. The Loyal NorthLancashire Regiment 20. The East YorkshireRegiment (The Duke of York's Own) 2I. TheGloucestershire Regiment, back badge 22. As16, 2nd pattern 23. The HerefordshireRegiment 24. The City of London Yeomanry(Rough Riders), beret badge 25. The RineBrigade (Prince Consort's Own) 26. 11thHussars (Prince Albert's Own) 27. LiverpoolScottish 28. The Wiltshire Regiment (Duke ofEdinburgh's) 29. The East Surrey Regiment30. 15th & 16th County of London Regiments31. The Royal Ulster Rines 32. The South WalesBorderers 33. The Royal Norfolk Regiment

.- 34_._T_h_e_K_i_n_g

_'s_R_O_y_a,1 Rin,:e~C:o~r:ps:. ~================~

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-------------- A-Z OF MILITARY INSIGNIA

on a scroll or a tablet the battle honours of theballalions that had served in South Africaduring the war against the Boers. Othersobliterated the regular battalion's battle honours, holding the view that, as they were'territorials', they did not strictly carry on thetraditions of their predecessors.

Most volunteer badges were clearly identified by title scrolls or by initials.

As a general rule, after 1908 the 1st and2nd battalions of each regiment were regulararmy battalions, the 3rd was a militia battalion, and the 4th, 5th and so on wereterritorial battalions.

In 1908 four independent territorial regiments were formed that had no affiliation tothe regular army; their battalions were numbered from 1st onward. One was the Cambridgeshire Regiment and another the Monmouthshire Regiment.

The battle honours of territorial badgeswere modified, as were those of the volunteers. For example, the cap badge of the 4thBattalion, the Border Regiment displays only

the battle honour 'South Africa 1900-1902'instead of the numerous battle honours appearing on the eap badge of the regulars.Battalions that traced their origins to rifleunits wore blackened cap badges.

Beeause of the shortage of nickel, all-brassbadges started to be issued to the troops in1916, and during World War 11 plastic badgeswere adopted, also for reasons of economy.These cap badges were made in four colours- grey, grey-brown. light brown and darkbrown (Bib!. 55).

Staybrite badges, made of anodizedaluminium were introduced in 1952 for the useof other ranks. They do not need cleaning andare light in weight, but, although they areshiny, they tend to lose their glittering surfacewhen exposed to constant light. Many regiments have been amalgamated and reorganized since staybrite badges were introduced (see page 000), and many new badgeshave been adopted. The new badges are oftenoverloaded by the regimental devices of theirpredecessors, the titles of which usually

appear on the scroll, almost unreadable amidthe glitter.

Many old regiments did not adopt staybritebadges until the accession of Queen Elizabeth11 and most badges. therefore, bear St Edward's Crown.

Below left: Cap badges of Volunteers: I. 3rd Bn.The Devonshire Regiment 2. 3rd Bn. TheDurham Light Infantry 3. 2nd Bn, TheManchester Regiment 4. 2nd Bn, The Duke ofWellington's (""est Riding Regiment) 5. 2ndBn, The York and Lancaster Regiment 6. 4thBn, The Border Regiment.

/lelow: Territnrial cap badges: I. The/luckinghamshire /lattalion 2. 8th (Irish) Iln,King's Liverpool Regiment 3. 6th Bn, TheDurham Light Infantry 4. 1st Bn, TheMonmouthshire Regiment 5. As 4, 2nd paUern

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Staybrite badges worn after 1952: I. The EastLancashire Regiment 2. 16th/5th The Queen'sRoyal Lancers 3. The Suffolk and NorfolkYeomanry 4. The Shropshire Yeomanry 5. TheWelsh Guards 6. The Green Howards(Alexandra Princess of Wales's Own YorkshireRegt) 7. Berkshire and Westminster Dragoons.

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Plastic badges used in World War 11: I. TheRoyal Ulster Rifles 2. The Duke of Wellington'sRegiment (West Riding) 3. The ParachuteRegiment 4. The Wiltshire Regiment (Duke ofEdinburgh's) 5. The Rifle Brigade (PrinceConsort's Own).

1

Brass badges used during World War I: I. The Welsh Regiment 2. The Leicestershire Regiment3. The South Wales Borderers 4. The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment.

After World War 11 the regular regimentsof the army lost their 2nd battalion, and in1947 all the battalions were organized intoTraining Brigade Groups (see Formationsign), each battalion representing its regiment. Following the recommendations of the1957 White Paper, all infantry regiments weregrouped into 14 brigades, and as there weretoo many battalions to fit into 14 brigades, anumber of regimental amalgamations werenecessary.

The personnel of the remaining battalionswore brigade cap badges and regimental collarbadges, so it was possible for entirely newhead-dress badges to be adopted withoutupsetting the feelings-of the 'traditionalists'.

The badges of the Scottish brigades wereunmistakably Scottish, and the choice ofdevice for the Fusilier, Welsh, Light Infantryand for the North Irish brigades was notdifficult. The Lancastrian and Yorkshirebrigades were identified by their own rosesand the Wessex Brigade by the wyvern (seeFormation sign). The badges of the EastAnglian, Forester and Green lackets brigadesincorporated old regimental motifs, andSaxon crowns were displayed in the capbadges of the Home Counties and Mercianbrigades.

All Gurkha regiments, apart from the 2nd,can be identified by the presence of kukris intheir insignia. The officers usually wear aminiature version of the cap badge fitted on acoloured boss.

The first three Gurkha regiments tracetheir origins to 1815, and, after many redesignations, the 1st, 2nd and the 4th becameaffiliated to King Edward VII, after which theplume became part of their badges.

The 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own GurkhaRifles adopted the crowned initials of QueenAlexandra in their badge. The 5th RoyalGurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) was a 'royal'regiment, and the Royal Crest therefore surmounted the regimental number. The 6th,7th, 8th, 9th and 10th regiments were designated Gurkha Rifles, but in 1949 the 10thRegiment became the 10th Princess Mary'sOwn Gurkha Rifles. In 1959 the 6th Regimentwas redesignated the 6th Queen Elizabeth'sOwn Gurkha Rifles and the 7th became the7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles.The royal crown and the Duke of Edinburgh'scypher, respectively, were added to the insignia of the two regiments.

In 1947 eight battalions of Gurkhas, fromthe 2nd, 6th, 7th and 10th regiments, becamepart of the British Army, and they laterformed their own support units, engineers,signals and the Gurkha Transport Regiment.

The Royal Marines were granted the globeby King George IV in 1827 when they claimed106 battle honours for the new colour; theglobe was appropriate because the honourshad been won in battles all over the world.

88


2

Royal Marines: I. Officer's dress capbadge 2. Officer's service dress badge 3.Other ranks' cap badge 4. Other ranks'cap badge of the Royal Marines Light Infantr)'.

3

The officers, warrant officers and quartermaster sergeants have cap badges in twopieces. The officers' dress badge is made ofgilt except for the globe, which is in silver withgilded continents, while the dress badge of thewarrant officers and quartermaster sergeantsis entirely in gilt. The other ranks wear abadge made in one piece of gilding metal.Bronze badges are worn by officers. warrantofficers and quartermaster sergeants on theservice dress.

The above badge was used by the RoyalMarines Light Infantry until 1923 instead ofthe royal crest; the Royal Marines Artilleryused a grenade (Bibl. 55 interalia).

As the cap badges of the corps and departments follow the pattern of those of thecavalry and infantry regiments, examples ofthe different types are illustrated together.

The Royal Artillery has four badges: theembroidered grenade and scroll arc worn onthe forage cap; the 'gun' badge in gilt is wornon the peaked cap and in embroiderery on theberet; and the plastic collar badge was used onthe beret by other ranks during World War [I.

10

.~.3

12

14

~

8

6

13

11

8

4

10

2

9

7

3

5

Gurkhas: I. 1st King George V's Own Gurkha RiOes 2. 2nd King Edward VII's Own GurkhaRiOes 3, 8. 5th Royal Gurkha RiOes (Frontier Force) 4. 7th Gurkha RiOes 5, 7. 8th Gurkha RiOes6. 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha RiOes 9, 10. 10th Gurkha RiOes.

Brigades: I. The Lowland Brigade 2. The Home Counties Brigade 3. The Laneastrian Brigade4. The Fusilier Brigade 5. The Highland Brigade 6. The East Anglian Brigade 7. The Welsh Brigade8. The Forester Brigade 9. The Light Infantry Brigade 10. The Yorkshire Brigade. 11. The WessexBrigade 12. The Green Jackets Brigade 13. The Merrian Brigade 14. The Irish Brigade.

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8

10

7

9

11

6

4

Corps and Departments: 1,3,5,13. Royal Regiment of Artillery 2. Royal Army Service Corps4. Royal Army Chaplain's Departmenl6. 11,24. Royal Army Ordnance Corps 7, 17. RoyalElectrical and Mechanical Engineers 8, 16. Royal Armoured Corps 9, 19. Royal Army MedicalCorps 10. Intelligence Corps 12, Corps of Military Police 14, 20. Army Air Corps 15. Royal CorpsofSignals 18. Corps of Royal Engineers 21. Royal Pioneer Corps 22. Royal Army Dental Corps 23.Army Physical Training Corps 25. Royal Tank Regiment 26. Army Catering Corps 27. JuniorLeaders Training Regiment, Infantry 28. General Service Corps 29. Royal Army Pay Corps 30.Reconnaissance Corps.

The Royal Army Service Corps, now theRoyal Corps of Transport, the Corps of RoyalEngineers and the Corps of Military Police,now 'Royal', have the monarch's cypher in thecentre; it changes according to the sovereign.

The badges of the Corps of Military Police,Royal Artillery, Army Air Corps and ArmyPhysical Training Corps, which are made ofplastic, were used during World War 11. TheArmy Air Corps was formed by the ParachuteRegiment and by the Glider Pilot Regiment; itwas disbanded in 1950, only to be re-formedwith a different badge in 1957.

The Royal Army Ordnance Corps hasworn four badges; illustrated are the secondpattern for officers' service dress. which waschanged in 1947 and again in 1949. Alsoillustrated are two versions of the badge of theRoyal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers,and of the Royal Army Medical Corps, thelatter with differing scrolls. The badge of theRoyal Armoured Corps for other ranks wasused until 1941, while the embroidered badgefor officers was worn from 1941 on. The RoyalTank Corps and the Reconnaissance Regiment were part of the Royal ArmouredCorps.

The Army Pay Corps wore the initials APCbelow the crown; in 1920 the Corps became'Royal', and the initials were changed toRAPe. The badge illustrated has been wornsince 1929.

The royal arms were used as the badge ofthe General Service Corps, the royal crestabove crossed swords was worn by the infantry of the Junior Leaders Training Regiments.

132S

21 2728

23

24

30

90


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7

5

6

4

3

Royal Air Force:I. Field service cap badge for officers of air rank2. Badge for officer's peaked cap3. Officer's beret badge4. Royal Flying CorpsS. Royal Air Force6. Royal Australian Air Force7. Field service cap badge for officers.

army. Later all went through the same processes or reorganization at about the sametime.

British Commonwealth of NationsThis book describes the different patterns ofbadges used during this century, and, sincethe same basic types of cap badges, mainlymade of metal, were used by all the armedforced of the British Commonwealth, only aselection of badges from these nations isshown.

Many of these badges display nationalmotifs associated with the fauna or flora of thenation or continent; for example, the kangaroo and the swan of Australia, the fern leafof New Zealand and the maple leaf ofCanada.

At the beginning of the 20th century, thearmed forces of these nations consisted largelyof a militia force led by a very small regular

Royal Air Force: The Royal Air Force wasformed on I April 1918 by the amalgamationof the Royal Flying Corps and the RoyalNaval Air Service. The blue-grey uniformswere introduced in September 1919, andduring the following months the cap badgeswere adopted that, although with a differentcrown, are still in use today.

The cap badge of officers of air rankdepicts the RAF eagle on a laurel wreathensigned by the royal crest. The other officershave the eagle, a four-leaf wreath and theroyal crown, while the airmen wore the sametype of cap badge as previously worn by theRoyal Flying Corps but with the initials RAFinstead of RFC. The same badge is still in use,but it bears St Edward's Crown and is made ofanodized metal.

Chaplains have a special badge - a wingedcross patte in metal below the crown. On thefull dress busby the officers wear the originalemblem of the Royal Air Force: an eaglesuperimposed upon a circlet bearing themotto Per Ardua ad Astra and surmounted bythe crown (Bibl. 28, 60).

The same basic types of cap badges wereadopted by the air forces of the Dominions,later the Commonwealth, although the initialsin the centre of the airmen's badges varied:Canadians had the initials RCAF, NewZealanders RNZAF and Australians RAAFand a different wreath; South African airmenhad an entirely different badge.

Officers have always worn large badges ontheir peaked caps and smaller velSions ontheir berets. The officers of air rank wear thesame badge on the side cap and on the beret,while the other officers have the eagle andcrown on the side cap, in two pieces heldtogether by a back plate. Warrant officerswear badges of the same pattern as officersbut made of metal.

Metal badges were used by the officersonly during World War If. The exampleshown, which is on a black felt backing, ismounted on a metal back plate. The eagle isalways made of gilded brass.

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9

Australia: The cap badge of the 18th Australia Light Horse (Western AustraliaMounted Infantry), which was worn between1900 and 1912, and the badge of the 10thLight Horse. which was adopted in 1953,depict the black swan of Western Australia.

In 1912 the programme known as 'universal training' began for the units of the Australian Citizen Forces. By this programme, 43battalions were formed from the existingunits, many other battalions being formedduring World War I. The cap badges of thepre-1912 regiments were replaced by battalionnumbers, and the personnel of the units thatwent abroad were issued with the GeneralService badge, known as the badge of theAustralian Commonwealth Military Forces,which was also used during World War 11.

The General Service badge does not, as itis popularly supposed, represent the risingsun. In facI, it originated as a trophy of swordsand bayonets surrounding the crown, and itwas the insignia of the first regiment to servein the South African war (Bibl. 61).

The next five badges illustrated were wornbetween 1930 and 1942.

The kangaroo formed the centrepiece ofthe cap badge of the 12th Auslralian LightHorse ( ew England Light Horse). Thebadges of the 22nd Infantry Battalion (TheRichmond Battalion) and the 46th InfantryBattalion (The Brighton Riftes) followed thepattern of the Gcneral Service badge.

The officers of the 60th Infantry Battalion(The I-1eidelberg Regt) wore an enamelledcap badge. The shape of this badge and itsmotto, eeler et At/dax, derived from the capbadge of the Brilish King's Royal Rifte Corps,formerly the 60Ih Royal American Regiment.

The last badge to be illustrated is made ofanodized aluminium; it is worn by the otherranks of the Australian Army Aviation Corps.

Canada: The first five of the badges illustrated come from the pre-World War I period;all were modified or changed in the 1920s.

The cap badge of the Governor General'sFoot Guards slill exists, but in 1922 theregimental motto, Civitas et Princeps CuraNos/ra, replaced the title around the cross.

The badge of the 5th Regiment (Royal

Australia: I. 18th Australian Light Horse(Western Australia Mounted Infantry) 2. 12thAustralian Light Horse (New England LightHorse) 3. 13th Light Horse Regiment 4. 22ndInfantry Battalion (The Richmond Bn) 5. 46thInfantry Battalion (The Brighton Rifles)6. General Service 7. The Heidelberg Regiment8. 10th Light Horse 9. Australian ArmyA\'iation Corps.

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I. The Governor General's Foot Guards 2. 5thRegiment (Royal Scots of Canada) 3. 8th RoyalRines of Canada 4. 50th Militia (Gordons ofCanada) 5. 57th Peterborough Rangers 6. 28thBattalion CEF7. nnd Ballalion CEF 8. 151stCentral Alberta Battalion CEF 9. 5th BritishColumbia Light Horse 10. The ManitobaMounted Rines 11. The British ColumbiaHussars 12. The Ottawa Highlanders 13. TheEssex Scottish 14. The North WaterlooRegiment IS. 4th Princess Louise's DragoonGuards 16. 2nd Armoured Car Regiment17. The New Brunswick Tank Regiment 18. 8thReconnaissance Regiment 19. The LakeSuperior Regiment 20. The CameronHighlanders of Ottawa ( 1G) 21. The YukonRegiment.

20


Scots of Canada) changed in 1922 when theregiment became the Royal Highlanders ofCanada (Black Watch). and it changed yetagain in 1936. when the regiment became theBlack Watch of Canada (Royal Highlanders).

The 8th Royal RiOes of Canada droppedthe regimental number, and in 1928 a buglewas placed in the centre of the badge. surrounded by the regimental title.

The cap badge of the 50th Militia (Gordonsof Canada) was abolished in 1928 when theregiment was redesignated the CanadianScottish Regiment and obtained an entirelydifferent cap badge.

The 57th Peterborough Rangers lost itsnumber in 1925. and the Roman numeralsL VII were removed from the insignia.

During World War I the Canadian Ex·peditionary Force was created from existingCanadian units to form the contingent thatwas sent overseas. The CEF was divided intobattalions, and the battalion number wasdisplayed on the cap badge.

Three examples are shown: the officers'badge of the 28th Ballalion. the other ranks'badge of the nnd (of which the stag's headand scroll were later used by the SeaforthHighlanders of Canada and by the PictouHighlanders). and the cap badge of the 151stCentral Alberta Ballalion.

A major reorganization in the 19205 led tothe changing of many regimental insignia andtitles.

In 1922 the 31st Horse became the BritishColumbia Light Horse. which was redesignated British Columbia Hussars in 1933.These badges prove that the trophy of arms.popularly known as the 'rising sun'. was notan exclusively Australian insignia.

Also in 1922 the 18th Mounted RiOesbecame the Manitoha Mounted Rines. andthe Ottawa Regiment becc.lme the OttawaHighlanders. changing their insignia and designation once again in 1939.

The Essex Fusiliers were redesignatedEssex Scollish in 1927. and in 1928 the orth\Vaterloo Regiment was redesignated theScots Fusiliers of Canada.

A new phase of reorganization took placein the late 19305. The 5th Dragoon Guards.which had been redesignated PrincessLouise's Dragoon Guards in the 19205. wasnumbered 4th in 1939. and the regimentalnumber was added in the cap badge. The 2ndArmoured Car Regiment was formed fromthe former 2nd Motor Machine Gun Brigadein 1938, and the New Brunswick Tank Regiment was formed in 1939.

The 8th Reconnaissance Regiment. ofwhich an officers' cap badge is shown, wasraised in 1942, and the Lake Superior Regiment, which was raised in 1943, existed until1950. The Yukon Regiment. a post-WorldWar 1I unit, still exists. (Bih!. XO).

93

A-Z OFMLLITARY INSIGNIA _

New Zealand: The 1st Regiment OtagoMounted Riftes existed between 1901 and1911, when it was redesignated the 5thMounted Riftes (Otago Hussars) and newinsignia were adopted. In 1911 the New Zealand Forces were reorganized into 17 infantryregiments and 12 regiments of mounted rifles.

The 8th (South Canterbury) MountedRifles was one of the new regiments, and thebadge displayed the arms of the Earl ofRanfurly. In 1921 the 8th and the 1st MountedRiftes amalgamated to form the 1st NewZealand Mounted Riftes (Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry).

In 1916 the personnel of the New ZealandMachine Gun Corps were issued with conventional British machine gunner's cap badges,

but with additional initials NZ.During World War I two main tralOIOg

camps operated in New Zealand, at Trenthamand at Featherstone, both supervised by theCamp Military Police; the badge of Trenthamis shown. The cap badge known as 'CorrectionI' of the Featherstone Camp derives from thesystem of graduation of the recruits, who wentform A to D. Grade Cl meant 'likely tobecome fit for active service after specialtraining'.

A typical Scottish cap badge was adoptedby the 1st Armoured Car Regiment (NewZealand Scottish), which was formed in 1939as the 1st Battalion New Zealand and Scottish. It was re-formed after the war as the 1stDivisional Regiment RNZAC (New Zealand

Scottish) and still exists under its originalname (Bib!. 81).

British paramilitary forcesThe formation of a Control Commission forthe administration of occupied Germany wasdevised in ovember 1943, and its organization was gradually built up before the actualinvasion of Germany. It was an Anglo-American establishment, the British element ofwhich wore a special cap badge and identifying badges on the shoulder straps (see Slipon).

Another interesting organization was created by the Allies in the region of YeneziaGiulia in north-eastern Italy. When this areawas occupied by the British 13th Corps on

I. Control Commission Germany 2, 3. Civil Police Venezia Giulia 4. CivilMixed Watchmen Service 5, 6. Mixed Service Organisation.

2

New Zealand: I. 1st Regiment Otago Mounted Rines 2. 8th (SouthCanterbury) Mounted Rines 3. Z Machine Gun Corps 4. TrenthamCamp Military Police 5. 1st Armoured Car Regiment (NZ Scottish)6. Featherstone Camp Correction.

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Two variations ofthe 'sun' worn on headdress, with painted andenamelled background.

Chinese officer's cap badges: 1. Army 2. Air force 3. Navy 4. Marines,taken from the dress regulations,

German Protectorate of Bohemia andMoravia, new cap badges were adopted forthe armies of these states. The Slovaks woreon their peaked caps a spread eagle of Germanic appearance, perched on a wreath withcrossed swords in its centre. On the eagle'schest was the emblem of Slovakia. In theProte'ctorate two badges were worn on thepeaked cap - a blue, white and red cockadeon the crown, and crossed swords above awreath of lime leaves on the cap band, abovethe chinstrap.

After the war the pre-war cap badgescontinued to be worn until 1948.

and file wore it embossed on a bronze shield;non-commissioned officers wore it on a silvershield and officers on a gilt shield, bothsuperimposed upon a diamond-shaped base.Combatant corps wear the whole deviceabove crossed swords.

Although Czechoslovakia was the firstnation to be invaded during the war, Czechoslovaks continued to fight in units attached tothe British Army in the west and to the SovietArmy in the east. In both cases, the Czechlion was worn.

When Czechoslovakia was partly annexedto Germany and the remaining territory divided between the new state of Slovakia and the

I May 1945, a territorial dispute ensued withthe Yugoslav Army. Therefore, instead ofinstalling the usual Allied Military Government (AMG) with the support of Italianpolice. a new administrative organization wasformed, the AMG- VG (Allied MilitaryGovernment-Venezia Giulia). and a specialpolice force was raised locally.

The emblem on the police cap badge wasthe gazelle of 13th Corps. It was embroideredin silver for the officers. and made in whitemetal and blue enamel for the policemen.

The Mixed Service Organization (MSO)was formed in Germany in 1946 from refugeesand expatriated persons. It had two branches,the Civil Mixed Watchmen Service (CMWS),which consisted of armed guards deployedaround military installations, and the CivilMixed Labour Organization (CMLO). TheMSO men wore dark blue uniforms andspecial badges. The personnel of the CMWSwore a round cap badge, with the initials ofthe organization; after 1953 it bore the initialsMSO.

The MSO still exists, although it now has adifferent role and different badges. For manyyears its personnel have been in charge of thetransportation of tanks and heavy vehicles,and they wear the cap badge of the RoyalTransport Corps with the initials MSO in itscentre.

China, Republic ofThe white sun on a blue round background,which is the main emblem of China, was wornby all ranks on the head-dress before andduring World War I!.

The badge existed in different patterns, indifferent sizes and with different fittings at theback. During World War 11 a 'sun' flanked bytwo gold wings was adopted for the officers ofthe air force, but the army officers continuedto wear the round badge alone until the 1950..

All ranks wear the 'sun' only on the fieldcap; officers and non-commissioned officerswho are entitled to wear the peaked cap havethe badge surrounded by a gold or silverwreath, according to their class of rank.Smaller versions of the peaked cap badge areworn on the left side of the garrison cap.

The wreath of the modern army badgedepicts plum blossom and leaves, as theplum's flower is a traditional Chinese emblem.Wheat leaves and ears form the wreath of thenavy and of the marines, which have theanchor and the anchor and globe in the centrerespectively. Aviators wear the badge with thewings that was adopted during the war.

CzechoslovakiaThe lion and the lime leaves, the emblems ofCzechoslovakia, always appear on militaryuniforms.

Even before World War 11 the Czech lionwas displayed on the head-dress. The rank

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Field officers

Company officersOfficials

sergeants' cockade was originally embroidered in silver, but after World War 11 the ringwas made of white metal, in imitation ofembroidery. The cockade of the rank and filewas made of felt and later of plastic.

The insignia on the cap band was made intwo parts: the central button was of gildedmetal with three blue lions and nine heartsenamelled on it. The cluster of oak leaves wasembroidered in gold wire, the leaves and theacorns identifying class of rank as follows:

Generals 2 x 4 oak leaves2 x 3 acorns2 x 3 oak leaves2 x 2 acorns2 x 2 oak leaves2 x I acorns

DenmarkThe army dress regulations published in 1923prescribed three types of head-dress: thepeaked cap, the forage cap and the steelhelmet. Each carried different badges.

The peaked cap was used by officers whowere wearing service dress. It was khaki anddisplayed an oval red, white and red cockadeon the crown and an embroidered badge onthe silk woven cap band. The same type of silkwoven lace was sewn around the forage cap,which had the national cockade at the front.The lace was light brown (later grey) forofficers and cadets and dark brown for administrative officials and sergeants (see Distinction lace). A metal badge was worn on thehelmet.

The white ring of the officers' and

I

3

7

Czechoslovakia, Socialist Republic of : On 25February 1948 Czechoslovakia became asocialist nation, and the Czech lion was placedin the centre of the red star. After 1955, tomatch the Soviet officers' new cap badges, thestar was mounted on an oval, Russian-stylemetal base.

Since the star was higher than it was wide,when its five points were joined a pentagonwas formed, and this was the shape of the capbadge next adopted. It was available in gold,silver and bronze, according to class of rank,and the Czech lion was placed in the pentagonon a red background, ensigned by the red star.Generals wore a golden wreath at the bottomof the badge.

Recently the emblem on the chest of thelion has been changed from the cross to aflame on a red and blue background, and agold or silver backing device has been addedto the pentagonal badge. This new badge isworn by officers on their peaked caps only;the b,-own pentagonal badges are used by allranks on the field cap.

Air force personnel wear the star andwings on their peaked caps above the mainbadge, as is customary in all other WarsawPact nations.

1,2. Czechoslovak Forces in Britain3. Protectorate of Bohemia and Moral'ia4. Air force officers ofthe Socialist Republic5. Officers' cap badge, 2nd.pattern6,7. Officers' and COs' badges, 3rd pattern.

1,2,3. Examples of Danish cockades 4. Steelhelmet badge used before 19405. Post WorldWar 11 beret badge 6. Petty officers' badge useduntil the lale 1960s.

96

The officer cadets and sergeants wore abadge made of gilded brass, which had twoleaves and two acorns, one on each side and,in the centre, a regimental button, instead ofthe national button used by officers.

A beret badge was introduced in 1948. Itwas a smaller replica of the pre-war badgeworn on the steel helmet, and it was made ofgilded metal for officers and in brass for theother ranks. Branch-or-service and regimentalcollar badges were adopted at the same timeand became very popular with the troops.Subsequently, a third collar badge, whichfaced to the right, was worn on the beret.

A few years later a beret badge wasadopted for the personnel of the air force, andit is still used today. It depicts a small,crowned shield above two wings, the wholeset on a round cockade.

The Royal Danish Navy used the typicalnaval pattern of cap badges, the crown andwreath with the foul anchor above, and thenational cockade in the centre. The number ofoak leaves and acorns identified class of rankas in the army.

The air force did not exist as a separateservice until the 19505, and air crews worewings on khaki or navy blue uniforms, according to which service they belonged.

When the Royal Danish Air Force wasinstituted in the middle 1950s, cap badges ofthe three services were standardized on thepattern used by the navy, that is, by incorporating the national cockade above thewreath and adding the crown on the top.

The three services were, and are stilltoday, distinguished by a device placed in thecockade's centre: the shield bearing the lionsand hearts identifies the army, the foul anchoridentifies the navy, and a winged shield ensigned by the crown identifies the air force.

Three new badges were devised for each

service. All the officers had the same capbadge, which had six, later seven, oak leaveson each side of the cockade; the two Fenrickranks wore a badge with two oak leaves ateach side of the cockade, and the sergeantmajor, sergeant and corporal had one leaf ateither side at the base of the cockade.

The non-commissioned officers ranks weremodified in 1970. The ranks of Overfenrik andFenrik were abolished, together with their capbadges with four oak leaves. In the navy, thepetty officers' badge was replaced by a badgewith an oval cockade above the oak leaves,and another badge was adopted that had nooak leaves at all.

At the time of writing, dress regulationsshow one army badge only for the peaked cap,the officers' type, two cockades and the beretbadge.

FinlandUntil 1949 only small, round cap badges wereused by the Finnish Army. Regular officershad a semi-spherical badge depicting the Finnish lion in gilt on red enamel, which wasworn in combination with a white, light blueand white enamelled cockade on those headdresses that required two badges. On the furhats, for instance, the national cockade wasworn above the Finnish lion, while only thelion was worn on the cap band of the peakedcaps and on the upper front of the forage caps.

Sergeants had their own version of theFinnish lion badge, which took the form of ametal button and was worn with the enamdled national cockade. The rank and file worethe cockade only, painted in the nationalcolours.

These badges are still in use today, although the cockade of the rank and file is nowmade of coloured plastic; new badges for thepeaked cap were adopted in 1949 and are stillin use. These badges have a gold embroideredlaurel wreath around the Finnish lion. Armyofficers' badges have the Finnish lion placedon a backing of branch-of-service colour; airforce officers' cap badges display a gold metaleagle; naval officers' badges are distinguishedby the foul anchor.

The aviation officers used the wreath andeagle badge during the war, but that badgewas in two parts - the lion and wreath wereplaced on the cap band and the eagle, higherup on the crown.

A smaller badge with a gold wreath wasintroduced for non-commissioned officers, butlater abolished, as they now use the samebadges as the officers.

7. Guards Hussars 8. Jutland Dragoons9. Chief petty officers


I. Finnish Air Force officer's badge

~3

2. ational insignia3, 4, 5. Examples ofenamelled, painted and plastic cockades6. Army officers, Engineers 7. Army NCOs,Services 8. avalofficers.

97


I. French Air Force cap badge for rank and file

2. Air force helmet badge

Post World War 11 beret badges

5. Infantry

7. Marine units

6. 'Chasseurs'

8. Parachutists

3. North-East Fortress units beret badge4. Marine Commandos.

9. Signals 10. Transportation.

FranceThe kepi is the traditional head-dress of theFrench Army, and the modern pattern derivesfrom the model described in the 1919 regulations. It is now worn only by officers andsergeants.

Badges or regimental numbers have alwaysbeen worn half way up the front of the kepi,between the rank stripes and the chinstrap.Embroidered devices are stitched directly onto the kepi. In 1939 the officers and noncommissioned officers of the infantry of theline, zouaves, Algerian and Tunisian rifles andspahis, and the artillery and engineers hadgold embroidered badges. Officers and noncommissioned officers of the cavalry, armour,chausseurs on foot, African chausseurs andsupply train had silver badges. Services usedgold or silver according to branch.

The rank and file had badges or numberscut out from coloured felt and attached totheir kepis and berets.

Mountain troops, fortress troops and tankmen wore berets. All ranks of the ChasseursA/pins (the mountain and fortress units of theAlps) had dark blue, very large berets, with

98

the bugle for the chasseurs and a flaminggrenade for the others. The bugles of the rankand file weTe made of yellow felt; those usedby the Tanks from seTgeant upwaTd weTeembroideTed in silveT. The flaming gTenadeworn on the Alpine beTets was in maddeT Tedfelt fOT infantTymen, scarlet felt fOT gunneTsand in gold embroideTy fOT theiT officeTs andnon-commissioned officeTs (Bib!. 98).

The peTsonnel of the 'foTtTess units nOTtheast' WOTe a smalleT khaki beTet with a whitemetal badge. Tankmen had daTk blue beTetswith a white metal badge depicting a knight'shelmet above two crossed cannon barrels.

A set of 15 round metal badges was wornon the steel helmets by aTmy peTsonnel, and afUTtheT badge, adopted in 1924, was used byair force personnel. All ranks of the air forceWOTe wings on theiT blue peaked caps. Thewings weTe embToideTed in gold down to theTank of chief cOTpoTal and in oTange cotton fOTthe otheTs. Mechanic and specialist officeTshad theiT wings embroideTed on violet velvetand administrative officers' wings were onbrown velvet; all other wings were embroideTed on black felt.

The officers of air rank wore rank insigniain the fOTm of small, five-pointed staTs abovethe wings, while the other officeTs displayedthe bTanch insignia - a staT fOT staff, acrescent for the North African and an anchorfOT the colonial bTanch - combined with theformation number. The number alone wasworn by the officeTs of the metropolitan(FTance) branch. The rank and file WOTe thenumber, in orange, below the wings.

The foul anchor within a lauTel wTeathembroidered in gold was, and is still, worn bynaval officeTs.

The kepi is now worn only with dTess andwalking-out unifoTms by officeTs and noncommissioned officeTs of the army. BeTets aTeworn at all other times, and the beret is alsothe standaTd head-dTess of the Tank and file ofall COTPS, except the Foreign Legion, whichstill makes extensive use of the kepi.

Round metal badges are worn on thebeTets. Since the 1940s seveTal diffeTent beTetbadges have been worn by special units; theMaTine Commandos, fOT example, adoptedtheiT own badge in 1943.


2. National

6. Prussia.

The badges varied from service to service.The army and navy used the same type ofeagle, but in white and yellow, respectively;the air force used an eagle in flight, and theWaffen SS wore a white eagle, similar to thearmy pattern, but with slightly differentwings.

Atmy officers, except generals, wore asilver eagle on the peaked cap (generals worea gold eagle), above the cockade, which wassurrounded by a silver wreath of oak leaves.

5. Prussia

99

4. Baden

German state cockades for the 'pickelhaube and for the cap:

t. National

3. Bremen

Third Reich After the NSDAP (GermanNational Socialist Workers' Party) came topower a new national emblem was adoptedfor use on uniforms. Although the black,white and red Reichskokarde was retained as asecondary insignia, it was subordinated in1935 to the eagle clutching the swastika.

Both badges were worn on the cap by allthe armed forces personnel; sizes and patternsdiffered according to the type of head-dressand to the class of rank.

yellow-red-blackblack-red-black

white-blue-white

blue-white-blue

black-white-redgreenyellow-red-yellowwhite-light blue-

whitewhite-red-whitelight blue-yellow

light bluewhite with red crosswhite-double red

ring-whiteyellow-redwhite with red Maltese

crossblue-yellow-redlight blue-red-light

blueblack-white-blackgreen-white-green

green-yellow-blackwhite-red-blue

LippeLubeck

Hal!lburgHessen

MecklenburgOldenburg

NationalAnhaltBadenBavaria

BremenBraunschweig

PrussiaSachsen-Koburg

MeiningenSachsen-WeimarSchaumburg

LippeSwartzburg

RudolfstadtSwartzburg-

SonderhousenWaldeck-ReussWiirttemburg

(Bib!. 17,99)

GermanyGermany, Empire of : The main head-dressbadges worn by all ranks were two cockades:one, bearing the Imperial national colours ofblack, white and red, was used by all unitsfrom 1897; the other displayed the colours ofthe regional state from which the unit originated.

Large cockades, 50mm (2in) in diameter,were worn on the sides of the pickelhaube orsimilar head-dress as an ornament below theattachments of the chinstrap; the nationalcockade was worn on the right, the state'scockade on the left. The officers wore enamelled cockades, but those of the other rankswere painted.

The spiked pickelhaube, the helmet of thecuirassiers and the lancers, the hussars' busbyand the shako of the jager battalions displayedthe state's emblem or a large metal regimentalbadge at the front. The lancers' czapka, thehussars' busby and the shako carried thestate's colours in the form of a large oval bossabove the cap badge.

Officers and senior non-commissionedofficers wore the peaked cap as service headdress, and the other ranks had a similar typeof cap but without a visor. All ranks woreboth cockades at the front, the national cockade on the crown and the state's cockade onthe cap band. These were about 25mm (Iin) indiameter or smaller, enamelled and protruding for officers, and made of paintedmetal for the other ranks.

The following were the colours of thecockades:


The officers' eagle and cockade were usuallymade of metal, and the wreath was of silverembroidery. The cockade could also be embroidered; alternatively, the cockade andwreath could both be of metal. Towards theend of the war officers also wore embroideredeagles. All the badges of the other ranks'peaked cap were made of white metal.

A variety of smaller hand-embroidered ormachine-embroidered badges, according toclass of rank, was used on other types of caps.

On the peaked cap all ranks of the air forcewore the eagle in flight clutching the swastikaabove the cockade and wreath (which wereslightly different from the army pattern), andthey were set above two stylized wings on thecap band. The officers of air rank had goldbadges, other officers had silver badges, andthe other ranks had white metal cap badges.

The same varieties of badge existed for theair force as for the army.

Mountain troops wore the edelweiss on theleft side of the field cap, and the flowers only,without the stem and leaves, on the peakedcap below the eagle but above the cap band.

Germany, Federal Republic of : When theBlIndeswehr was formed in 1955 entirely newbadges were adopted that broke with thetraditions of the past. The wreath of oakleaves that remained on the cap badges hadnever previously had any political significance.

The colours of the cockade were changedto yellow, red and black, and were made ingold and coloured thread for officers, andeither of metal or woven for the other ranks.

With minor modifications, the same type ofcap badges are still in use today. The symbolism of the badges is straightforward: armypersonnel wear crossed swords, airmen wearwings and naval personnel wear the foulanchor (Bibl. 118).

The badges worn on peaked caps displaythe swords, wings and anchor combined withthe wreath; silver embroidery is used for theofficers of the army and air force, and goldembroidery is used for naval officers, whilemetal is used for the other ranks. The nationalcockade, either embroidered or in metal, isworn above the arm-of-service badge.

The crossed swords or the wings below thecockade were worn on field caps from 1956and, later, on the beret. They were worn asseparate metal pieces or woven as one badge.However. forage caps are now worn, on whichthe cockade only is displayed.

In 1972 three beret badges were adoptedfor tank troops, parachutists and lager, and inNovember 1978 a set of 20 new beret badgeswas adopted, for all the branches of service ofthe BlIndeswehr. There is a small national flagat the bottom of each badge.

The mountain troops still wear the edelweiss on the left side of the field cap.

100

4

I. 3rd Reich Army officers' badges for the peaked cap2. 3rd Reich Army officers' badges for the peaked cap3. Air force eagle4. 'Edelweiss' for mountain troops of the WaITen SS.

A-Z OF MIUTARY INSIGNIA

4

5

5

4

8

6

3

t, 2, 6. Other ranks' badges of the army, air force and navy of the'Bundeswehr' 3, 4, 5. Examples ofdifTerent 'cockades' 7,8. BeretbadgesolSignals and ARC 9. 'Edelweiss' olthe mounlain troops.

1,4,5. Peaked cap badges for generals, officers and other ranks of the'Volksarmee', army 2, 3. Air force generals and officers 6. Seamen.

German Democratic Republic: The armedforces of the GDR were formed in 1956, and,contrary to the policy adopted by the FederalRepublic, traditional German insignia wereintroduced. However. the national cockadewas not used, a black, red and yellow cockadebeing chosen initially but later changed to thecoat of arms of the GDR.

The armed forces consist of fOUf services:the army, navy, air force and anti-aircraftdefence. The Border Guard is an autonomousbranch of the army.

The generals of the army and the borderguards and the Rag officers of the navy use thesame type of cap badge, but it is embroideredon red, green and black backgrounds respect·ively. Air force personnel wear a dual badgeon peaked caps, a four-bladed propellerwithin two wheat ears is worn on the crown,and a wreath of oak leaves set on two wingsand with the cockade in its centre is displayed

on the cap band. The officers of air rank havegold-embroidered cap badges, the officershave white metal badges and the other ranks'badges are made of aluminium.

The personnel of the army, border guardsand anti-aircraft defence have the same designof cap badges. There are two patterns according to class of rank, the officers wearing whitemetal badges and the other ranks havingaluminium cap badges.

Seamen wear brass or embroidered cockades.

HollandBefore World War 1I the armed forces of theNetherlands were divided into two separateorganizations, one in Holland and the other inthe Dutch East Indies. Each had differentuniforms and, to a certain extent, differentbadges. The main cap badge of both organiz·ations was an oval boss with orange centre,

but the Royal Netherlands Indian Army alsoused a round cock ade.

The national cockade of the Netherlands isorange. In the cap badges, the boss, whichsurrounded the national colour, was intendedpurely as a service distinction, being gold orsilver according to rank insignia. Gold wasused by all corps except the Royal Constabulary, cavalry, pay corps, veterinaries and pharmacists, who had a silver boss and silver rankinsignia.

Generals wore peaked caps when in servicedress, with a small boss within sprigs of oakand of laurel embroidered on the cap band.Cavalrymen wore the busby in all uniformsexcept field, and the personnel of all otherbranches wore kepis, on which the boss had aloop underneath and a button displaying thelion of Nassau. The boss of the cavalry waslarger than average and did not have a loop.

101


The boss worn by officers and warrantofficers was made of gold or silver wire; theboss worn by sergeants was made of yellow orwhite silk; while that of the rank and file wasmade of metal, its centre painted orange.

A viation personnel wore army uniformsand insignia, with blue branch-of-servicepiping and Army Air Service qualificationbadges.

After the German invasion of Holland the'Dutch armed forces were reconstructed inBritain, America and Australia. The traditional cap badges were replaced by the lion ofNassau, or Netherlands lion, which, accordingto the regulations, was embroidered in goldon a black background for colonels and ranksabove, in gilt for lieutenant colonels andmajors, in bronze for company and warrantofficers, vaandrigs and kornetten, and in brassfor the other ranks (see Backing).

Regimental and branch-of-service badgesfor use on the beret were adopted from 1950onwards. They are about 50 X 60mm

(2 X 21-2in), with shanks for the split pin orbending blades at the back. The regimental orbranch-of-service emblem is displayed on astandard background, and each badge ismounted on a felt backing that matches thecolour of the collar patches (see Backing).

The Jager Guards Regiment was formed in1829 but traces its origins to the AquilaRegiment, which was raised in 1665. Theyoungest regiment is the Fusiliers GuardsRegiment Princess trene, which was formed inBritain on 11 January 1941 under the name ofRoyal Nederland Brigade. The Infantry Regiment Chasse formerly the 7th Infantry Regiment, traces its origins to a battalion ofmarines raised in 1772.

The infantry of the line has poppy redbacking under a different badges, while cavalry regiments wear the same badge but withdifferent backings.

All the other badges are self explanatory:anti-aircraft, engineers, signals, supply corpsand lastly, the badge of the medical corps.

1.2. Dutch badges for sergeants and for rankand file used until 1940.

Post-World War II beret badges: 3. JagerGuards Regiment 4. Fusiliers Guards Regiment'Princes lrene' 5. Infantry Regiment 'Chasse'6. Hussars 'van Boreel' 7. Anti·Aircraft8. Engineers 9. Signals 10. Supply Corps11. Medical Corps.

102

HungaryAlthough Hungary became an independentnation after World War I, it retained the oldAustrian 'flair' in its post-war uniforms andinsignia.

The main cap badge was a boss with thenational colours, green, white and red, placedhorizontally in its centre. The boss was of goldfor officers, silver for sergeants and bronze forthe rank and file.

These cap badges were used until 1949,when two new patterns were introduced: thenational coat of arms for officers, and the

crossed hammer and wheat ear within the redstar, surrounded by the national colours, forthe other ranks.

ew badges were again adopted in 1958,and they are still in use today. Made of metaland enamel, with a plastic, translucent redstar in the centre, they are enclosed in an ovalframe, which resembles a boss, in gold forofficers, silver for sergeants and bronze for therank and file.

According to Warsaw Pact custom, airmenare identified by the star and wings in thesame colour as the frame of the main cap


badge (Bib!. 123).

Ireland, Republic ofAll ranks of the army of the Irish DefenceForce wear the same type of cap badge, whichwas adopted in 1922. Although the basicdesign has remained the same since that time,there are many variations for. even as early as1923, two special badges were adopted, onewith red enamel embellishments for the staffofficers of general headquarters and one withblue enamel embellishments for the staffofficers of the commands. In the followingyear gold embroidered cap badges, on a redbacking, but without the flames behind thestar, were adopted for the generals. Colonelswore gold plated badges, and the otherofficers had bronze cap badges.

The full dress uniform was adopted in1935, when new cap badges for the dress capwere introduced. They were embroidered ingold or silver on different backings accordingto the facings (Bib!. 125).

Gold embroidered cap badges on scarletare still worn today in officers' dress uniform.

Black painted badges were also used, aswere brass and staybrite cap badges; thestaybrite badges are the latest pattern for theother ranks. Two examples are shown: anofficer's bronze cap badge and a brass badgefor other ranks.

Abovc: 1,2. Irish bronzc and brass insignia.

Left: I. Hungarian pre-World \Var 11 officers'cap badge, used until 19492,3. Air forceofficers 3, 4, 5. Army officers, NCOs and otherranks.

103


13

15

8

65

14

7

cap badges have been used. The officers'badges were smaller than the other ranks'pattern, and they had the regimental numberengraved on the disc. Brass badges werealways used by the artillery and engineersand, afler 1934, by all branches of service.

The dragoons had a special dress helmetwith high crest and the cross of Savoy on thefront; they wore the metal cap badge on thecolonial helmet. The lancers and the lightcavalry were distinguished by the busby, onthe front of which they wore a badge, of whitemetal before 1934 and afterwards of brass.

11

4

2

I9

3

1

10

l.lnfantry officers, c.1910 2. Army generals3. Infantry officers 1934-464. 'Bersaglieri'officers, c.1910 5. Medical Corps officers1934-466. Infantry officers M.1915 7. Infantryofficers for forage cap. 8. Tank Corps rank andfile for forage cap 9.lnfanlry rank and file1923-3410. 'Alpini' all ranks, World War I11. Infantry officers M.1940.12. Infantry officers pre-1934 13. 'AIpini' 1880191514. Dragoons post-1934 IS. Infantry otherranks pre-1934 16. As IS but post-1934.

dress wore a metal badge on it. The Alpini(mountain infantry) had a tall bowler hat ofblack felt with a large white metal badge at thefront. BefOre World War 1 this hat wasreplaced by a more sombre grey-green hatwith a feather on the left side and an embroidered cap badge.

The first companies of Bersaglieri (rifletroops) were formed in 1836, and even todaythey wear the wide brimmed hat with cockerelfeathers that was first adopted 150 years ago.A brass badge on a tri-coloured cockade isworn at the front.

Several different types of infantry metal

ItalyKingdom of Italy: The generals of the armywore the eagle of Savoy on the head-dressfrom 1872 to 1946. The eagle was in gold orsilver and on different coloured backgroundsaccording to rules that were changed severaltimes during the period of its use.

Until 1934 the infantry (all arms and corpsexcept Bersaglieri), the cavalry and the medical and veterinary corps wore silver badges;the personnel of the other branches had goldbadges. In 1934, however, gold badges wereadopted for all.

The badges of colonels in command of aregiment or an equivalent organization wereembroidered on deep red felt, while thebadges for all the other officers were embroidered on felt that matched the colour of thecap. Officers, warrant officers and sergeantshad the same type of badges, but after 1934cap badges of officers and warrant officers hadthe central disc made of black velvet, whilethe sergeants' badges had a grey-green orkhaki disc, according to the colour of theuniform.

The regimental number aT, for unassignedpersonnel, serving at headquarters anddepots, a cross, was shown in the disc.

In April 1915 insignia for officers andwarrant officers were embroidered in greygreen silk or in grey-green wool, and, following an Army Order of June 1916, blackcap badges were introduced for all ranks.

Until 1923 the rank and file of the infantrywore on their kepis the regimental number,25mm (Iin) high, ensigned by the crown;thereafter they wore the standard infantry capbadge, embroidered in black wool and later inrayon.

In 1934 the peaked cap replaced the kepi,and a new pattern of forage cap was introduced for all ranks. Corporals and soldierswho were issued with the peaked cap initiallywore a brass badge on it; later they wore ablack embroidered badge, the same as thatpreviously worn on the kepi but with theregimental number or cross in yellow metal.Smaller badges were embroidered in gold onforage caps for ranks down to the class ofsergeants; for the rank and file the badgeswere machine embroidered in black rayon.

In 1940 officers, warrant officers andsergeants were ordered to have black badgeson all head-dresses worn with field uniform,and large and small badges, embroidered inblack rayon, therefore appeared. Thesebadges were hand embroidered on the darkgrey-green cloth of rank and file pattern. Thecrown was embroidered separately andstitched on the badges.

Before World War I metal badges wereworn by all ranks on the dress kepi, on thecolonial helmet and, in the 19205, on the steelhelmet.

Some corps entitled 10 wear a metal head-

104

17

19


18

20

17. Lancers other ranks pre-193418. 'Bersaglieri' officers 19. Field Artilleryother ranks 20. Lancers other ranks post-1934.

105


12

9

14. Libyan Fascist Youth.

8

7

2

13. AA Militia COs 1935-38

15. National Fascist Party'Capo SettorelNucieo' .

6

3

1,2. MVSN omcers' badges used before 19273. 'Capo Squadra' 4. Rank and file 5. OmcersM.1927 6. Colonial Militia other ranks7. MVSN omcersM.1938.8. Fascist Youth leaders 9. Anti-Aircraft Militiaother ranks 1931-35 10. MVSN Generals11. Fascist Youth members 1930-37 12. BlackShirts 8ns in Ethiopia. other ranks

Fascism: The term derives from the fasces (iffascia), the bundle of rods and an axe headfastened together by a tie, and originallycarried by the lielars in ancient Rome. It wasthe emblem of the Italian Fascists and becamethe emblem of the Milizia Vololltaria per laSicurezza Naziollale (MYSN) when this organization was formed in 1923.

Initially the fasces had the axe head on thetop below a star, but, before the issuing ofwritten regulations, the star was often embroidered on the centre of the fasces, because,when it was in its proper position, the badgewas too tall. In 1927, therefore, the axe headwas moved to the side of the rods. Warrantofficers wore silver badges with a star;sergeants also wore silver badges but withouta star. The 'black shirts' wore brass badges.

The MVSN had some Special Detachmentsdeployed on particular tasks - the Antiaircraft Militia, for example. All ranks wore awinged cannon on the fasces from 1931 to1935, and crossed cannon barrels and wingsbelween the fasces and the disc from 1935 to1938. The Colonial Militia, which operated inLibya, was distinguished by the fasces and thebugle. In 1934 special cap badges wereadopted for the battalions thal were sent toEast Africa to invade Ethiopia; these badgeswere embroidered in gold or silver or made ofbrass as usual.

MYSN generals wore the Roman eagle,which should not be confused with the Romaneagle that was used by the officials of theNational Fascist Party or the eagle that wasused by the officials of the civil service (seeBacking).

By an order issued in 1938 all existingMYSN badges had to have four laurel leavesadded to each side of the disc to form awreath, and all badges were changed (Bib!.140).

The personnel of the Fascist youth organizations were distinguished by a round shieldworn upon the fasces: the leaders wore embroidered cap badges while the youngsterswore white melal badges, which, from 1930 to1937, bore the initials FGC; laler they had theinilials GIL.

Different cap badges were used by theLibyan branch of the Fascist youth: youngchildren wore the fasces above a square shieldbearing the unit's number; older memberswore the shield placed above crossed rifles(Bib!. 143, 146).

106


2

5

The air force cap badge was adopted in1923. Officers, warrant officers and sergeantshad two sizes - large for wearing on peakedcaps and small for the forage caps.

Generals, from the rank of General of AirSquad and above, and the Inspector Generalof the Aviation Engineers wore badges with apurple cushion in the crown, all the otherofficers, except chaplains, had a blue cushion.The chaplains had a violet cushion in thecrown and a red cross on the chest of theeagle.

Flying personnel had cap badges with aplain laurel wreath, while the ground specialists had a disc below the eagle in which wasdisplayed the speciality device. The engineers,for instance, had a Roman helmet and technical engineering assistants had the Romanhelmet above a crossed hammer and axe.

Airmen's badges were embroidered inyellow silk, with and without the specialists'disc. The badges with the disc were abolishedduring World War 11.

I. Commissariat officers for forage cap2. Airmen 3. 'Guardia Nazionale Republicana'officers 4, 5. Black Brigades

2

I. Naval officers, Line 2. Air force officers, AirCrew 3. As 2, but for field service cap.

4

Italian Social Rcpublic: After the Armisticeof 8 September 1943 the Italian armed forceswere reorganized in the north of Italy underthe supervision of the Germans.

All the emblems of the House of Savoy,from the crown to the white metal stars, wereremoved from the uniforms of the new republican armed forces. In some instances thismeant that the crown was cut off from anexisting badge or completely new badges weremade.

New dress regulations published in 1944sanctioned the adoption of new cap badges,but lack of materials and ultimately the end ofthe war prevented the mass production of newinsignia.

The MVSN was re-named GuardiaNaziollale Repubblicalla. A new cap badgewas adopted, which depicted the old fasceswith the axe head on the top flanked by twoMs; the badge was in gold and silver forgenerals, silver for warrant officers andsergeants and embroidered in red for the rankand file.

The Black Brigades were formed in 1944from Fascist volunteers, and they were employed in anti-partisan warfare until the endof the war. The men did not wear a standarduniform as each brigade favoured a differentpattern, and cap badges varied, ranging fromfasces of different colours to skulls of differenttypes and sizes.

The officers' cap badges of the navy and ofthe air force were similar in style, the basicdesign of both consisting of six leaves of laureland four berries, surmounted by the crown.The centrepiece of the badges differed, as didthe colour of the felt background.

A complete set of Royal Italian navalofficers' cap badges consists of 14 pieces,according to class of rank and corps.

The Great Admiral had the royal crownwith a gold cushion and purple base; flagofficers with the rank of Admiral of Fleet orAdmiral of Squad in command of a fleet hadthe crown with a purple cushion and purplebase, and all the other officers had the crownwith a blue cushion and base.

The badge in the centre of the oval shieldand the colour of the shield varied accordingto corps. Officers of the line had the foulanchor on a blue velvet oval background,while officers of the naval corps wore theanchor combined with the corps emblem for example, a gold five-pointed star for thecommissariat, a three-bladed propeller for themechanical engineers, a red cross for themedical corps - which was worn on an ovalshield, the colour varying according to corps.

Although there were eight naval corps,there were only seven different badges because the officers of the port captaincy worethe foul anchor of the line, but on a greygreen shield.

107


23 4 6

18

It

I. Army generals 2. Infantry officers3. Armoured Cavalry rank and file 4. Infantry,officers' cadets school 5. Administrationofficers 6. Armoured Artillery officers' beretbadge 7. Infantry rank and file 8. Veterinaryofficers 9. Armoured infantry rank and fileberet badge 10, 11. Black and gold plasticbadges for Bridging Engineers and MediumArtillery 12. Field Artillery badge M.197213. 'Alpini' rank and file 14. As 12 forArmoured Cavalry 15. Tank Corps ofyellowplastic 16. Signals M.1975 17. avalOfficers18. Air Force officers.

J716

9

15

87

Italy, Republic of : After the 1946 referendum, Italy became a republic, and, in theory,all the royal emblems were abolished. However, no specific orders were issued to thearmed forces until February 1948, when a fewbadge was introduced for generals and for theinfantry, which had a straight flame in place ofthe crown. The crown was removed from allthe badges that had one, and a new cap badgewas adopted for the armoured cavalry. Subsequent instructions replaced the royal crownwith the mural crown of the republic.

Officers, warrant officers and sergeantswore a large cap badge embroidered in goldon the peaked caps, with a smaller version for

forage caps or berets. Armoured andmotorized troops wore black berets with agold or yellow badge on a black background.Until the early 1950s, the officers and warrantofficers were still distinguished by a black discunder ~he regimental number, a custom thatwas later abandoned.

The cap badges of the rank and file weremetal or machine embroidered in black onkhaki or in yellow on black felt, according tothe colour of the head-dress. Plastic capbadges appeared in the early 19505, with threefinishes, black, gold and yellow. A period ofgreat confusion ensued, as battalions of thesame regiment wore different types of cap

badge until 1972, when white metal badgeswere adopted and the use of all previousbadges was forbidden.

For the first time, the artillery, engineersand Bersaglieri were given 'white' badges.New badges, for all ranks, were adopted in1975: these were larger and enclosed within aring; initially they were made of white metalalthough later they were made of polishedaluminium.

Except for the crown, the naval and airforce cap badges have not changed. Plasticbadges are used by airmen on their peakedcaps and machine-embroidered badges areworn on the forage caps.

108


JapanAll ranks of the Imperial Japanese Army worea five-pointed star on the head-dress, exceptthe Imperial Guards, who had the star above alaurel wreath. A brass star was always wornon the peaked caps, and yellow cloth stars, ofdifferent manufacture, sewn on a round orpentagonal cloth backing, were worn on thefield caps.

The naval officers wore the foul anchor.enclosed in a ring and surrounded by a goldembroidered laurel wreath, the whole surmounted by silver cherry blossom. The cherryblossom upon the anchor was used on fieldcaps by officers and ratings; petty officers hadan oval ring around the anchor; and seamenwore the anchor alone.

Japanese badge ror the peaked capOmcers' badge orthe Luxembourg Army.

4

6

2

5

3

Duchy of Warsaw.The eagle perched on the shield re

appeared during World War I, when it wasworn as a cap badge by the various Polishlegions in France, Russia and Austria. Until1919 the shield was used to display regimentalnumbers, initials or other devices of the unitsit represented. However, the first Polish dressregulations, published in 1919, introduced theeagle on a blank 'Amazon' shield as thestandard cap badge for all units.

Although the badge always depicts theeagle perched on the shield. there are innumerable different types, made in several countries including Poland. England and Egypt.

I, 2. Examples of World War I badges3. Pre-World War 11 badge 4. Cap badge madein Egypt 5. 6. Badges made in Britain.

4

PolandThe white eagle has been the emblem ofPoland since the late 18th century, and it isdepicted in the centre of the cross of theVirtuti Militari, an order that was instituted in1792 and still exists today. It appeared invarious forms, and after 1807 the eagle wascombined with the 'Amazon' shield for wearing on the czapka in the army of the Grand

The officers of the navy wear conventionalnaval cap badges - the anchor within awreath surmounted by the crown. Pettyofficers have the crown above the foul anchor.

1,2. Beret badge with lhe cyphers of King OlafVand Haakon VII 3. National cockade4. National insignia 5. Old cap badge with metalcockade.

LuxembourgAll ranks of the Army of Luxembourg weartwo crossed Cs ensigned by a crown on thehead-dress. The initial stands for Charlotte,the former Grand Duchess of Luxembourg.The officers' cap badge is larger than that usedby the other ranks.

NorwayA dual device, the national colours and,according to class of rank, the nationalemblem or a branch-of-service button wereused by the Norwegian Army before WorldWar I.

The blue, white and red national colourswere in the form of a proper cockade, made ofsilk for officers and, although in the samestyle, larger and made of metal, painted inblue, white and red, for the other ranks. Thenational emblem. a lion holding an axe, is alsoshown on the button of the infantry. The

orwegian lion, which is used by officers, wasand still is mounted on a semi-spherical, redbackground, but the cockade has developedinto a metal roundel in enamelled or paintedcolours.

The two devices of generals and officerswere joined by vertical strips of gold or silverlace, respectively; the devices worn by thesergeants were joined by strips of dark redlace up to 1934, later of green lace; while therank and file wore the national colours and thebranch-of-service button without any adjoining lace.

After World War 11 the Norwegian Armyadopted the battledress and khaki beret onwhich all ranks wore the King's cypher withinan oak wreath. The beret badges depict thecypher of King Haakon VII and of King OlafV, in gilt for officers and white metal for otherranks.

Officers continued to wear the nationalcolours and the Norwegian lion on the peakedcap of the service dress until the late 1950s,when a new cap badge was adopted: the lionsurrounded by a wreath, the whole ensignedby the royal crown.

109

19,20,21. Examplesofother Polish units'badges worn on the beret.

21

A-Z OF MILITARY INSIGNIA~ III!I!!I

714

2322

16

18

15

1211

9

7. Woven cap badge 8, 9,10. Examples ofmachine embroidered badges 11. Air forcebadge 12. 2nd Rine Battalion.

Some eagles are fatter than others; some havea longer neck; some look to their right whileothers look upwards; some stand on the shieldand others sit on it; and there 3Te manyvariations in the wings.

When British Army badges were made inplastic during World War 11, a plastic eaglewas made for the Polish Army in Britain.Cloth badges made for use on the berets weremachine embroidered in grey cotton on khakifor the khaki beret, in grey on black for theblack beret or woven in grey on black silk.

A white metal badge was made in Britainduring World War 11 for the Polish Air Forceserving with the RAF. It is 46mm (P/,in)high, while the air force cap badge made inPoland according to the 1936 regulations was60mm (2Y,in) high.

After the German occupation of Poland anew Polish Army was formed in France, andtwo separate ~olish armed forces were laterorganized, one, composed of refugees fromPoland and France and volunteers fromabroad, was organized by the British, theother, formed by ex-prisoners of war andvolunteers, was organized in the SovietUnion. The men of both organizations wore'foreign' uniforms, British or Russian, butwilh Polish insignia, and the army in the eastgradually re-adopted Polish uniforms until, in1945, except for minor details, officers andmen wore the same uniforms as before the

13. 2nd Corps 14. HQ 1st Carpathian RineBrigade 15. 5th Battalion 2nd Carpathian RifteBrigade 16. 8th Battalion 17. 9th Battalion.

war (Bib\. 156).The army in the east adopted a new cap

badge in 1943; it depicted the Polish spreadeagle as shown on the nags, but without thecrown. The old badge continued to be wornby the Poles in the west on the front of thehead-dress, and many regiments and battalions also adopted a unit's insignia, which wasusually worn on the leh side of the forage capor beret.

The personnel of the 2nd Rifle Battalion ofthe 1st Corps, which was based in Scotland,adopted a white metal badge on a patch oftartan. In 1946 a special badge was made inItaly for the personnel of 2nd Corps and foralmost every battalion of the formations stillin existence.

The headquarters of the 1st CarpathianRifle Brigade, for instance, wore an edelweiss, and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd battalions ofthe brigade had the number I, 2 and 3 on thestem of the edelweiss.

The headquarters of the 2nd CarpathianRifle Brigade wore the badge illustrated, butwith the centre blank, and the 4th, 5th and 6thbattalions had the number in the centre of thebadge. There was no cap badge for the 3rdbrigade's headquaraters, but the three battalions had their own badges: those of the 7thand 8th were similar, except for the number,which was all in white metal for the 7thbattalion. The 9th ballalion's badge depicted

22. Army officers M.1957 23. Army officersM.197024. Seamen 25, 26. As 22, 23 but airforce.

the Polish eagle in night and the arms of thecity of Bologna, which the battalion enteredfirst in 1945.

There are many other badges for differentbranches of service, often with coloured backings, and for the divisional support units.Many are self-explanatory. Most were madein 1946 and were used for a short time beforethe Polish Army's disbandment

People's Republic of Poland The presentPolish armed forces are descended from theunits raised in the Soviet Union during thewar. Although the pre-war state was a republic, the conventional crowned eagle was retained, although after World War lithe crownwas abolished.

All ranks wore white metal badges until1957, when embroidered cap badges wereadopted for officers. In that year the traditional air force badge was reinstated, replacing the earlier, different badge, which had hada golden wreath.

A different type of embroidered cap badgewas introduced in 1970 for the regular officers,although reserve officers continued to wearthe 1957 pattern.

Naval officers wear the eagle on the'Amazon' shield above a golden wreath oflaurel, and the foul anchor on the shield.Seamen have the anchor on the Polish eagle,wilhoutlhe wrcath. in mctal (Bib\. 157).

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Some regiments are entitled to wear the'straw garland' around the disc. This garlandis a yellow ring, in the form of a wovengarland of straw, 5mm (V.in) wide, whichprotrudes around the edges of the disc. It wasadopted in 1833 in honour of the memory ofthe battle of Lund, fought against the Danesin 1676.

The buttons used by officers are semispherical and made of blue enamel with a giltbase and three gilt crowns. The buttons wornby the warrant officer and sergeants are silvered and those used by the Oberfur;r andFurir are made of gilded brass.

Regimental badges are worn on the leftside of the forage cap, 45mm (I 'l4in) from thefront and 20mm ('I.in) from the top edge ofthe curtain.

A special version of the cockade andbutton badges is used on the cap of field

goldgoldgold

Numbergoldgoldblackgoldgold

blackgreenblue

InfantryCavalryArmourField ArtilleryAir Defence

ArtilleryEngineersSignalsTransportation

Supply

devices are joined by a gilded double bar,which is of a scalloped design for generals butplain for officers and other ranks down therank of Furir. On their forage caps theKorpra{ and privates wear the national colours above the button or a disc displaying thecompany's number but without the adjoiningbar. The colours of the disc and of the numberidentify the branch of service:

Discyellowwhiteyellowredlight red

Russia, Empire ofAn oval cockade made of metal was used as acap badge by all ranks of the regular armyuntil 1917. It consisted of concentric rings ofblack and orange, the imperial colours takenfrom the ribbon of the Order of St George.The type and size of the cockades variedaccording to class of rank, but they wereusually small, with or without an outer metalring, for the soldiers.

Territorial troops, however, wore a cross,the arms of which were embossed with themotto 'For Faith, Tsar and Country' andwhich had the cypher of Tsar Nicholas 11 inthe centre.

SerbiaOnly officers wore cap badges, which took theform of an oval cockade made of metal andenamel. The colours were those of the Serbianflag - white, blue and red - and they werealso used as the ribbon of several decorationsand medals. The cypher of King Peter I wasdisplayed in the centre of the cockade.

6

2

54

I, S. Infantry 2, 3. Badges for peaked cap andforage cap 6. Aviation.

I. Russian Army COs' cockade 2. Cap badgeof territorial troops.

SpainUntil the end of the Civil War the branch-ofservice badge worn by officers was the same asthe badge worn on the collar, on the crown ofthe peaked cap and the rank insignia on thecap band.

During the Civil War, most units of theRepublican Army wore the red star on thecrown of the cap, and the branch-of-servicebadge was, therefore, moved to the cap band,where it was worn between two sets of rankstripes.

Many different types and sizes of branchof-service insignia have been used, especiallyby the infantry; two different badges wereworn by airmen. the first illustrated beingused by the Republicans.

After the Civil War, a national type of capbadge, the same for all ranks of all branches ofservice was adopted; a large version wasavailable for the officers' peaked cap, a smaller one for the other ranks.

SwedenThe Swedish armed forces are divided intofour services: the army, the navy, the coastartillery and the air force. The army consistsof field units, local units and the home guard.

The main head-dress insignia are thenational cockade and the national button,both of which were adopted in 1865 and areknown today as model 1865-1960. There aretwo cockades. One displays the national coloun; - yellow, light blue and yellow - and ismade of enamel for officers or painted metalfor the rank and file. The other is made ofgilded brass, which is always worn in combination with the national button by the personnelof the army and coast artillery. The two

I1I


8

I. Air force officers 2, 3. Army other ranksbadges in cloth (Artillery - Engineers) andmetal (Infantry).

1

TurkeyThe Turkish cap badges depict the star andcrescent as on the national flag.

Officers' badges display a wreath of oakleaves below the crescent, and air forceofficers have a white metal eagle inserted intothe crescent, under the star.

The other ranks' badges have the crescentand star only, and could be made of metal orembroidered on to a backing in branch-ofservice colour.

7. 14th Infantry regiment 'Kungl HalsigneRegt' 8. 19th Infantry Regiment 'KunglNorrobottins Regt' 9. M.1952 field/fatigue capbadge of 2nd Lieutenant.

@6

1. Army warrant officer and sergeants'pre-1952 2. Coast artillery officers pre-19523. Army warrant officer and sergeants4. Officers' forage cap badge 5, 6. Privates'forage cap badges

made of bronze, and these badges were different in style as modifications to insignia weremade in 1952, and in 1960 further changeswere introduced.

The personnel of the coast artillery weardifferent insignia, but, as they use the sametype of head-dresses as the army, their capbadges vary according to class of rank as dothose of the army.

Navy personnel wear the typical naval capinsignia - the foul anchor within a wreath,the whole ensigned by the crown. Pettyofficers wear the usual oval ring instead of thewreath. Swedish navy badges are distinguished by three small crowns, one ofwhich is worn at each side and one at thebottom of the anchor.

All ranks of the air force wear the peakedcap and the forage cap with a winged, twobladed propeller at the front, ensigned by thecrown (Bib!. 160).

5

4

2

3

uniforms by all except the rank and file, whowear no badges at all on this type of headdress. Generals have the same badges as onthe forage caps.

Between 1952 and 1960 different badgeswere worn on the field and fatigue caps. Thenational cockade in colour and the nationalbutton, the pattern varying according to classof rank, were placed upon an oval patch ofcloth. Rank insignia was also shown on thepatch in the form of chevrons for the officers,warrant officers and sergeants, and in theform of short stripes for the others.

Army personnel entitled to wear peakedcaps have a badge on the cap band. Illustratedis the pattern worn by warrant officers andsergeants; the officers' badge is similar, but ithas the blue enamel button in the centre,while the cap badges of the Oberfurir andFurir have a gilt button and do not carry awreath.

Before 1952 the badges were generally

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43

2

1. Army officers 2. Army enlisted men 3. West Point Academy 4. MarineCorps officers 5. Coast Guard Cadet.

I. M.1922 Red Army cap badge 2. Aviation wings3. M.1955 Soviet Armyofficers 4, 6. Other ranks 5. Naval officers.

United Scates of AmericaThe officers and enlisted men of the US Armyand Air Force wear on the peaked cap theAmerican eagle as it appears in the coat ofarms of the United States.

Officers have used several different typesof badge, varying in size up to a maximumheight of 75mm (23/4in) and slightly differingin design. The badges are made of brass orgilded brass for the US Army and the USArmy Air Force, and, more recently, of whitemetal for the officers of the US Air Force.

Enlisted men wear the eagle on a brassdisc, and since the air force became an independent service, airmen have worn the eaglein white metal within a narrow outer ring.

The cadets of the West Point Academywear the Academy's coat of arms on the headdress and on the lapels of the collar. On theirpeaked caps bandsmen wear the lyre surrounded by a wreath of laurel.

The emblem of the US Marine Corps wasintroduced in 1868. The officers' cap badgeshave the rope of the anchor made of twistedmetal wires, while the rope of the badgesworn by enlisted men is struck as part of thebadge. When worn on the blue and whitepeaked caps, officers' badges are made ofsilver and gilt, but dress cap badges of enlistedmen are made of brass, while the badges usedon the service dress cap by both officers andenlisted men aTe made of bronze.

Naval officers wear a two-metal cap badge,which depicts the spread eagle of the US Navyabove the stars and stripes, which aresuperimposed upon two crossed foul anchors.

There are many other naval cap badges,including those of the US Coast Guard, andthose for warrant officers, petty officers, midshipmen and cadets of both the US Navy andthe Coast Guard. The cap badge of a cadet ofthe US Coast Guard is illustrated.

Soviet UnionThe phrase 'Red Army' was the usual abbreviation for the Red Army of Workers andPeasants, which was its official title until 1946when it was changed to Soviet Army. Initially,the red star displayed in its centre the hammerand plough. The plough was changed to thesickle in 1922, however, and was used as a capbadge by all ranks until 1940.

In 1940 a special badge was introduced forthe Marshal of the Soviet Union and for thegenerals. This new badge depicted a smallerstar mounted in the centre of a round goldboss. Aviators had an additional wreath ofgold laurel leaves around the boss, and thestar and wings on the crown of the peakedcap. All the other ranks continued to wear thered star until the 1950s.

From 1943 onwards embroidered oak orlaurel leaves were worn on the dress cap bymarshals and generals, respectively. In 1949

113


These branch-of-service colours were used bythe Yugoslav Army before the war.

As the supplies directed to the Chetniksdwindled during the course of the war, theywore whatever uniforms were available, oftenwithout any insignia, even wearing civilianclothes. Toward the end of the war, theChetnik cavalry favoured fur hats with theskull and crossbones of the Waffen SS at the

YugoslaviaKingdom of Yugoslavia The Kingdom ofSerbs, Croats and Slovenes became anindependent nation after World War I. AsSerbia, the leading partner among the threeterritories, was already an independent state,a Serbian type of cap badge, but with invertedcolours, was adopted for the armed forces.The colours of the Serbian cockade were,from the outer ring, white, blue and red, whilethe colours of the Yugoslav cockade were red,white and blue.

The cypher of King Peter I was used on theSerbian cockade; Yugoslav cockades bore theYugoslav eagle or the cypher of the reigningsovereign. Officers wore cockades made ofmetal and enamel with the cypher or theeagle; non-commissioned officers wore apadded cockade made of cloth and embroidered without any additional device; the rankand file did not wear cap insignia.

In 1941 Yugoslavia was invaded by theGerman and Italian armies, and King Peter IIformed a provisional Yugoslav government inBritain. Meanwhile Colonel D. Mihailovic,later a general, began the resistance movement in Yugoslavia in competition with theCommunist organization led by J. Broz, laterto become known as Marshal Tito.

A new Yugoslav Army was organized inBritain by the government in exile, andMihailovic's men, who were known as Chetniks, became officially the Royal YugoslavArmy 'at home'.

The government in Britain issued dressregulations by which new cap badges wereadopted. These badges depicted the twoheaded Yugoslav eagle ensigned by thecrown, within a wreath for officers and without the wreath for other ranks.

The badges made in Britain had the king'scypher on the chest of the eagle, while thoseused by the army 'at home' did not. Colouredpatches of cloth or velvet were placed behindthe cap badges to identify branch of service:

1,3. Officers 2. NCOs4, 5, 6. Wartime badges1,2,3,4. Yugoslav red stars of wartimeS. Slovenian units6. Police 7, 10 Army officersof proletarian formations, for peaked cap andfor forage cap 9, 12. As 7, 10 but of normalformations 8, 11. Large stars for other ranks14. Generals' badge for forage cap 13, IS, 16,18. Small stars for other ranks' forage cap17. Air force officers.

I · I

I .(t), •

I ,@ .t I

1,.,111·* ,. I

I, .• I

I ' ,. I

I Ilight grey-bluereddeep redblueblackplum violetgreenbrown

GeneralsGeneral StaffInfantryCavalryArtilleryEngineersEconomic ServiceDoctors and

Veterinaries

the use of the boss within the laurel wreathwas extended to officers of the air force forwearing both in dress and ordinary uniforms.

A series of modifications, which led to theintroduction of the modern insignia still usedtoday, began in 1955 with the adoption of theoval cap badge for all officers. The new badgewas, and is still, worn on the dress cap incombination with different types of metalbackings, in imitation of embroidery; thebackings vary according to service and class ofrank. Air force officers retained the laurelwreath around the new badge when it wasworn on the peaked cap of the ordinaryuniform.

In 1958 the use of the wreath, which issimilar to that used by naval officers, wasextended to the officers and senior noncommissioned officers for the cap of the dressuniform, and an oxidized cap badge, greenishkhaki in colour, was adopted for the cap of theofficers' field uniform. A gold wreath waslater added to the red star of the rank and filefor wearing in dress and walking out uniforms.

Modern cap badges are now made ofanodized aluminium. The difference betweenthe modern red star and the star used 40 yearsago should be noted.

On their peaked caps, naval officers wearthe foul anchor on a boss, surrounded by awreath of laurel leaves and ensigned by thered star. Gold badges are used by officers ofthe sea branch, and silver badges by those ofthe services. Petty officers have the anchorenclosed in an oval ring, ensigned by the redstar.

The naval red star has a white centre, onwhich stands the hammer and sickle.

7. Soviet avy petty officers

114


CAP BAND The phrase is generally used torefer to the lower part of the peaked cap. Theband may be plain, made of the same cloth asthe rest of the cap or covered by another'band' of cloth or woven material. Colouredcap bands may identify a class of rank or abranch of service.

British Army generals, for instance, wearscarlet cap bands, while the border guards ofthe German Democratic Republic have greencap bands.

Coloured piping may serve the same purpose, and stripes (see Distinction lace) orother devices may be placed on the cap bandto identify rank or class of rank.

divisions, and divisions joined to form armycorps, which were grouped into armies.

evertheless, few formations were issued withstandard uniforms until the end of the war,and although the first official insignia wereadopted in November 1941, all these badgeswere made locally, cut out from felt.

All ranks wore the red star on the beaddress, the commissars (political officers)having the hammer and sickle embroidered inits centre. Red stars, often with unevenpoints, were usually stitched directly on thecap; others were sewn on a thick felt backing;and some were even padded underneath thered cloth. Some units wore the star above asmall regional flag.

Metal badges appeared toward the end ofthe war, and were often roughly made, consisting, for example, of a metal base coveredwith some sort of red paste.

For a short time after the war I army andpolice personnel wore the red star on an ovalcockade, but the cockade was discarded infavour of the plain star for other ranks and thestar on an ornamental base for the officers.The generals obtained the officers' badgewithin a wreath of gold laurel leaves.

Some army formations deriving fromproletarian brigades and divisions that foughtwith distinction during the war obtained, andstill retain today, the prefix 'proletarian' as aspecial honour, and all ranks wear thehammer and sickle in the centre of the redstar.

There are now four basic types of capbadges: the large badges are worn on peakedcaps by officers or other ranks qualifying forthis head-dress; the small pattern for officersis used on the forage cap; and the small stars,on either a brass or white metal base, areworn on the forage caps by soldiers.

On their peaked caps the officers of the airforce wear an eagle holding a sword above alaurel wreath, the whole ensigned by the redstar. Navy officers and petty officers wearconventional naval cap badges, the foulanchor and wreath or anchor within the ovalring, respectively. both surmounted by the redstar.

forces', which marked the constitution of thefirst units of the Partisans' Army. These firstunits grew into battalions, and on 21 December 1941 the 1st Proletarian Brigade wasformed. Brigades were later grouped into

front.Federal Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia: On4 July 1941 the Central Committee of theYugoslav Communist Party launched the'armed struggle against the Axis occupation

15

115


I. Chevron of'Caporal-cher of the Frenchforeign Legion, for right sleeve 2. British Arm)'Corporal or Bombardier 3. US Army CorporalM.19484.1talianSergeant, World War 11paltern made of melaIS. USAAF Airman 1stClass6.ltalian fascist Youth 'Giovane FascistaScolto' 1938-41.

CHEVRON In heraldic terms, a chevron is afigure on a shield representing two rafters thatmeet at the top. In a military context, theword refers to the rank insignia often used toidentify the ranks of non-commissionedofficers, usually the sergeants and corporals.Chevrons could also identify, according tonational customs, re-enlistment periods, longservice, wounds, periods of overseas duties orspecial appointments.

As only lhe chevron that is poinlingupward may correctly be called a chevron, theother type should be called a V or invertedchevron. The French and lhe US Armies usechevrons to identify sergeants and corporals.The French Army used bars, which are stillworn in certain circumstances, but after theadoption of the branch·of·scrvice insignia onthe sleeve, chevrons that fit above thediamond-shaped insignia on the left sleevehave been introduced, and they are worn ontheir own on the right sleeve.

Sergeants and morechols des logis havechevrons of gold or silver lace, according tobranch of service, and the corporal chief, orbrigadier chef, wears two coloured chevronsand a gold or silver one above them. Corporals and privates 1st class wear one and twocoloured chevrons, respectively. (It should benoted that the hierarchy of the lower ranks isconstantly developing. and the ranks mentioned may not be in use in future years.)

In the US Army both the chevrons and thehierarchy of rank have been modified severaltimes since 1945. At that time, the chevrons ofthe olive drab (khaki) uniforms wereembroidered on dark blue felt, and embroidered or woven in light sandy colour on a darkblue background for the summer shirt. By thelate 1940s, the chevrons were machineembroidered on twill material. By the time ofthe Korean War. however, smaller chevronswoven in dark blue on yellow were used, andyellow chevrons on army green backgroundwere adopted in 1957 when the new armygreen uniforms were introduced.

The technicians' chevrons were abolishedin 1948 and replaced by specialists' chevrons,which were also modified and later changedtwice.

When the US Army Air Force became anindependent service and adopted blue greyuniforms, it adopted new rank insignia forenlisted men.

The Turks use the same type of rounded Vchevrons, but with the star and crescent in thecentre and of different manufacture, in yellowon khaki for the non-commissioned officers ofthe regular army and in red on khaki forconscripted personnel.

The familiar British V chevrons, whichwere worn in two world wars. were changed inthe 1960s to a smaller size and to a newpattern, machine embroidered on felt. Smal-

3

116

8

7. US Army Technician 5th Gnlde, World WarliS. Irish Army Company Sergeant M.19639. Conscripted seamen of the GermanDemocratic Republic 10. Turkish ArmySergeanl Major 11. US Army Sergeanllst ClassM.19S7.


ler chevrons of anodized metal are used on thesummer shirt.

Italian sergeants wear one large togelherwith one narrow stripe of gold lace; sergeantmajors wear one large and two narrow stripes.Corporal and corporal majors wear onc largeand one or two narrow stripes of black or, in[939-45, red lace. The chevron illustraled wasmade of brass. The Carabillieri, who aredeployed as civil and military police. alwayshad silver or red chevrons. of the same type asthe army, but in addition the rank of private1st class was indicated by onc narrow redchevron.

The traditional colours of the city of Rome- crimson and golden yellow - wereadopted by the Fascist youth organization inthe 1930s. and they were often shown in thebadges. The V-shaped chevron illustrated wasused from 1938 to 1941 (Bib!. 143).

The 'winged' Irish chevrons were adoptedin the early 1950s, and they were originallyslightly larger. 12mm ('hin), than the patternshown. The hierarchy of rank was alsomodified in 1961: the battalion sergeant majorand quartermaster sergeant obtained redbands on the shoulder straps, thereby simplifying the rank insignia of the lower ranks. Theprivate of Is!. 2nd and 3rd class wears embroidered red stars edged in yellow (Bib!. 125).

The regular seamen of the German Democratic Republic wear two yellow V chevronson the forearm; conscripted seamen wear oneonly.

CHINSTRAP A chinstrap is a Slrap attachedto the lower sides of the head-dress and wornunder the chin to keep the head-dress inplace. The chinSlrap may be shortened bymeans of two sliding buckles and may be wornhorizontally on the front of the head-dress.

The helmets worn in the 19th century wereoften fitted with chinstrap scales. chains orcoloured chinstrap cords that had a purelydecorative purpose. and a separate leatherchinstrap was often used as well. either underneath the decorative device or placed insidethe head-dress.

Plain leather chinslraps were adopted atthe beginning of the 20th century by mostarmies for the cap of the field uniform. buteven the leather chinstrap became merely afitting of the cap and served no usefulpurpose.

Some organizations opted for chinstrapcords, which varied according to class of rank.These are divided into two patterns - singleor double. The manufacture of the individualcord varies from the twisted type to plainwoven cord, and the chinstrap cords may beflat or round.

The type of the Italian officers' chinstrapsidentifies class of rank. and the lace stripes onboth outer ends identify individual rank.

117


.~ \ I ......-t!j ,~ ~ ..... '

2

4

3

5 c

• ••

6 • dO 7

I. British Army officers' chinstrap 2. ItalianArmy Brigadier General 3. As 2 but for Major4. As3 butforCaptain S. Yugoslav 6. Officers'Volksarmee' 7. Italian.

118

COCKADE Originally a cockade consistedof a bundle of coloured ribbons worn on thehead-dress and resembling a cock's comb,from which it takes its name. Toward the endof the 18th century, the cockade developedinto a round, pleated device, which was obtained by gathering together a strip of ribbonon one side only and stretching it on the other,thus forming a round or oval shape. If thecockade was made of ribbon with horizontal

coloured stripes, the cockade displayed thecolours in the form of concentric rings.

Cockades have been made of cloth, silkand leather; they may be round or oval inshape; and imitations of pleated cockadeshave been made of painted metal or metal andcoloured enamels. Metal and enamel badgesare now widely replaced by plastic and othersynthetic materials.

Austria1933-1938: The uniforms of the Bundcswehr

garian regiment had the same facing colourand the same colour of button; they could bedistinguished by the different cap badges anddetails of the uniforms and, of course, by thelanguage the soldiers spoke.

All infantry regiments raised after thedrafting of this scheme wore light blue facingcolour and white buttons. The other brancheshad the following colours:

After the introduction of the pike grey(light blueish grey) field uniform in 1909, thefacing colours on the collar, cuffs and pipingof the blue tunic were reduced to the form ofpatches, worn on the front of the collar of thenew tunic in combination with rank insignia.Initially this tunic had a stand collar, but laterstand-and-fall collars were introduced, andthey required a larger patch. The collars hadconcealed buttons, but, as the officers' andnon-commissioned officers' rank insignia werebased on the colour of the button, the regimental number could still be identified. Thelace on the collars of the field officers and noncommissioned officers and the stars worn bythe other officers were gold or silver accordingto the colour of the buttons (see Rank insignia).

Some special devices were worn on thecollar behind the rank insignia: for example,signalmen had a winged wheel, mountaintroops had an aluminium edelweiss andbandsmen wore the lyre, but at the front ofthe collar, before the rank insignia.

[n 1915 the colour of the field uniform waschanged to field grey, and by 1917, because ofthe shortage of materials, collar patches werereplaced by strips of coloured cloth sewnvertically behind the rank insignia.

All ranks had spearhead-shaped patches inbranch-of-service colour on the collar of thegreatcoat; the officers' pattern was worn witha button, the other ranks without.

COLLAR INSIGNIA Until the end of the19th century most armies displayed colouredcollars that identified the branch of service ofthe wearer. It was the penultimate stage in theevolution of the field of branch-of-serviceidentification, the last stage being the adoption of collar patches, or collar badges, whichpermitted the mass production of uniformsthat were the same for all soldiers.

In many countries, according to nationalcustom, rank badges wefe also worn on thecoloured collar, and in this case the rankbadges were later tran5ferred on to the collarpatches (see Rank insignia).

Austria-HungaryThe Austro-Hungarian Army's rank insigniaand regimental- and branch-of-service insigniawere worn on the collar and are practicallyindivisible.

The peace-time establishment of the infantry of the line consisted of 102 regiments,which were identified by their facing colour,Egalisierungs-farbe, combined with that of thebuttons:

Button colourFacing colour Austrian Hungarian

Regiments RegimentsYellow White Yellow White

black 14 58 26 38white 94 92dark brown 93 7 12 83reddish brown 55 17 68 78light brown lOO 98madder 15 74 44 34dark red I 18 52 53carmine red 84 81 % 82amaranth red 90 95 86cherry red 73 77 43 23Bordeaux red 89 88scarlet red 45 80 37 39lobster red 35 20 71 67light red 57 36 65 66pink 13 97 5 6orange yellow 59 42 64 63yellow 27 22 2 31sulphur yellow 99 41 16 101steel green 56 47 48 60grass green 8 28 61 62apple green 9 54 85 79seaweed green 102sea green 21 87 70 25parrot green 91 10 46 50sky blue 4 3 32 19light blue 40 75 72 29pike grey 30 49 76 69ash grey 11 24 51 33

According to this scheme, only four regiments wore the same colour of facing, twowith yellow and two with white buttons, andtherefore only one Austrian and one Hun-

BranchGeneralsGeneral Staff

JagerSchL1tzenArtilleryEngineersTrainMedicalSignals

Facingscarlet redblack velvet with red

stripe at the end ofthe patch

grass greengrass greenscarlet redcherry redlight bluemadderblack

Buttongoldgold

yellowwhiteyellowyellowwhiteyellowsilver

A-Z OF MiLITARY INSIGNIA

of the Republic of Austria were similar instyle to those of the former Imperial Army.Coloured patches, which, as before, identifiedthe branch of service, were sewn on the collarof the tunic together with stripes of lace andstars that identified the rank of the wearer.The colours of the patches did not change,although black was added for the tank troops.

1955-1986: The jacket of the modern Austrian uniform has an open collar, and newpatches shaped to fit the angles of the collarare therefore worn.

The collar patches identify branch of service and rank as before, and a strand oftwisted gold or silver cord around the outeredges of the patch identify the officers' or noncommissioned officers' class, respectively (seeRank insignia). This edging is displayed onthe spearhead collar patches worn on thegreatcoat, and a button is worn by all ranks.

Only two badges are worn on the collarpatches of the jacket - the lyre of thebandmaster and the cross of the chaplain and both are appointment badges, used in lieuof rank insignia. In some cases one colour issuperimposed upon another, leaving an 8mm('hin) wide chevron of a different colour atthe top of the patch. This secondary colour iscalled piping.

The plain collar patches worn by privatesare shown to illustrate the type and shape ofthe patches only. Their colours, in relation tobranch of service, are as follows:

Branch Patch PipingGenerals

) =,'" ,'"Artillery

Air Force(Ground)

Guards scarlet red whiteBattalion

Tank Troops blackGeneral Staff black (velvet) scarlet redDoctors black light blueVeterinaries black madderPharmacists black cherry redInfantry grass greenArmoured pink

InfantryReconnaissance golden

yellowAir Force cherry red

(Flyers)Engineers steel greenSignals brownMedical light blueSupply dark blueNEC pike greyCommissariat carmine red greenAdministration light blue cherry redTechnicians dark red brownChaplain violet black

119


2

Chaplains did not wear collar patches; theywore only the badge of their faith on the collarof the tunic and of the greatcoat. Catholicswore the Latin cross, Protestants the Maltesecross, while Jewish rabbis had the Star ofDavid.

The scheme lists only patches and devicesthat referred to a specific branch of service,but some branches included specialities. Thegunners of the 7th (Motorized) Corps, forexample, wore on the collar of their greatcoats a cog wheel set above crossed cannons,and those attached to cavalry or armouredformations wore the crossed cannon and ahorse shoe. Anti-aircraft personnel had aspecial badge, which depicted a torch abovecrossed cannons and two wings as a background.

Ground personnel of the air force had apropeller on the collar of the greatcoat, andmotor transport personnel wore a motor carwheel.

The end of World War 11 found the Belgian Army wearing British battledress andwith a few new branches of service inheritedfrom the British Army.

Patch PipingPatch Piping Parachutists maroon sky blue

Infantry of the scarlet royal blue Commandos black whiteLine Signals black green

Grenadiers scarlet royal blue RASe ultramarine orangeCarabiniers deep green yellow REME black orangeChasseurs on deep green yellow RAOC grey amaranth

Foot Military Police scarlet whiteChasseurs deep green scarlet Security deep green black

Ardel1llais SectionsCarabil1iers deep green yellow Chaplains purple

Cyclists Royal Military royal blue scarletFrontier scarlet royal blue School (velvet)

Cyclists Cadets School royal blue scarletGuides amaranth green (velvet)Lancers white royal blueChasseurs on yellow royal blue The RASC, the REME and the RAOe Type of Austro-Hungarian Army collar patch

Horse were amalgamated to form the Corps Logisli· for field uniform used during \\'orld \Var I andLight royal blue scarlet que, which wore light blue patches with readopted after the war 2. Strip of regimental

Regiments amaranth piping, and more recently the medi- or branch - of -service colour used towards theArtillery royal blue scarlet cal corps of the three services have been end or World War 13. Type orcollar patchEngineers black scarlet amalgamated to form the Service de Same des adopted in 19554. Great-coat collar patch.

BelgiumAfter the introduction of khaki uniforms in1915, the coloured collars, strips and pipingpreviously worn were simplified into collarpatches, which had, and still have, the dualpurpose of identifying the branch of serviceand the rank of the wearer (see Rank insignia).

The shapes of the collar patches depend onthe type of collar on which they are placed:rectangular patches were worn on the standcollar of old tunics, and they are still worn onthe collar of the modern dress tunic; pentagonal patches fit the open collar of the jacket;and diamond-shaped patches were used onthe stand-and-fall collars seen on the Britishstyle batlledress.

The collar patches, taken in conjunctionwith a series of metal or embroidered devices- badges, initials and numbers - worn onthe collar and on the shoulder straps of thetunic and of the greatcoat, identified also theregiment or unit and, often, the higher formation to which the unit may be atlached.

Only metal or embroidered badges wereworn on the collar of the greatcoat, but thesewere necessarily also worn on the tunic collar.where the colours of the patch already servedthe same purpose.

The rules related to the displaying ofinsignia have been modified several timesduring this century. The following scheme liststhe collar patches prescribed by the 1939Regulations (Bibl. 42).

Generals of arms wore black collar patcheswith amaranth piping and the [oudre aboverank insignia, while generals of the serviceshad the patches and badges (instead of the[oudre) of their own branches of service.General staff officers wore the demi-[oudreabove rank insignia on patches of their ownbranches of service.

120


Armees, the personnel of which wear bottlegreen uniforms and different insignia from therest of the armed forces.

Branch-of-service badges are not nowworn on the collar of the greatcoat.

Collar patches are issued in large formatand then cut to a basic size of 50mm (2in)high, 30mm (1'/4in) at the base and 35mm(I'l2in) at the widest point. Officers wearlarger patches to accommodate stars and bars,and often a branch-of-service badge is worn aswell, and a higher patch has to be wider toaccommodate it (Bib!. 43).

The officers could wear either general issueor privately purchased patches, the latterusually padded and with embroidered rankdevices.

I. Belgian Commandos 'CapitaineCommandant' 2. Uncut collar patch as issued3. Engineers Warrant Officer 4. LogisticalService 5. Infantry oflhe Line 6. Cyclists 7.'Chasseur Ardennais'.

2

6

121


6

9

7

4

", . ........A..-.' -:"' r--

,t.'!:'1fj~'l'(· -- ,\l:,l

_ , ,I ->- .1

II

5

8

10

Collar badges of the North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's): 1,2,3. Firstpallern with the Prince of Wales's plume, 1895-19044. Volunteers 5, 6,7,8. Variants ofofficers' dress collar badges made of gilt and silver 9. Officers' khaki service dress badge,1st pallern 10, 11, 12. Variants, and pallern 13. Other ranks' collar badge. The plainStafford knot was worn before 1895 by the North and South Staffords and a new badgewas adopted in 1959 after the amalgamation ofthe two regiments (see page 124).

BritainIllustrated is a set of metal collar badges of theNorth Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince ofWales's), which gives an indication of thenumerous variations of badges that have beenused by an average regiment of the BritishArmy.

The first three badges on the left show tbepallem used from 1895 to 1904 by regularofficers, other ranks and militia, respectively.The militia was identified by badges in inverted metals, the volunteers by silver orwhite metal badges.

In 1904 the design of the regimental collarbadges was changed. There were at least fourvariants of officers' badges in gilt and silver,with different types of knot, with solid orvoided feathers and with silvered or gildedscrolls. Bronze badges were worn on theofficers' khaki service dress. At first a largerbadge was adopted that was similar in style tothe other raloks' pallern, which is made ofwhite metal and brass. By 1904 all metalbadges worn by officers conformed to thesame style; service dress badges were madeinitially of bronze, but later of brass andpainted brown.

Until October 1880 officers wore rankinsignia on the collars of their tunics and theother ranks had a plain collar in facing colours(Bib\. 60). In 1881 collar insignia as an alternalive means of regimental and branch-ofservice identification were adopted. At thattime most regiments opted for collar badgesdisplayl,lg the main regimental device thatwas already shown on the cap badge, but afew took the opportunity to display a secondary device. The King's Regiment (Liverpool),for example, adopted the Lancashire rose,although in 1895 the device was changed tothe horse of Hanover. The design waschanged again in 1925, and in the 1950. thebadges were made in anodized aJuminium orstaybrite. The Essex Regiment had twobadges, one depicted the sea-axes from thecountry's coat of arms, and the other consisted of the eagle, which, in 1900, was wornby officers on the mess jacket (Bib\. 50).

In 1896 the magazine The Regiment published a list of regimental collar badges, andthe Regulation of 1900 described them indetai\. Different types of collar badges wereused on different uniforms according to regimental custom. There were embroideredbadges, often worn horizontally on the standcollar; for example, the badge of the PrincessVictoria's (Royal Irish Fusiliers) consisted oftwo devices, the princess's coronet and thefusiliers' grenade. The officers wore alsogilded and silver-plated badges, often made ofsolid silver or embellished with enamel details. In many regiments, the collar badgeworn by officers on their service dress was aslarge as the cap badge.

122

A-ZOF

29

~ 9 C 10

41A

24 25

5~ a ut.- .1326

28~27 ~

.. t8

16 f6

1817

9. The King's Regiment (Liverpool) 10. TheRoyal Dragoons 11. 1st The Royal Dragoons12. The Lancashire Hussars 13. The PrincessVictoria's (Royal Irish Fusiliers) 14. The RoyalFusiliers (City of London Regt) IS. The SouthNottinghamshire Hussars 16. The King'sRegiment (Liverpool) 17, 18. The Royal WelchFusiliers.

I. The King's (Liverpool Regt), 1st pattern2. The Princess Victoria's (Royal Irish Fusiliers3. The Essex Regiment 4. The King's (LiverpoolRegt), 2nd pattern 5. The King's Regiment(Liverpool), 3rd pattern 6. The West YorkshireRegiment (The Prince of Wales's Own) 7. TheRoyal Hampshire Regiment 6th (Duke ofConnaught's Own) Battalion 8. The EssexRegiment.

35

31

34

30

36 37 38

19. The Hampshire Regiment 20, 21, 22, 23.The Green Howards (Alexandra Princess ofWales's Own Yorkshire Regt) 24. The Buffs(Royal East Kent Regt) 25, 28. TheMonmouthshire Regiment 26, 27. The RoyalBerkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte ofWales's).

29. The Cambridgeshire Regiment 30. TheSuffolk Regiment 31. The King's Own ScottishBorderers 32, 33, 34, 35. The GloucestershireRegiment 36. The Royal Sussex Regiment37,38. The East Riding Yeomanry.

123


2

3 43

:l~~'":-<:V' "~

r..=;70 ... "'r!

'- "CS'"4

I. The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment 2. TheQueen's Own Buffs The Royal Kent Regiment3. The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment 4. TheDukeofEdinburgh's Royal Regiment(Berkshire and Wiltshire) 5. The StaffordshireRegiment (The Prince of Wales's) 6. The RoyalRegiment of Wales (24th/41st Foot).

1,2. Royal Regiment of Artillery 3, 4, 5. RoyalArmy Ordnance Corps 6. Corps of RoyalEngineers.

5

65

Some badges may be difficult to identify.There were different types of dragons - thedragon of the Buffs (Royal East Kent Regt).the dragon of the Monmouthshire Regimentand the Chinese dragon worn by the RoyalBerkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte ofWales's). Some collar badges depicted castles- the castle and key of Gibraltar belong tothe Suffolk Regimen!. the castle bearing thearms of Ely belongs to the CambridgeshireRegiment, and Edinburgh Castle was shownin the badges of the King's Own ScottishBorderers. The sphinx could be shown as amale or as a female.

A few examples of post-1958 collar badgesare illustrated. All are regimental insignia,although some were worn in combination witha brigade's cap badge. The Queen's RoyalSurrey Regiment was formed in 1959 by theamalgamation of the Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) and the East SurreyRegimen!. The officers' badge shows the lambfrom the former regiment set on the crownedslar background that belonged to the Easl

Surreys.The Queen's Own Buffs, the Royal Kent

Regiment, was formed in 1961 by lhe amalgamation of The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regt)and the Queen's Own Royal West KentRegiment. Buffs remained in the title, buttheir dragon disappeared, only to reappear in1966 on the cap badge of the Queen's Regiment, which was formed from the battalionsof the Home Counties Brigade. At that point,however, the lamb was sacrificed, and the newcollar badge displays the prancing horse ofKent on the eight-pointed star above theRoussillon plume.

The next two badges were used as regimen·tal collar badges by battalions of the WessexBrigade; subsequently both became regimentsof the Prince of Wales's Division, and thesame devices, but larger, were adopted astheir cap badges. The Devonshire and DorsetRegiment was formed in 1958 by the amalgamation of the Devonshire Regiment and theDorset Regiment. The badge shows ExeterCastle of the Devons and the battle honours

of the Dorsetshire Regiment. The Duke ofEdinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire andWiltshire) was formed in 1959 by the amalgamation of the Royal Berkshire Regiment(Princess Charlotte of Wales's) and the Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's), andthe badge displays the former officers' badgeof the Royal Berkshires surmounted not bythe crown but by the ducal coronel on thecross parte of the Wiltshires.

The Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince ofWales's), formed in 1959 by the amalgamationof the South Staffordshire Regiment and theNorth Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince ofWales's), was part of the Mercian Brigade,and later, as a regiment, it became part of thePrince of Wales's Division. The collar badge isstill in use, and the cap badge depicls theStafford knot surmounted by lhe Prince ofWales's plume.

Also illustrated is the collar badge of theRoyal Regiment of Wales (24th/41st FOOl),which was formed in 1969 by the amalgamation of the So~th Wales Borderers and the

124


13. \\'omen'sTranSI>orl Service 14. \\'omen'sRoyal Army Corps 15. Ro)'al Corps ofSignals16. Royal Pioneer Coq>s.

Welch Regiment, from where it got the imIhortelles and the Welsh dragon. The regiment retained the cap badge of the WelshBrigade.

The badges of the territorial infantry andyeomanry units have changed consider<:lblysince 1947, when the TA was re-formedfollowing the reorganization and amalgamation of regiments. Many badges. both old andnew. have disappeared.

The collar badges of both the Royal Regiment of Artillery and the Royal Corps ofEngineers depict the flaming grenade. and thebadges of both. especially those worn onofficers' service dress. are similar in shape andsize, except that the grenade of the gunnershas seven flames while that of the sappers hasnine.

The Royal Army Ordnance Corps had fourtypes of badges: the Ordnance shield was usedas a collar badge until 1920, the title scroll wascarried at the bottom of the cap badge. Thesecond and third patterns to be used arcillustrated by the two dress collar badges wornby officers, while yet another pattern wasadopled in 1949.

The badge of the Royal Army Pay Corpswas adopted in 1920. and in 1929 it waschanged to the Royal Crest above a titlescroll. The Army Educational Corps wasinstituted in 1920 and wore the same badge.larger in size as a cap badge. from 1927 101951.

The women's organization. the First AidNursing Yeomanry (FANY). first raised in1909. was redesignatcd Women's TransportService in 1933 and absorbed in 1939 in theAuxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), whichhad been formed in 1938. In 1949 it wasredesignated the Women's Royal ArmyCorps. The cap badge of the ATS displayedthe initials surrounded by a laurel wreath andsurmounted by the crown; the WRAC has theinitials ATS replaced by a lioness.

The second pallern of the badges worn bythe Royal Corps of Signals. which was usedafter 1947. and the collar badge of the RoyalPioneer Corps are illustrated.

8

109

11

7

7,8. Corps of Royal Engineers 9. Special AirService Regiment 10. Royal Army Pay Corps11. Army Territorial Service 12. ArmyEducational Corps.

125


4

8

"

11

3

7

18 20

6

10

\2}~~

14 IS

2

17

13

patches: an eagle on a cliff top by the mountain troops; a dog's head by the Frontiertroops; a bicycle wheel by the cyclists; and anarrow within a ring by the tank troops. Thebadges were in gilt for officers, silver for noncommissioned officers and bronze for the rankand file. Several other branch-of-servicebadges and regimental numbers were wornfarther back on the collar in line with theshoulder straps (Bib!. 26).

Modern collar badges: I. Infantry 2. Artillery3. Anti-Aircraft 4. Armour 5. Aviation6. Parachutists 7. Engineers 8. Signals9. Chemical 10. Motor Transport 11. Raihval'Transport 12. Road Service 13. BuildingService 14. Topographical Service IS. Medical16. Provisions and Fuel 17. Legal18. Administrative 19. Military Music20. Border Guards, in brass for officers, silverfor NCOs and bronze for rank and liIe.

Socialist Republic of Czechoslovakia After1948 the armed forces were reconstructedwithin the structure of the Warsaw Pact, andthis called for a certain uniformity of insignia.

Collar badges were adopted to identifybranch of service. The badges were in gold forofficers, silver for warrant officers andsergeants and brown for the other ranks. In allthere are 20 badges, one for each of the 19branches of service, plus the badge of theBorder Guards, an autonomous organizationthat still wears its pre-war insignia.

Piping

cherry red

cherry redyellowdark bluewhitedark bluebrown

scarlet

grass green

yellow ochre

grass green

light green

grey

violet·yellow ochre

scarlet

yellow

light brownblack'black'black'black'dark blue'dark blue'dark bluescarlet

dark brown

branch-ofservicecolour

carmine

Parchcarmine

cherry red

General StaffInfantryMountain

InfantryFrontier

TroopsCyclistsTanks

Artillery )Mountain

ArtilleryMotorized

Artillery

Cavalry }Armoured

Cars

Engineers }Railway

EngineersSignalsDoctorsVeterinaryPharmacistChaplainsCommissariatAdministrationSupplyOrdnance

(Technical)Ordnance

(Administrative)

GeographicalService

Legal ServiceRecruiting

ServiceArmy Records•denotes velvet

The engineers of the Technical Service hadgrass green patches with dark brown piping,while the Service's signal officers had lightbrown piping around their grass greenpatches. The other ranks of the Ordnancewore the scarlet patches of the Artillery, andmedical orderlies had plain black collarpatches. Grey patches with different coloursof piping were used by officers clerks; forinstance, legal clerks and wardens had violetpiping in accordance with the violet patchworn by tbe Legal Service.

The generals' device of lime leaves andanother four badges were worn on collar

Generals ofArms

Generals ofServices

By the late 1930s the following patcheswere worn:

CzechoslovakiaDuring World War I Czechoslovak volunteersfought for their country's independence inRussia, France and Italy, while most of theircountrymen were drafted into the AustroHungarian Army. The first Czechoslovakunits were formed in Russia and France fromex-prisoners of war. The 39th CzechoslovakInfantry Regiment was formed in Italy, and by1918 two Czechoslovak divisions, the 6th andthe 7th, operated on the Italian front.

These units wore different badges andseveral types of collar patches. The 21st RifleRegiment in France had a blue patch edged inred, with the regimental number in gold forofficers and in red for soldiers. White and redhorizontal stripes in rectangular patches withblue edging all the way round were used inItaly, often with two crossed rifles at the front.Spearhead-type patches were worn by theunits in Russia: cherry red for the infantry,scarlet for the artillery, orange for the intendants and white, edged in red, for the cavalry.

The post-1918 Czechoslovak Army worekhaki uniforms, and coloured patches wereworn by all ranks on the tunic collar. Generalsand general staff officers had two-pointedcollar patches, generals having a device oflime leaves embroidered in gold wire. Thelime leaves had previously adorned the collarpatches of generals of the Czechoslovak unitsin France, and they were later displayed onthe patches of the army of the Protectorate ofBohemia and Moravia and re-adopted in thearmy of the Socialist Republic after 1945. Thechaplains had rectangular patches, rounded atthe top back end, and all the others, officersand other ranks, wore smaller patches fittingon the front of the collar.

I. 21st Rifle Regiment, for greatcoat2. Czechoslovak Cavalry in Russia 3. Generalof Arms, pre- \\'orld War 114. Ordnance(Administrative) pre-World War H.

126

A-Z OF MILITARY INSIGNlA

18

20

15

17

I. Generals 2. Inspector General of Infantry3. Inspector General of Armour 4. InspectorGeneral of Infantry 5. Inspector General ofEngineers 6. Inspector General of the HomeGuard 7. Arm)' Ordnance Corps 8. Finance &Quartermaster Corps 9. Medical Corps10. Legal Corps 11. Army Material Command12. 3rd Division 13, 14, 15. 3rd, 4th and 6thHomeGuard Region 16. Rangers 17, 18, 19,20,21. 4th, 3rd, 5th, 9th and 10th InfantryRegiment 22, 23, 24, 26. 1st, 2nd,3rd and 4thField Artillery Regiment 26, 27. Jutland andZealand Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment 28,29. Army Troops and Infantry at Ilornholm 30,31. Zealand and Jutland Engineers 32. JntlandTransport.

28

10

12

14

9

27AI

11

13

2

8

5

22

7

4

21

3

25

24

26

29

31

30

32

DenmarkRegimental and branch-of-service badges tobe worn on the collar by units already inexistence were introduced in 1948; otherswere introduced as new units required badges.Many are still in use today. although somehave been abolished or have changed theirunit's title following the reorganization of thearmy.

The badges are of brass or gilding metal,and they are worn on coloured felt backings(see Backing) that vary according to theprecedence of the battalion or unit. Some aremade in pairs and face inwards; others areidentical and may be worn on either the rightor the left of the collar.

Generals wear a smaller version of theberet badge on the collar of their jackets (see

127


Cap badge), and the inspector generals of thecorps have their own collar badges, someexamples of which are shown.

The personnel of divisional headquarterswear divisional badges on their collars. Thereare three divisions: the badge of the 2ndDivision depicts St George killing the dragon;thal of the 3rd Division depicts a knight inarmour; and that of the 6th Division is a coatof arms.

Some branch-of-service badges are alsoshown.

Each of the eight. home guard regions has aself-explanatory badge, the emblems on theshields being taken from local coats of arms;the emblem of the 3rd region, for instance,comes from the arms of Ribe; the fleur-de-lisof the 4th region from the arms of Odense;and the emblem of the 6th region is from thecoat of arms of Copenhagen.

The Rangers wear the crowned bugle withIhe cypher of King Christian VII in the centre.The ten infantry regiments of the army weresimply numbered from 1st to 10th and werenot given any additional title. The badge ofthe 4th Infantry Regiment bears two cyphers,that of King Christian IV al the top and thecypher of Frederick VI at the bottom.

The four regiments of the field artillery,the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th regiments, havedifferent collar badges, as do the Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiments of Zealand (Sjaelland) and of Jutland. The troops stationed onthe island of Bornholm wear two collarbadges, the Army Troops wear a griffin andthe infantry have a galleon.

Each branch of the Engineers, Signals andTransport troops is divided into two regiments, of Zealand and Jutland. Thereforethere is a badge for the Engineers Regimentof Zealand and another, which has the titleJYliske in the scroll, for the regiment ofJutland.

The original titles of the units that haveworn these badges is given; many are still inexistence but others have been disbanded orconverted to other roles. The badge of the10th Infantry Regiment, for example, is nowused by the staff of the 2nd Jutland Brigade,and the badge originally worn by the 1st FieldArtillery Regiment is today worn by theKronens Artiiieriregimellr. The badge of the2nd regiment is now worn by the ZealandArtillery Regiment, those of the 3rd and 4thregiments are now used by the North andSouth Jutland Artillery Regiments respectively.

The anti-aircraft regiments no longer exist,but the same badges are still worn by thepersonnel of the anti-aircraft units stationed inZealand and in Jutland.

The royal cyphers on the badges showunder which king the regiment was created.

128

FillialldIn the Finnish Army branch of service andrank are identified by collar patches. Thecolours of the patches, of their frame andadditional embroidered devices - fir twigs forofficers and senior sergeants - identify thebranch of service. The type of frame and thepresence or absence of embroidered fir twigsat the front of the patch identify class of rank(see Rank insignia).

The colours shown on the patches are asfollows:

Parch EmbroideryGeneral Staff crimson greyInfantry deep green greyJagers deep green yellowCavalry yellow greyArtillery red blackEngineers purple greySignals purple yellowArmour black greyService Corps blue greyChaplains black gold or

purpleCadets blue yellow

These are the combinations of colours used bythe main branches of service, some of whichwere changed after World War H. Tankmen,for instance, used to wear black patches withorange embroidery, and chaplains had blackand grey patches. The coast artillery had blackpatches with red embroidery, and they havebeen abolished in favour of the basic artillerypatches of red with black embroidery.

Officers of the services wore, and slillwear, patches of the same colour as the unit towhich they are attached, bUI their branch-ofservice badge replaces the fir twigs. In theservice corps this rule applies only la officerswith a university degree.

Several patches of schools and other organizations have been abolished or changed, andsome new ones have been recently adoptedfor the personnel of the battalions.

FranceAll ranks of the French Army displayedbranch-of-service insignia, in the form ofcoloured patches, on their collars, until thepost-World War H years, when diamondshaped patches were adopted for use on theleft sleeve by the other ranks. Officers and

Example of Finnish Arm)' collar patch,Artillery.

warrant officers now wear pentagonal patcheson dress and service dress uniforms only.

The type of officers' collar patches wornbefore World War I was also used in the 19305on dress uniforms. Generals were distinguished by gold or silver embroidery, whichvaried according to branch of service, andofficers wore coloured patches that, in combination with the colour of the collar, identifiedthe branch of the wearer. Gold or silverembroidered numbers or badges indicaled theunit or speciality. Before World War I thesame system of branch-of-service identification was used by the other ranks, but thenumerals and badges were coloured.

New collar patches were adopted for thehorizon blue field uniform that was introducedin 1915. The patches were similar in shape tothe previous pattern, but, since the collar, likethe rest of the uniform, was horizon blue, thecolour of the patch and of the stripes of braidsewn on its outer end became the only meansof branch-of-service identification. Infantrymen, who formed numerically the bulk of thearmy, wore their regimental number on horizon blue patches, which had dark blue stripesof braid (Bib!. 17).

The patches worn on the grealcoat werecut to fit the points of the collar. The regimental number or badge was set in the centre, andthe braid above was in the form of a chevron,as were the patches illustrated, which, however. belong to a later period.

Khaki uniforms were adopted inNovember 1921 (Bib!. 98). but, as large stocksof horizon blue cloth -were still available, thearmy was not fully clothed in khaki until 1937.Meanwhile, the pattern of the other ranks'field tunic was changed in 1920, the slandcollar being replaced by a stand-and-fall collarso that the collar palches could be standardized to the shape already used on the greatcoat. A similar tunic, but khaki and with onlysix buttons at the front, was adopted in 1935.

The average size of the corporals' andprivates' collar patches was 80 or 90mm (3\143Y2in) wide and 80mm (3\l4in) high, and theywere made of melton (a felt-like cloth) or ofvelvet with numbers or badges, or sometimesboth, cut out from cloth or made of meta!.The stripes were of woollen or rayon Russianbraid, sewn at the top of the patch. Somepatches had embroidered stripes, numbers


and badges; the embroidery was usuallymachine work.

Most patches had two stripes of braid.However, those of the fortress units of theAlps, the motorized cuirassiers and dragoons,the reconnaissance groups and the artilleryrepair groups had three stripes. On the otherhand, the patches worn by medical orderlies,administrative clerks, personnel of the supplytrain and of the cavalry remount and by the'workers' of artillery and tank depots had nostripes of braid.

Certain branches of service were entitledto two or even three, different types of collarpatches, according to the type of uniform onwhich they were worn. On their walking outtunics, for example, motorized dragoons worepatches with three stripes, two of white braidand one of violet, and a red number, whiletheir field uniform patches had two whitestripes, a white number and a white, fivepointed star at the bottom.

Officers, warrant officers and sergeants,who wore tunics with a narrower stand-andfall collar, had narrower patches, and officersalso wore an open-collar jacket on which theyhad pentagonal patches, with stripes of braidas the other ranks, but with gold or silverembroidered numerals, badges or numeralsand badges.

GermanyThird Reich : The Litzen or double bars wornon the collar became standatd insignia for allranks of the German Army in May 1919, andthey assumed particular importance duringthe period of the Third Reich as a means ofbranch-of·service identification.

The general officers of the i;lrmy, exceptthose of the Wehrmachtbeamte, wore thegeneral's gold-embroidered device on a scarlet background; the generals of the Wehrmachtbeamte (administrative officials) had adark green background to the embroidery andan additional colour in the form of an edgingto the patch.

The double bars of the officers and of theother ranks were always placed upon a backing of cloth that fitted the front of the standand-fall collar in use at that time. These collarpatches could be divided into two types. Thedress uniform patches were embroidered insilver for all officers (except those of theOberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW) orOberkommando des Herees (OKH) staff),embroidered or in silver lace for other ranks,but always on a cloth backing in the branchof-service colour. The undress patches for

I. Engineers, Administrative officer, preWorld War J 2. 8th Engineers Regiment3,4_ (29th Infantry Regiment, with metal orcloth number s. 2nd African Light InfantryRegiment.

129


7

2

4

6

3

1

5

NSDAP (German National Socialist Workers'Party) embraced many affiliated organizations, including the structure of the stateadministration. Starting with the Hitler Youthand the German students' association,teachers' associations, women's associations,workers' associations and many othersbecame part of the symbolic pyramid led byAdolf Hitler.

Uniforms and insignia proliferated, asevery association wore its own, and collarpatches, which usually identified the type ofassociation or service and the appointment ofthe wearer, were particularly numerous.

The best known collar patches are those ofthe Schutzstaffel, an organization that tracedits origins to the para-military squads raised inGermany in the early 19205. Initially the SSwas divided into two branches, the Stabswache (Staff Guard), which developed intothe Waffen SS, and the Totenkopfverbiinde(Death's Head units), which became a political police. By 1939, however, the TotenkoPf-

I. Army Recruiting Service/Field Police2. Anti-Tank 3. Signals 4. Rank and file tattooWorld War II pattern 5. Air Force FlyingPersonnel/Parachutists 6. Medical officer7. Anti-Aircraft.

grass greenpinkscarletblackgolden brownorange

light greenpinkdark green

golden brownscarletdark blueblackblack

carminegolden yellow

Rifle RegimentsTank TroopsArtilleryEngineersSignalsField Police

General StaffFlying Personnel!

ParachutistsSignalsAnti-Aircraft ArtilleryMedical CorpsAir Ministry (until 1939)Construction Troops

(after 1939)Air Traffic ControlEngineering CorpsAdministrative Officials

The Hermann Goring Tank Division waspart of the air force, and, as a tribute toGoring, the commander-in-chief of the airforce, from April 1943 its personnel worewhite collar patches with coloured pipingaround the edges as follows:

worn on a field grey patch or, more usually,sewn directly on the collar.

Naval detachments that served on land, atcoastal defences or on other semi-permanentassignments wore field grey uniforms withdouble bars on the collar.

The collar patches worn by personnel ofthe air force identified branch of service andrank. Branch of service, except for the highestranks, was shown by the colour of the patch,and rank was indicated by wreaths and otherdevices embroidered or pinned on to thepatch.

All officers' collar patches had a narrowedging of twisted cords, which were of goldfor generals and silver for the other officers,according to the colour, gold or silver, of therank insignia they wore on the patch. Noncommissioned officers had a stripe of lacealong the front and the outer side of the patch.

White was used to identify the class of rankof air marshals and generals, and it was alsoused by the personnel of the Hermann GoringTank Division. Other branch-of-service colours were:

Officers of the reserve had additional lightblue piping around the collar patches andwithin the twisted cords.

Instead of the wings, other badges could beworn on the collar patches: three-pointedstars were worn by the administrative officials;two-, three- or four-bladed propellers wereused by the personnel of the engineeringcorps; and the lyre, together with wings, wasworn by the musicians of the air force.

National Socialism: During the 19305 the

dark red

bluelight blueorange

carminegrey-blue

whitegreengrass greengolden yellowscarletblacklemon yellowpinkbrown

Headquarters' Officials,Surveyors,Meteorologists,Archivists, etc.

PaymastersRemountAdministrationEngineering TechniciansSupply of clothingTraining SpecialistsCourt OfficialsPharmacists

carmine

whitegolden yellowscarletblackpinklight browndark redlight green

InfantryMountain TroopsArmoured InfantryCavalryArtilleryEngineersSignalsArmour/Anti-TankMotorized

ReconnaissanceSmoke Troops

(Chemical)MedicalTransport/SupplyRecruiting ServicelField

PoliceVeterinary/General StaffSpecialist Officers

Some colours corresponded to the mainbranch-of-service colours, blue being used byhospital officials and orange by recruiting staffofficials. Chaplains' collar patches were violetwith gold or silver double bars, according toclass.

The quality of the collar patches, particularly those worn by the rank and file, deteriorated during the course of the war, untileventually plain grey woven double bars were

The officers of the Wehrmachtbeamte haddark green WafTenfarbe behind the doublebars or generals' device, and an additionalcoloured edging, according to branch of service, at the sides and back of their collarpatches.The following secondary colours were used toidentify the officials' branch:

service or field uniform, which were embroidered in silver or in grey cotton, were on darkbluish-green backing.

Staff officers of the OKW and OKH hadspecial collar patches embroidered in gold,and those of the general staff had special bars,but in silver.

The personnel of tank units wore a specialstyle of black uniform; the black collarpatches had a pink edging and the skull-andcrossbones badge.

The following branch-of-service colourswere used by the regular army:

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232

4 5 6

3

7 8 9

I. National Railways 2, 3. SS and 'Totenkoprcollar patches.

(See Rank insignia).The patches were adopted in 1933,

modified in 1934 and again in 1942. The latestpattern had an edging of twisted silver cordsand silver embroidered devices for officers.The other ranks had no edging and greymachine-embroidered devices. The SS runeswere worn on the right collar patch by mostunits, except for TotenkoPf regiments andunits composed of foreign volunteers, whichdisplayed their own national devices.

Federal Republic of Germany: The dressregulations of July 1955 prescribed metalbranch-of-service badges for the army personnel of the new Bundeswehr.

Generals retained their traditional goldembroidered patches, and double bars ofgeneral staff pattern were re-adopted for thestaff officers, although they were embroideredon a rectangular grey, later carmine, background.

Collar badges were made of solid metalwith a brownish, old gold finish. There were14 in all, of self-explanatory design. The tanktroops had a side-view of a tank, and medicalpersonnel wore the caduceus on a wreath;both were made in pairs, so that the tanks andsnakes would face outwards. All the otherbadges were made singly. Personnel of thearmoured infantry should have worn a tankabove crossed sabres, which should not beconfused with Panzerjiiger, and reconnaissance troops that had a shield on crossedlances, but as collar badges were used for onlya short time these two badges were neverworn.

1312

verblinde also provided a fighting formation,the TotenkoPf Division. The organization waslater definitively divided into the Waffen SSand the AI/gemeine SS, which carried outterritorial duties.

Collar patches on the right showed the unitwhile those on the left the rank, of the wearer.However, from the rank of colonel upwardthe rank insignia was displayed on both sides

1110

Examples of 'Bundeswehr' collar badges:I. Artillery 2. Signals 3. 'Panzerjager'4. EngineersS. Medical 6. Band. Collarpatches: 7. Armoured Infantry 8. Armour9. Engineers 10. Signals 11. ABC Defence12. Technical Troops 13. Air force.

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yellowdark green

pinkblack

whitered

Motorized RiflesArtillery and Rocket

TroopsArmourEngineers, Chemical and

Technical ServicesSignalsMedical, Legal and other

non-combatant servicesolive green Pioneersgrey Anti-Aircraft Defencegreen Border Guards

Parachutists wear different patches, of airforce shape but made of orange felt. Thebranch badge of all ranks is displayed on thepatch in silver embroidery, but the officers'collar patches are distinguished by an additional edging of twisted silver cords.

The personnel of the air force wear bluishgreen patches that identify the class of rank.The patches worn by senior officers have asilver edging and a large wreath of oak leavesand a wing, both of white metal. Juniorofficers have a small wreath and a wing, andother ranks wear plain patches with one wing,of the same pattern as other ranks.

Democratic Republic of Germany: All ranksof the Nationale Volksarmee wear collarpatches of traditional German style.

Germans have the traditional gold embroidered devices; they are on a red backgroundfor those of the army and anti-aircraft defence, on green for the generals of the borderguards and on bluish green for the officers ofair rank of the air force.

All ranks of the ground forces wear on thecollar of the tunic double bars set on a paddedpatch of cloth, the colour of which matchesthat of the uniform. The officers' double barsare made of white metal, finished in imitationof embroidery, with a gimp in branch-ofservice colour in the centre of each bar. Theother ranks wear woven patches, with silverbars and branch-of-service colour along thecentre of each bar and in the space betweenthe two bars. The colours of the branches ofservice are:

The collar patches of the armoured infantry, anti-tank and quartermaster were subse·quently abolished, as the first two branchesbecame part of the infantry and adopted itspatches. Green patches are also worn by rifleunits, grenadiers and mountain and airbornetroops.

The officers wear silver embroidereddouble bars, which are slightly longer thanthose of the other ranks and machine wovenin grey directly on the coloured background(Bib!. 27).

Air force personnel wear 'grey-blue uniforms and air force insignia; their collar patchis yellow, with the air force's wing above awreath.

scarietcoral redblacklemon yellowBordeaux redbluedark bluelight blueorangelight greywhite

2

4

ArtilleryAnti-AircraftEngineersSignalsABC DefenceTechnical TroopsMedical TroopsQuartermasterMilitary PoliceArmy AviationMilitary Bands

rifle-greengrass greendark greenpinkgolden yellow

7

3

InfantryArmoured InfantryAnti-Tank UnitsArmourArmoured

Reconnaissance

1,2. Army and Air Force generals 3. Anti·Aircraft Defence officer 4. Army Signals otherranks 5. Parachutists officers 6, 7,8. Air force patches for senior, junior officers and forother ranks.

5

On I January 1957 the traditional Germandouble bars, embroidered on rectangular coloured patches, replaced the metal collarbadges. The branch-of-service colours were:

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2

I, S. Infantry Regiment "Menno van Coe·hoorn' and 'Johan \Villem friso' 2. Infantrybadge 3. Hussars "'an Boreel' 4. Supply Corps.

HollalldPentagonal collar patches were adopted in1943 by the Netherlands Ministry of War,which was based in London. Before 1939branch of service was identified by colouredcollars, piping and badges, but, as theseinsignia were rtot suitable for the Britishuniform worn at the time by Dutch servicemen, an entirely new system was devised thatwas based on the use of collar patches toidentify branch of service and rank.

Initially, many pre-war branch of servicecolours were used - blue for the infantry,black for the artillery, Bordeaux red for thepay corps, crimson for the ordnance - butsome new colours were adopted, includinglight blue for the cavalry and brown for theengineers. Some colours were changed beforethe end of the war, others were changed later.

In 1963 the rank insignia of officers andwarrant officers were transferred to the shoulder straps, and the branch-of-service badges,previously worn on the shoulder straps, weremoved to the collar patches.

Poppy red patches are worn by the infantrywith either an infantry badge or a regimentalbadge set in the centre. The cavalry regimentshave light blue patches surrounded by piping,the colour of which varies according to theregiment.

For further details on the colours of thecollar patches see Backing.

does not have the regimental number, which,in 1924, was worn on the joint of the rifle.

The engineers' badge has changed littlesince 1924, but the inscription in the crescentwas modified in 1958. The signals' collarbadge illustrated was adopted in 1965.

There are several versions of the badge ofthe ordnance, and that of the supply andtransport corps, which was adopted in 1931, isstill, in a staybrite version, in use today.

6

Ire/alld, Republic ofThe army branches of the Irish Defence Forceare identified by metal collar badges, whichare now made of anodized metal. Since theiradoption in 1924, several badges have beenmodified and others have been introduced fornewly formed services.

The infantry had six patterns of collarbadges, three of which are shown. The mostrecent is similar to the earliest pattern, but it

4

Irish Infantry collar badges: I. M.19432. M.1958 3. Latest model4. Engineers M. 19585. Signals M. 1965 6. Ordnance 7. TransportCorps.

54

133


2

5

10

7

4

13

9

3

6

9. 79th/80th, M.197510. 52nd, enamel forsummer shirt 11. Engineers 12. Chemical13. Parachutists.

Italian Infantry collar patches: I. 53rd/S4thWorld War I 2. 79th/80th, 60mm length3. 1st/2nd, 26mm width 4. 21st/22nd, WorldWar 1I and post-war 5. II4th, plastic for jacket6. 17th, plastidor greatcoat 7, 8. II4th and59th, for summer shirt.

Most infantry brigades were disbandedafter 1918, but those that remained continuedto wear the old patches, although shortened tol00mm (4in) in length. In 1934, however,jackets with an open collar were adopted forall ranks. Initially shorter, rectangular collarpatches were adopted for officers and warrantofficers only. These patches were 60mm(2y.in) lon2 and the same width as before.

The stars grew smaller after the war, andhad a decorated surface for officers and plainsurface for the other ranks.

In 1938 the width of the collar patches wasreduced to 26mm (lin), but, following theconstitution of the divisional services in 1940,the wider patches were re-adopted for allranks (see Backing).

The jacket introduced in 1934 for the rankand file and the post-war battledress blousehad pointed collars, and pointed patches aswell as rectangular ones were used.

Plastic collar badges of various types appeared in the late 1940s; medium size patchesfor the jacket, large for the khaki greatcoat orsmall for the collar of the summer shirt. Aseries of small patches wll"S"l\lso made in metaland enamel.

After World War 11, the brigades wereabolished, as one regiment of each was disbanded, the majority of those that remainedbecoming recruit training centres.

All types and sizes of collar patches wereused in the 19605. The woven pattern, madeof felt or plastic, was used until 1975, whenthe 'universal' pattern, made of metal andcoloured enamels, was introduced and madeobligatory for all ranks and for wearing on alluniforms. About 150 'universal' patches are inuse, one for each regiment and corps of thearmy.

The personnel of most service corps worehand-made, one-pointed ftames before theintroduction of plastic and metal and enamelbadges.

The pre-war chemical service was distinguished by an extraordinary patch, which,in a smaller version, is still used today by theNBC service.

Parachute units, a speciality of the infantry, wore the winged sword, which now has aparachute in the background.

The Grenadiers of Sardinia wore scarletcollars. Officers and warrant officers hadsilver embroidered double bars, and otherranks had a single bar embroidered in whitethread. On the grey-green field uniform apdpost-World War 11 khaki uniforms all rankswore as collar patches the bars on a scarletbacking.

Before World War 1 Italy had 30 cavalryregiments; 11 were distinguished by colouredcollars, 18 had three-pointed ftames on coloured collars and one had a coloured collarwith additional piping (Bibl. 10). The ftamesdistinguished the light horse regiments, while

Pipingscarletgolden yellowcrimson-(1902)light blue

(1902)

Patchblackblackblackamaranthblack

ItalyBy the end of the last century the colouredpiping of the army uniforms was replaced bycollar patches known, because of their shape,as 'ftames': the main body of the patch was atthe front of the collar, below the white star,and ended at the back with one, two or threepoints.

A five-pointed star, in metal, embroideryor felt, according to class of rank, was adoptedfor wearing on the collar as the symbol of theItalian armed forces in 1871. The white feltstars of the rank and file were abolished in1902, and, by 1914, metal badges were usedby all ranks on all orders of dress.

All ranks of the special infantry corps the Hersaglieri and the Alpini - wore, andstill wear today, two-pointed patches made ofcrimson or green felt, respectively. In 1895 theinfantry officers obtained two-pointed scarletpatches, while the men continued to wear theone-pointed black velvet patches edged withscarlet felt until 1902. The following onepointed ftames were still in use or had justbeen adopted in 1902:

In May 1902 coloured patches wereadopted for the 47 infantry brigades then inexistence; each brigade was composed of twoinfantry regiments, which were numbered inchronological order and named after regionsand towns.

These patches were made of woven silk.They were 32mm (1 Y.Jin) wide and 120mm(4'14in) long for the collar of the tunic, and32mm by l00mm (1 Y.Jin by 4in) for the collarof the greatcoat. The star was always worn atthe front, near the opening of the collar, andthere was a small button at the back wbere thepatch was cut to form a point. No collarpatches were worn on the grey-green greatcoat of the field uniform that was adopted in1909.

In 1915 25 brigades of the mobile militiawere 'called to active service, and another 17brigades were formed during the followingyear. The mobile militia was distinguished bycollar patches that were divided longitudinallyin two colours; the brigades formed in 1916had patches divided vertically in two colours.Because the infantry suffered appalling losses,another 26 brigades were formed by 1917;these brigades wore collar patches dividedvertically in three colours.

The machine gunners' collar patches hadthree vertical white stripes on a blue (StEtienne), red (Fiat) or green backgroundIMaxim).

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8

2

5

10

7

4

13

9

3

6

I

9. 79th/80th, M.I97S 10. 52nd, enamel forsummer shirt 11. Engineers 12. Chemical13. Parachutists.

Italian Infantry collar patches: I. S3rd/54thWorld War 12. 79th/80th, 60mm length3. 1st/2nd, 26mm width 4. 21st/22nd, WorldWar 11 and post-war 5. 1I4th, plastic for jacket6. 17th, plasticfor greatcoat 7,8. 1I4th and59th, for summer shirt.

Most infantry brigades were disbandedafter 1918, but those that remained continuedto wear the old patches, although shortened to100mm (4in) in length. In 1934, however,jackets with an open collar were adopted forall ranks. Initially shorter, rectangular collarpatches were adopted for officers and warrantofficers only. These patches were 60mm12\14in) lon2 and the same width as before.

The stars grew smaller after tbe war, andhad a decorated surface for officers and plainsurface for the other ranks.

In 1938 the width of the collar patches wasreduced to 26mm (lin), but, following theconstitution of the divisional services in 1940,the wider patches were re-adopted for allranks (see Backing).

The jacket introduced in 1934 for the rankand file and the post-war battledress blousehad pointed collars, and pointed patches aswell as rectangular ones were used.

Plastic collar badges of various types appeared in the late 1940s; medium size patchesfor the jacket, large for the khaki greatcoat orsmall for the collar of the summer shirt. Aseries of small patches w;or.;lOso made in metaland enamel.

After World War n, the brigades wereabolished, as one regiment of each was disbanded, the majority of those that remainedbecoming recruit training centres.

All types and sizes of collar patches wereused in the 19605. The woven pattern, madeof felt or plastic, was used until 1975, whenthe 'universal' pattern, made of metal andcoloured enamels, was introduced and madeobligatory for all ranks and for wearing on alluniforms. About 150 'universal' patches are inuse, one for each regiment and corps of thearmy.

The personnel of most service corps worehand-made, one-pointed flames before theintroduction of plastic and metal and enamelbadges.

The pre-war chemical service was distinguished by an extraordinary patch, which,in a smaller version, is still used today by theNBC service.

Parachute units, a speciality of the infantry, wore the winged sword, which now has aparachute in the background.

The Grenadiers of Sardinia wore scarletcollars. Officers and warrant officers hadsilver emhroidered double bars, and otherranks had a single bar embroidered in whitethread. On the grey-green field uniform andpost-World War n khaki uniforms all rankswore as collar patches the bars on a scarletbacking.

Before World War I Italy had 30 cavalryregiments; 11 were distinguished by colouredcollars, 18 had three-pointed flames on coloured collars and one had a coloured collarwith additional piping (Bibl. 10). The flamesdistinguished the light horse regiments, while

Pipingscarletgolden yellowcrimson-(1902)light blue

(1902)

Patchblackblackblackamaranthblack

In May 1902 coloured patches wereadopted for the 47 infantry brigades then inexistence; each brigade was composed of twoinfantry regiments, which were numbered inchronological order and named after regionsand towns.

These patches were made of woven silk.They were 32mm (I YJin) wide and 120mm(4%in) long for the collar of the tunic, and32mm by lOOmm (I YJin by 4in) for the collarof the greatcoat. The star was always worn atthe front, near the opening of the collar, andthere was a small button at the back where thepatch was cut to form a point. No collarpatches were worn on the grey-green greatcoat of the field uniform that was adopted in1909.

In 1915 25 brigades of the mobile militiawere ·called to active service, and another 17bngades were formed during the followingyear. The mobile militia was distinguished bycollar patches that were divided longitudinallyin two colours; the brigades formed in 1916had patches divided vertically in two colours.Because the infantry suffered appalling losses,another 26 brigades were formed by 1917;these brigades wore collar patches dividedvertically in three colours.

The machine gunners' collar patches hadthree vertical white stripes on a blue (StEtienne), red (Fiat) or green backgroundIMaxim).

Ita/yBy the end of the last century the colouredpiping of the army uniforms was replaced bycollar patches known, because of their shape,as 'flames': the main body of the patch was atthe front of the collar, below the white star,and ended at the back with one, two or threepoints.

A five-pointed star, in metal, embroideryor felt, according to cl~ss of rank, was adoptedfor wearing on the collar as the symbol of theItalian armed forces in 1871. The white feltstars of the rank and file were abolished in1902, and, by 1914, metal badges were usedby all ranks on all orders of dress.

All ranks of the special infantry corps the Bersag/ieri and the A/pini - wore, andstill wear today, two-pointed patches made ofcrimson or green felt, respectively. In 1895 theinfantry officers obtained two-pointed scarletpatches, while the men continued to wear theone-pointed black velvet patches edged withscarlet felt until 1902. The following onepointed flames were still in use or had justbeen adopted in 1902:

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16

17

14

14. GrenadieTs 15. 19th Guide.

scarletwhitebluegolden yellowas above but with

gTeen pipingplum Tedolive green

InfantTyCavalTyArmourATtilleTyMountain ATtilleTy

ChemicalMotoT TTanspoTt

This form of Tegimental identification stillexists, and, as the cavalTy patches wentthrough the same phases of development asthose of the otheT corps, seveTal variationscould be found made of felt, plastic, metal andenamel faT the shiTt's collaT and the 'univeTsal'pattern used now.

The tank corps was a speciality of theinfantTY, and it was identified by scarlet, twopointed flames on a blue collar, which, in1940, weTe Teduced to red flames on a bluebackground.

All peTsonnel of the Fascist Militia(MVSN) WOTe two-pointed black flames onwhich the fasces was displayed, in metal aT ingold and silveT embroidery.Italian Social Republic: In SeptembeT 1944the republican government issued new dressTegulations by which new badges weTe introduced, but lack of TeSOUTces meant that theregulations were never fully implemented.

All combat units wefe ordered to wearthree-pointed flames and service units to wearone-pointed flames, thus abolishing all theregimental collar patches. The new colourswere:

20

23

19

22

18

16. 2nd Dragoons 17. 12th Light Hnrse 18. 8th Lancers 19. Tank Corps 20. 28th Light Horse21. MVSN 22.ttalian Social Republic, 'Alpini'23. 'Aldo Resega' Black Brigade.

dragoons and lanceTs WOTe plain colouredcollars. When colouTed collars weTe finallyabolished in 1940, 115 Tegiments then inexistence were ordered to wear the three-

pointed flames. FaT dTagoons and lanceTs, itwas plain aT edged with additional colouTedpiping, while faT the light hOTse Tegiments itwas placed on a TectangulaT colouTed backing.

Bersaglieri, Alpini and the engineers retained theiT old colouTs. The staT was Teplacedby a new badge.

In 1944-5 many independent units wereformed, and they adopted theiT own individual badges. All weTe deployed in anti-paTtisanwarfaTe. The best known aTe the BlackBrigades, of which theTe weTe about faTty, buttheiT varying badges have neveT been fullyTecoTded.

135


32

4 5 6

t7 8 9

b n10

11

I~

9

5

2

8

4

6

I. Signals 2. Field Artillery 3. 9th CarpathianRiOe Battalion 'Bolonski' 4, 5. 11th and 12thBattalions ~Wolyiiski' Infantry Brigade6,8. 16th and 17th Battalion 'Lwow' InfantryBrigade 7. Tank units.

9, 10, 11. Examples of Armoured Cavalry'pennon' collar patches 12. Commissariat13. 3rd Carpathian RiOe Division 14. 2nd RiOeDivision, France 1940.

Collar badges M.1961: I. Artillery 2. Armour3. Mechanical Infantry 4. Engineers 5. Signals6. Military Transport 7. Motor Transport8. Mcdical9. Supplies 10. Building Engineers11. Legal

PolandOne of the outstanding features of the preWorld War 11 Polish uniform was the zigzagornament (see Rank insignia) worn by allranks on the collar patches or, in the case ofmounted troops, around the front edges of thetunic collar. On the collar of their tunics andgreatcoats, mounted troops wore colouredpennons, miniature replicas of the pennons ofthe cavalry lances.

Armoured troops had a triangular blackand orange pennon. The branches of serviceof the rest of the army were identified bypatches that covered the front of the collarending at the rear with three points. Thebranch-of-service colours were displayed onthe greatcoat collar in the form of two, 5mm(V.in) stripes, by all units apart from thosethat had pennons. The patch was distinguished by the stripe at the bottom, thepiping by the stripe on the top (Bib!. 25, 156,158).

After the German invasion of Poland andFrance, new Polish armed forces, formed inBritain and in Egypt, developed into the 1stand 2nd Polish army corps, respectively. In1941 the Polish Ministry of War in London

published new dress regulations, which reestablished the use of pennons and adoptednew collar patches for the rest of the army(Bib!. 155).

The army personnel obtained penlagonalpatches to wear on the collar of the servicedress jacket, and diamond-shaped, pointedpatches for the battle dress. Badges could beworn on the collar patches, and by the end ofthe war many were in use, particularly by thetroops of the 2nd corps (Bib!. 158).

The armoured cavalry regiments had thetraditional pennons on the collar of all uniforms. They were made of felt, painted metalor metal and enamel. The pre·war triangularblack and orange pennon identified tankunits. Many regiments wore a pennon on theleft side of the beret, behind the cap badge.

Innumerable badges were worn on thecollar patches before and during World WarI I, some to identify a branch of service, aregiment or a battalion, others, which identified divisions, were worn by divisional headquarters staff.

People's Republic of Poland: The pre-warcollar patches and zigzag devices were re-

adopted in 1949, but the pennons wereabolished because lank troops were distinguished by special blue-grey uniforms, andany further distinction became irrelevant. Thenew collar patches were all carmine, with apiping in branch-of-service colour at the rear.

Collar patches of a new shape wereadopted in 1952 for the newly adopted opencollar jacke!. Armoured troops now had blackpatches with light carmine piping; the personnel of the 1st Warsaw Infantry Division woreyellow patches with dark blue piping, and theremainder of the army personnel had lightcarmine patches with coloured piping at thetop end and branch-of-service badges pinnedon the patches.

In 1960 the collar patches were abolished,and in 1961 new collar badges were adoptedfor wearing directly on the collar of the jacket(Bib!. 27).

Most of these badges are self-explanatory,except for the badges used by the personnel ofmechanized units and by engineers; militarytransport in general had the same badge,although the steering wheel identifies lhepersonnel of the motor transport corps.

136


Imperial Russian patches for greatcoat,Artillery and Engineers.

I. Infantry 2. Cavalry 3. Artillery 4. EngineersS. 'Intendencia' 6. Mountain troops.

Russia, Empire ofThe insignia displayed on the shoulder boardswere the main form of branch-of-service andregimental identification. Collar patches wereworn only on the greatcoat to identify branchof service or the numerical order of theinfantry regiments within a division. The 1st,2nd, 3rd and 4th regiments of each divisionwore, respectively, red, blue, white and greenpatches. Rifle regiments had green patches

7

7. 'Guardia Civil' 8. Medical 9. Air force10. Red Cross IJ. Military Band 12. 2ndMountain Battalion 13. Drivers.

with crimson piping, and, as technical corps,the artillery and engineers had velvet blackpatches with red piping and. for officers only,a large gilt button. A great variety of colouredpatches was worn by the guards units (Bib!.17).

These relatively simple yet effectivepatches were copied by several other countries, and were re-adopted in 1943 by the RedArmy.

SpainDiamond-shaped collar badges are warn bythe Spanish Army to identify branch of service; the type of badge identifies rank. Although there are felt badges, most are madeof metal or plastic, and they are, therefore,badges not patches.

The branch-of-service insignia is represented by the central device; the background colour, usually red, refers to thespeciaiist; the outer frame is purely ornamental.

Officers wear metal and enamel badges,and the other ranks wear painted metal orplastic badges.

137


I. Engineers

SwedenArmy personnel wear regimental or branchof-service badges on the collar of the servicedress jacket. Some badges are placed onoblong pentagonal felt patches of differentcolours:

The field artillery badge, a flaming grenade, is mounted on a coloured backing ofmedium blue, white, orange, green, yellow orgrey cloth, the colour of the cloth serving toidentify the unit. All the other badges arepinned directly on to the collar ..

Woven collar patches are worn on thecollar of the field uniform. The right-handpatch identifies the branch of service, and theleft-hand patch identifies rank. Privates wearthe branch insignia on both sides of the collar.

5

3

4

Black collar patches are used by generals,who have a laurel branch, general staffofficers, who have an edelweiss, general staffsecretaries and administration personnel, whohave a quill pen, personnel of the legalservice, who have the scales of justice, andchaplains, who have a cross.

The other patches display a specialitybadge on branch-of-service colour: for instance, the dark green patch with crossedrifles identifies fusiliers, crossed machine gunsbelow a grenade identify machine gunners,and crossed guns identify gunners attached toan infantry unit.

Several other patches are worn by infantryspecialists: grenadiers display a flaming grenade, drivers display a steering wheel andsignallers have a flash of lightning on darkgreen patches. However, all drivers attachedto different branches of service wear thesteering wheel but on different coloured background. The driver in charge of a vehicle ofthe signals corps wears a steering wheel on alight grey patch, while the signaller attachedto an artillery or air defence unit has a flash oflightning on dark red background.

Tankmen display a tank on a yellow patch,while the personnel of self-propelled gunshave a tank on the artillery's dark red patch.

The dark blue patch with winged propellers is used by aviation personnel and parachutists. A wheatsheaf is the emblem of thesupply corps, and six cannon balls, in apyramid on a green background, identify theordnance (Bib!. 161).

3. Armour. Collar patches for field uniform:4. Engineers 5. Captain.

crimson

dark greendark blue

dark red

yellow

blacklight greyblue

green

greenish yellowlight red

InfantryAviationArtillery }Air DefenceLight Mechanized

TroopsEngineersSignalsMedicalSupply }OrdnanceCateringTransportation}RepairsNBCTerritorial Units

2. Signals

SwitzerlandThe collar patches of the Swiss Army identifythe speciality and the branch of service of thewearer in the form of a badge embroidered ona coloured felt patch. The branch-of-servicecolours are:

light redblackgreenblue

Air Defence ArtilleryEngineersSignalsTransportation

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I

3

5

2

4

6

I. Fusiliers 2. Machine Gunners3. Gunners of Infantry Unit 4. Armour5. Light Mechanised Troops 6. SelfPropelled Guns.

7. Signals of Artillery/Air Defence8. Driver of Artillery/Air Defence9. Medical 10. Aviation/Parachutists11. Driver of Engineers 12. Supply.

I. Doctors 2. Medical Technicians3. Dentists 4. Engineers 5. Armour6. Si~nals.

7 8 9 10 11 12

7. Ordnance 8. Mechanical Engineers

TurkeyColoured patches made of felt or velvet areworn on the collar by all ranks of the TurkishArmy as branch-of-service identification. Asmall brass button decorates the top, pointedpart of the patch. Some corps are identified bythe colour of the patch only. Infantrymenhave dark green and gunners blue collarpatches, for instance, but most corps also have

9. Chaplains 10. Educational StafT

a branch-of-service badge.All the medical personnel wear crimson

patches, with different badges according tospeciality; pharmacists have a snake and awreath of laurel on each side of a goblet.

Engineers, signalmen and the personnel ofthe transport corps have blue collar patcheswith the appropriate branch-of-servicebadges. The badge worn by the transport

11. Legal 12. Transport Corps.

corps and that worn by the ordnance, aflaming grenade, are the same as those usedby the US Army. Teachers of the educationalstaff wear green patches with the torch oflearning superimposed upon an open book,and the judges, advocates and clerks of thelegal service wear the scales of justice ongreen and red patches. Military policemen areidentified by blue patches edged in red.

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8

11 XI~ 13

~. J.'~.\~'~'I~

3 4 5

I. Generals 2. Infantry 3. Armonr4. Artillery5. Engineers 6. Signals 7. Technical 8. Quarter.master 9. Finance 10. NBC 11. Administration12. Medical 13. Legal.

18. Military Police 19.35 1st Infantry Regiment20. Army Air Forcc21. Ordnance 22. Armoured Force 23. Adjutant General's Department24. Detached Enlisted Men 25. US Air ForceEnlisted Men.

1716

11

11. 44th Engineers Regiment 12. Specialists'Reserve 13. Signals 14, IS, 16. US ArmyEnlisted Men 17. Divisional HeadquartersStafT.

54

Bronze collar badges: I. US Army Officers2. US Army Enlisted Men 3. Medical 4. USMarine Corps Officers 5. Signals 6. US MarineCorps Enlisted Men Brass collar badges: 7. USArmy Officers 8. 28th Infantry Regiment9. Sanitary 10. 251st Coast Artillery Regiment.

8

3

United States of AmericaThe regulalions published in December 1902established that army officers had to wear thenational coat of arms on both sides of thefront of the collar and the branch insigniabehind the coat of arms; enlisted men had theinitials US followed by the branch badge(Bib!. 171).

Later, the national coat of arms was relegated to the head-dress, and replaced on thecollar by lhe init,als US for officers, and theinitials US in the centre of a disc for enlistedmen, followed by the branch insignia.

Bronze badges were used on the servicedress until the end of 1924; they were replacedby gilded or polished brass badges, in theappropriate patterns for officers or enlistedmen, that for the latter depicting the insigniaset on a disc. Marines kept bronze collarbadges on their service dress; the officers'badge has a detached rope, while the rope ispart of the badge in lhe enlisted men's insignia.

After the adoption of jackets with open

collars, the officers wore the US nationalinsignia on the collar and the branch-ofservice insignia on bOlh lapels. Enlisled menhad the US disc on the right and branch-ofservice insignia on the left side of the collar,and distinctive insignia on the lapels.

Unit numbers, initials and subsidiarybadges used to be combined with the branchinsignia or with the national insignia, in accordance with the regulations. In the early194Os, the personnel of the ational Guardcould wear the unit's number, the State'sabbreviation or both, combined with the national insignia, a custom that was abolishedduring the war. Nevertheless, regimentalnumbers were worn on the branch-of-servicebadge by some officers throughout the war.The Medical Corps wore its badge on its ownor with a number of letters in black enamel,later in maroon enamel, superimposed aboveit. Officers not part of a branch of servicewore the national coat of arms within a ring.

Several types of discs have been used for

enlisted men: the flat, solid disc with removable national or branch-of-service insignia,with national or branch insignia embossed onthe disc, or with removable insignia on acurved disc.

As an independent service. the US AirForce is distinguished by white melal collarinsignia.

Yugoslavia, Federal Socialist Republic ofThe uniforms of the Yugoslav Army changeddrastically in 1953, when jackets wilh opencollars were adopted: rank insignia previouslyworn on stiff shoulder boards were transferredto the shoulder straps, and the badges ofbranch that had previously adorned theofficers' shoulder boards were moved to thecollar of the jacket. In addition, new badgeswere adopted, because the branches of servicewere reorganized at the same time.

Two crossed swords on a branch of oakleaves, in gilt, were adopted as the generals'collar badge, together with a series of 21

140


10. Italian 'Russian Front' badge 11. YugoslavWorld War 1I Partisan Award.

8,9. German 'Narvik' and 'Krimea' shields.

5

3

10

4,5,6,7_ Polish badges 1918-21.

6

1,2,3. World War I Austro-Hungarian badges.

COMMEMORATIVE INSIGNIA Insigniathat preserve the memory of a specific event,battle or campaign are known as commemorative insignia. They are divided into twocategories: badges awarded to individuals orunits that took part in the event, and souvenirs of the event. The difference betweenthem is that souvenirs were usually unofficial.

In the Austro-Hungarian Army it wascommon practice to wear on the field cap,metal badges that commemorated leaders,formations or campaigns connected with thewearer's war service.

Similar badges were worn by the Poles tocommemorate the battles that led to theirnational independence, although these, beinglarger than the Austrian badges, assumed thestatus of formal decorations.

A series of shields to be worn on the leftupper sleeve was officially instituted in Germany during World War 1I to award servicemen who had taken part in eight majorengagements (Bib!. 114). The arvik Shieldwas instituted in 1940 as an award for allGerman troops who participated in the battleof arvik. The brass shield was worn by navalpersonnel, and a grey metal version was wornby army and air force personnel.

The bronze 'Krimea' Shield was awardedto all ranks who participated in the battle ofCrimea, between September 1941 and July1942.

Italian troops who fought in the Russiancampaign obtained a breast badge, whichdepicts two crossed Cossack swords within awreath. A small replica of this badge is stilllisted in the 1971 dress regulations under'souvenir' badges.

After World War 11, the Yugoslavs whofought in the ranks of the partisan brigadesreceived an award in the form of a specialbadge and an individual certificate. Thisbadge should be classed as a decoration.

In April 1951 the Border Regiment, theSouth Staffordshire Regiment and the GliderPilot Regiment were authorized to wear

COMBAT LEADER IDE TIFICATION Aslip-on or loop of green cloth worn in themiddle of both shoulder straps by comman:ders of the US Regular Army, Reserve andNational Guard units is used as a means ofcombat leader identification when these units'mission is to combat the enemy by direct Combat Leader Identification.means or methods. It is also used by comman-ders of units at corps level or below, whosemission is to control or directly support suchunits (Bib!. 163).

The combat leader identification insigniashown bears the distinctive insignia of the349th Infantry Regiment.

branch-of-service badges, several of whichwere later modified. Most of the badgesillustrated are self explanatory.

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14

IS

, ' ,. , ." , '"''

. ". .... . .... ,..

16

2

" . . ,

. ., ... ,,, " .."" "

4

3

Two cuff patches ofthe 'Volksarmee': I. AirForce officers 2. Artillery other ranks.ExamplesofcufTtilles: 3. 1st SS ArmouredDivision 'Leihstandarte SS Adolf Hiller' 4. 3rdArmoured Division 'Totenkopf'.

Czechoslovak 'joint manoeuvres' badges:14. Shield 1972 15. Shield 198416. Vltava 1966.

4

7

2

5

6

3

13

12

12. Shoulder title of the Border Regiinent useduntil 1959 13. Badge of the StaffordshireRegiment (The Prince of Wales's) afler 1959.

I. Belgian crown 2. Danish crown3,4, S. British Victorian, Imperial and theSt. Edward's crown 6. Italian mural crown.

special shoulder titles to commemorate theirparticipation in the first British airborne operation, which took place in Sicily on 10 July1943.

After the regimental reorganization of1959, the glider continued to be worn by theKing's Own Royal Border Regiment and bythe Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince ofWales's) but on its own and on regimentalcoloured background. The Staffords wore abrass glider on the upper right sleeve of theirtropical dress (Bib/. 54).

Joint manoeuvres of the Warsaw Pactarmies are always commemorated by specialbadges, the badges usually displaying the flagsof the participant armies (Bib/. 5). The lastflag is that of tbe nation that issued the badge.Some badges differ - for instance, the'Vltava 1966' badge commemorates theCzecho-Soviet manoeuvres on the riverVltava, which was not a joint Warsaw Pactexercise.

CROWN The head-dress worn by kings andqueens as a sign of sovereignty, is traditionallydisplayed on the top of insignia pertaining tothe armed forces of monarchic nations. Several different types of royal crowns have appeared on insignia, but the most commonpattern, and that still used in Belgium, Denmark and other countries, has five arches.

The British crown always has three arches,and, on its own or in combination with otherdevices, was and is still used as a rankinsignia. Three crowns have been used thiscentury: the Victorian Crown until 1901, theTudor or Imperial Crown until 1953 and StEdward's Crown during the reign of QueenElizabeth 11.

The mural crown - from the Latin murus(a wall) - depicts a turreted fortress and,according to early history, the mural crownwas awarded to the Roman soldiers who firststormed over the walls of a beseiged fortress.The mural crown has been used on capinsignia in Italy since 1948, and as a form ofrank insignia from 1975.

CUFF INSIGNIA Two important types ofinsignia are displayed on the cuffs - patchesand titles - and both are used in Germany.

Before World War 11 all ranks of theGerman Army wore two rectangular patches,in branch-of-service colour, on each cuff ofthe dress tunic. The generals' emblem or thedouble bars, embroidered or in lace accordingto class of rank, and a button were displayedon these patches.

The German Democratic Republic hasreinstated the use of these traditional insignia.Now, however. there is no button and, on arectangular patch of cloth matching that of theuniform, officers wear double bars made ofmetal, separated by a gimp in branch-ofservice colour, while the other ranks wear

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9

Il

13

8

10

12

8. GeneralJ. Dwernicki 9. Prince Poniatowski10. General K. Sosnkowski 11. King Umberto 112. King Alexander 113. Benito Mussolini.

6

3

Danish Navy 'Sllllljtnant' of the Fleet Air Arm.

2

military insignia (see Epaulette), and that ofMussolini, which was taken from the initial ofhis signature.

The cypher of Alexander I of Yugoslaviawas worn by his Royal Guards.

1,2,3. King George V14. King George VIcrowned 5. King Christian X 6. King FrederickIX.

CURL In naval terminology the word 'curl'refers to the round ornament usually worn bynavy officers on the distinction lace. It is madeby twisting the centre of the top stripe, or ofthe stripe if one only is worn, into a circle.

The curl of a Danish naval officer of thefleet air arm is shown as an example.

CYPHER A cypher is a monogram or literaldevice, usually formed by the intertwinedinitials of a person's name and often combinedwith crowns, coronets or other emblems.

The best known cyphers are those of kingsand princes, which adorned the shoulderstraps of many European regiments at thebeginning of the 20th century. The monarchor prince, or sometimes a foreign monarch,was the colonel-in-chief of the regiment;alternatively the regiment could have beennamed after the monarch.

Cyphers may be used as individual badges,or worn on the head-dress, the breast of thejacket, the collar or the shoulder straps,according to national custom.

In Britain, besides being worn in the centreof many army badges, the royal cypher couldbe worn on its own or below the crown; itcould also be worn by aides to the sovereign(see Aide-de-camp).

In Denmark the officers of the Royal LifeGuard wear the sovereign's cypher on thebreast; there are several in existence, including the cyphers of King Christian X and ofFrederick IX.

Many pre-1939 Polish regiments werenamed after famous generals, and theircyphers were worn on the shoulder straps.These cyphers were embroidered in silverwire on officers' and warrant officers' shoulderstraps, but for field officers they wereembroidered across their double bars. Thecyphers worn by the other ranks were in whitemetal.

Two Italian cyphers follow, the floreal U ofKing Umberto I, which is perhaps not a

bars that are machine woven in silver.Three types of cuff titles were used until

1945. The first group was those awarded totroops and worn in lieu of a campaign medal,such as the cuff titles inscribed Kreta, Kurlandand so forth. The second category comprisedthe titles of certain elite units of the army,such as Grossdeutschland, Brandenburg andso on, and of the SS, which used many cufftitles, ranging from those of high commandsto those worn by small units and often manufactured in a variety of ways.

Two examples are shown: one of the 1st SSArmoured Division Leibstandarte SS Adol!Hitler and one of the 3rd Armoured DivisionTOlenkop[

For further information the reader shouldconsult the volumes listed in the bibliography,especially number 103 and numbers 108-17.

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wore red and white twisted cords around theirshoulder straps.

L

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10

16

9

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14

6

5

Modern Austrian lace: I. 1st Lieutenant 2. 'Fiihrich' 3. 'Oberstabswachtmeister' 4. 'Zugsnihrer'S. Pre·World War I collar lace of administrative offical, senior ranks Italian lace: 6. M. 1934 peakedcap insignia of Lieutenant 7. Lace for Sergeant Major's chevrons 8. M. 1915 cap stripe for warrantofficers 9. Lace for post-World War 11 rank insignia on chinstrap. 10. Types of lace for M.1934officers' sleeve insignia 11. M. 1931 lace for NCOs of the MVSN Polish lace: 12. COs13, 14. Officer Cadets 17. Reserve Cadets.

stripes. The officer cadets used silver stripes oftwo sizes and a narrower pattern on theshoulder straps. The cadets of the reserve

DISTINCTION LACE Distinction lace is atexture woven in stripes of varying widths,which is now used primarily in the making ofrank insignia. In the past it had many purposes, including being used to trim uniforms,to cover waist and shoulder belts, pouches andshabracks and in the making of sword knots.Lace is important as it could often be the onlymeans of identification of an item of uniformor insignia.

The 1900 dress regulations for the BritishArmy contain an eight-page appendix showing the various patterns of regimental laceused at that time (Bib!. 50).

All Austrian lace, except the very narrowexamples, displays a zigzag pallern along itscentre. Until 1918. the lace of the officers hada straight zigzag, while that of the administrative officials had a wavy zigzag.

Stripes of lace are now worn on the blackband of the peaked cap. Officers have goldstripes: onc wide stripe and one, two or threenarrow stripes for generals; a medium stripeand one, two or three narrow stripes for fieldofficers; and narrow stripes only for theothers. The FiihnricJl and the Vizeleutnanthave special stripes: the three senior sergeantshave stripes arranged like the field officers,but made of silver; junior sergeants have twowide stripes and one narrow silver stripe; andcorporals wear one, two or three narrow greystripes.

Until about 1948, ltalian officers wore asimilar type of insignia on their peaked caps,but generals had silver embroidery below thestripes. The same combination of stripes wide and narrow stripes for field officers andnarrow stripes only for company officers was also worn on the sleeves below a curl.However, the stripes of the cap band werewoven together in one piece while those forthe sleeves were sewn separately on to a feltbacking because the curl had to be madeindividually for each badge. This was thepattern of lace adopted in 1934 when gold wasintroduced for the insignia of all branches ofservice; a different type, consisting of longitudinal lines, had been used previously.

Warrant officers had a special pattern ofdistinction lace, and sergeants of the FascistMilitia wore their own pallern from 1931 to1938.

The non-commissioned officers of thePolish Army wore lace 10mm ('hin) and 4mm(V,in) wide, the former with red edging

D

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DISTINCTIVE INSIGNIA According to theterminology, distinctive insignia are solely USArmy badges, which were wOrn until 1947 onthe shoulder straps by officers and on thelapels of the jacket by enlisted men; later,they were wOrn on the shoulder straps by allranks. They are now worn on the service hatand on shoulder straps.

FranceFrench distinctive insignia originated in 1916,when the 3rd Aviation Squadron adopted itsfuselage insignia, the stork. for wearing by allranks on the left breast, above the ribbons.Other squadrons adopted badges to wear ontheir uniforms. and by the early 19205 manyarmy regiments had their own distinctiveinsignia. As the choice of the insignia was leftto the unit's commanding officer, who sometimes disagreed with the choice of his predecessor, several regiments and battalions had anumber of badges. but, by the outbreak ofWorld War 11, most French units had theirown distinctive insignia.

The Cross of Lorraine of the Free Frenchhad a counterpart in a badge displaying theFrench fasces, as badges continued to bemade both in England and France during thewar. Many post-war badges carried the Crossof Lorraine, but not necessarily all of themhad a connection with the Free French. The20th Battalion Chasseurs tl pied, for instance,which had adopted its badge in 1920, becameChasseurs A/pills in 1927 when the edelweisswas added to the insignia.

Stars, crescents and Arabic inscriptionsidentify north African units, and wings andparachutes identify airborne units. The foulanchor of the marines and the griffon aredepicted in the badge of the 8th MarineInfantry Parachute Regiment, and the badgeof the 9th Parachute Chasseurs Regimentdepicts St Michael, the patron saint of theparachutists.

Most of the 12 tank regiments in existencein 1940 displayed the knight's helmet oncrossed guns upon their badges. Illustratedare the badges of the 503rd, 507th and 511 thTank Regiments.

The bugle has always been the emblem ofthe Chasseurs, and, with the addition of anedelweiss or eagle, the badges identify abattalion of chasseurs a/pills. The blue starwas worn by reconnaissance sections of skiers;in the version illustrated the battalion numberand emblem, the tiger, arc in the centre. Thebadges of the 89th and IlOth battalions ofchasseurs tl pied were adopted in 1939.

In France these badges have always beenWOrn on the pocket or suspended by a leathertongue, but, as they are badges of unit theymay at any time be moved to the shoulderstraps or anywhere else on the uniform.

20

1312

19

16

3

9

4

7

5

1,4. 3rd and 10th Algerian 'Spahis' 2. Free France 3. French Fascists 5. 3rd Marine InfantryParachute Regiment 6. 9th Parachute 'Chasseurs' Regiment 7. 8th Marine Infantry ParachuteRegiment 8. 27th Battalion 'Chasseurs Alpins', Skiers 9, 14, IS. Illh, 20th and 12th 'ChasseursAlpins' RegimenllO. Base Schoolror Airborne Troops 11, 13, 16. S03rd, S07th and Slllh TankRegiment 12, 17. 501st, 15th Tank Battalion 18. Military Alpinists 19, 20. 89th and 1I0th'Chasseurs a Pied'.

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12116

1. 'Sassari' Infantry Division. 2. 'Littorio'Armoured Division 3. 3rd 'Principe Amedeo diAosta' Mechanised Division4. Border Guards6th Sector 5. Aegean Air Force 6. 151st'Sassari'Regiment.

7. 'Val Brenta' Alpine Battalion 8. 76th Anti·Tank Battery 'Tridentina' Division 9. Air ForceAcrobatic Team 'Frffce Tri-colori' 10. 3rd AirBrigade 11. 3rd Mountain Artillery Regiment12. 4th Transport Group of Army Corps.

13. 5th Air Brigade 14. 6th Air Brigade IS. 'ValCismon' Alpine Battalion 16, 17. Parachuteunits of'Orobica' and 'Tridentina' Brigade18. 3rd Parachute Battalion.

ItalyIn Italy distinctive insignia are called distintividi reporto (units' badges), and they were wornon the felt hat of the mountain troops until1985. In 1985, however, new regulations ordered that unit badges had to be worn on theleft breast pocket of the jacket (Bib!. 150), orattached by means of a leather suspender onthe button of the left pocket of the summershirt, as other Italian Army units had previously worn them.

The first Italian distinctive insignia appeared during World War I and proved verypopular with the troops. After the war someveterans' associations distributed badges andmedals, on a regimental basis, to their members, and manufacturers started to producebadges for the local Alpine battalions, whichthe soldiers pinned on their hats.

Under the Fascist regime, when the wholepopulation was militarized and wore the uniform or at least the badge of some military,para-military or political organization, insignia proliferated. Metal and enamel distinctiveinsignia were made for army divisions and forsmaller units. The air force formations startedto wear special badges in the 1930s but the'Alpine' badges were the more numerous. Bythe outbreak of World War 11, when battalionbadges already existed, every regiment had itsown badge. More badges were made during

the war, and production continued after thewar, reaching its apogee during the 1950s.

Some badges were modified during WorldWar 11. A gold medal for valour was awardedto the 3rd Mountain Artillery Regiment, anda new distinctive insignia was made with thedecoration's ribbon on its base. Later, thesame regiment was awarded another goldmedal for valour, and another badge, withtwo stars on the ribbon, was made. Manybadges were modified for the same reason,others were 'purged' after the advent of therepublic: the shield of Savoy on the insignia ofthe Val Cismon Battalion, for instance, wasretained, although the inscription Savoia inthe centre of the cross was abolished.

In the 1950s some Alpine companiesadopted their own distinctive insignia, and thevarious branches of service of each formation,at any level, had theirs.

Badges were often incorrectly enamelled.A batch of badges of the Vol BreOIO Battalionhas a green sky, a detail that enhances thevalue of these badges.

The air force adopted many badges in the1950s, one for each air brigade, for trainingschools and for the air acrobatic team.

A series of rather large badges is used bythe personnel of the parachute battalions andservices, all are self-explanatory.

Toward the end of the 1960s the quality of

19

21

19. 5th Parachute Battalion 20. ParachuteEngineers 21. Parachute Signals.

distinctive insignia started to deteriorate asmanufacturing firms began to use syntheticenamels, which allowed them to producealuminium and plasticized badges.

After the reorganization of the army thattook place in the 1970s, regiments have ceasedto exist and most battalions have been retitled. New distinctive insignia had to bemade, therefore, in aluminium or plasticizedpatlerns.

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16

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17

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12

IOOth and 195th Infantry Regiment.

5

8

109

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2

I. StalTCollege 2. 1st (Legion) 'Joseph Pi!sudski' Brigade 3. Officers' School 4, 5, 6. 8th(Legion), 64th (Pomorski) Murmansk RiOeand 73rd Infantry Regiment 7. 2nd Lanc-ers8. Armoured Corps 9. Armoured Corps TrainingCentre 11, 12. 7th and 12th ArmouredBattalionl3, 15 3rd Carpathian and 5th'Kresowa' Infantry Division 16. Signal Corps17. 663rd Bomber Squadron 18. 503rd 'T.Kosciuzko' Fighter Squadron.

RussiaMetal insignia were worn on the breast until1917. Regimental and training schools' badgeswere worn on the left breast, while graduatesof officers' schools and academies wore theirbadges on the right breast.

The badges of the IOOth and 195th InfantryRegiments are illustrated.

PolalldPolish distinctive insignia originated in theearly 1920s (see Commemorative insignia),and by 1939 each unit had its own, in metaland enamel for officers and warrant officers,and in plain metal for the other ranks. Thesebadges were awarded on the fulfilment ofcertain conditions: in peacetime, after oneyear of active service or, in the case ofreservists, after having participated in twoarmy manoeuvres. The Staff College badgewas worn on the right pocket, and the badgesof the armoured corps and of the signals wereworn on the left breast above the ribbons;otherwise they were worn on the left breastpocket, 40mm (Jlhin) below the button (Bib\.25).

The badge of the 1st (Legion) JosephPilslldski Brigade is the predecessor of thebadge of the 1st infantry regiment. Alsoillustrated are the badge of the Officers'School and three examples of infantry regimental badges. The 8th (Legion) InfantryRegiment is an other ranks' distinctive insignia. As was the case with several otherregiments, it was raised from the volunteerPolish legions of World War I and thereforeretained the word 'legion' in its title. Thebadges of the 64th (Pomorski) MurmanskRifle Regiment and of the 73rd InfantryRegiment are officers' and warrant officers'patterns, of metal and ename\. The tallczapka of the IIlans (the Polish lancers) isdepicted on the badge of the 2nd lancers.

In 1939 the Polish Army included 12 tankbattalions, the badges of which depicteddragons, knights' helmets and other appropriate motifs; the enamelled colours were blackand orange. The Armoured Corps and theArmoured Corps Training Centre had specialbadges, which are shown together with thoseof the 7th and 12th Armoured Battalions.

The badge of the Signal Corps was madeby Collins, London, but most of the others, inthe last two rows, were made in Italy. Divisional insignia made in Italy included thebadges of the 3rd Carpathian Rifle Division,the 5th Kresowa Infantry Division and the 5thDivision's Engineers.

As its background, the badge of the 663rdBomber Squadron depicts the fuselage insignia of the Polish Air Force, the 303rd T.Kosciuszkos Fighter Squadron, which wasformed at Northolt in August 1940. Its flyingpersonnel wore a scarlet scarf.

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United States of AmericaEach regiment and separate battalion (fixedtype) of the US Army is authorized to displaya coat of arms on its flag and to wear adistinctive insignia, the design of which isbased on the coat of arms, on the uniform.

Distinctive insignia were authorized in1902 for wearing on the cuffs or lapels of thenewly adopted officers' mess jacket, but thisauthorization was withdrawn in 1911. Theiruse was approved again by the War Department in 1920, but for officers only, who couldwear them on the collar of their white uniforms and on the lapels of their mess jackets.The authorization was confirmed in September 1921 when another circular orderstated that only regiments could seek permission to wear distinctive insignia.

Initially, badges of metal and enamel wereworn on the lapels of the mess jacket andbronze badges on the collar of the servicedress. Bronze badges were abolished in 1922.

The use of distinctive insignia was extended to independent battalions in December 1926, and company-size organizationswere included in March 1928 when armyregulations were revised to substitute 'organizations' for 'regiments and independent baltalions'. From 1941 onward, virtually "ny unitwas eligible to wear a distinctive insignia.However, the United States was then at war,and 55'h tons of brass were needed each yearto make insignia. On 2 January 1943, therefore, the War Department ordered that nomore distinctive insignia would be approvedor manufactured for the durat;on of the war.

Amercian units overseas continued to havedistinctive insignia made by local firms inBritain, Italy or Germany, without asking forauthorization from the War Department. Thispractice became widespread from the winterof 1944-5 until about 1947, and thousands ofthese insignia were made illegally all over theworld.

The use of distinctive insignia was officiallysanctioned again on 2 August 1947, and by1951 units that did not have an officiallyapproved insignia before the war also becameeligible to apply for authorization. Onlycolour-bearing units were allowed to apply forauthorization to adopt a distinctive insignia,however, which meant that many units thathad worn 'illegal' insignia during the war werenot entitled to wear them.

In 1965, during the Vietnam War, distinctive insignia started to be authorized to somenon-colour-bearing units, and this concessionwas later extended to higher and logisticalcommands, groups and hospital staffs.

Distinctive insignia have been used atevery level of the US Army organization fromdivisional headquarters to company size units.Many belonged to regiments, but the majoritybelonged to battalions, which were morenumerous than regiments.

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I. 10th Mountain Division 2. 63rd InfantryRegiment 3. 349th Infantry Regiment 4. 3s0thInfantry Regiment S. 88th (Blue Devil) InfantryDivision 6. 3sIstlnfantry Regiment7. 3sIstInfantry Regiment (variant) 8. 133rd InfantryRegiment 9. 7s2nd Tank Battalion 10. 760thTank Battalion 11. 15th Armoured Artillery12. 19th Field Artillery Battalion 13. 29th FieldArtillery Battalion 14. 76th Field ArtilleryBattalion IS. 81st Field Artillery Battalion16. 337th Field Artillery Battalion

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27

During World War II four field artillerybattalions were attached to each infantrydivision, but only three to the armoureddivisions and to the 10th Mountain Division.Illustrated are eight examples of artilleryinsignia, two of tank battalions, eight ofengineers, two of medical battalions, and thedistinctive insignia worn by 'short timers' whowere due to go home.

The background colour of the badgesusually indicates branch of service: blue,white or silver identified the infantry, red theartillery, red and white the engineers andmaroon and white the medical corps. Thesymbols on the badges represent wars andcampaigns in which the units participated oremblems connected with the state in which theunit was raised (Bibl. 168, 169, 170).

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17, 18. 338th and 913th F. A. Regiment19. Corps of Engineers 20. 21st EngineersRegiment 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. 41st, 86th,109th, 120th, 313th and 345th EngineersBattalion 27,28. 109th and 313th MedicalBattalion 29. 88th Signals 30. Short Timers.

29

EEPAULETIE Derived from the Frenchword fpaule (shoulder), an epaulette is an oldfashioned decorative shoulder device consisting of a shield of gold or silver metal or lace,which is usually decorated with fringes on theouter end.

Epaulettes originate from the bundles ofcoloured cords that soldiers used to wear onthe edge of their shoulders to stop theirshoulder belts slipping off. When applied to astiff shoulder piece, the cords developed intothe epaulettes that became fashionable in theNapoleonic era and throughout the first halfof the 19th century (Bib!. 6).

In Britain epaulettes were later worn onlyby naval officers, but in continental Europe·they were worn in full dress by the armyofficers of several nations until the 1930s and,in simpler versions, by bandsmen. Frenchlegionnaires still wear the traditional epaulettes on parade dress.

I. Royal Navy 2. Italian Army.

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4

special forces on their green berets as abacking to the badge. The patterns varyaccording to the unit.

I. The Royal Gloucestershire Hussars 2. lOthParachute Battalion 3. [6th ParachuteWorkshop REME 4. 4th17th Roya[ DragoonGuards 5. The Wiltshire Regiment (Duke ofEdinburgh's) 6. Royal Regiment of Artillery7. 83rd (London) Signal Squadron.

5

colours they have worn in the form of variousflashes in different shapes and sizes. Thetunnelling speciality of the engineers wasdistinguished by a T of red felt.

All ranks of the 6th/7th Battalion, theBlack Watch (Royal Highland Regiment),later 3rd (Territorial) Battalion, wore a patchof 42nd tartan cut in the shape of the capbadge on both upper sleeves and, below thispatch, the ribbon of the French Croix deCuerre, which was awarded to the 6th battalion during World War I.

[n the US Army the flash is worn by the

3

FFACING Originally facing was the innerlining of 18th-century coats that was used as ameans of distinguishing regiments.

The colour of the lining, which varied fromregiment to regiment, was displayed when theend of the sleeves was turned up to makecuffs, and on the turn-backs of the skirt andthe lapels.

Later the facing was applied directly on tothe collars and cuffs of uniforms, therebylosing the original meaning of the word. Thephrase the 'colour of the regimental facings'has become part of English military terminology, and it has the same meaning as Warrenrarbe in Germany ie, branch-of-servicecolour.

FLASH [n the armies of Britain and theCommonwealth countries, the flash serves thesame purpose as the distinctive insignia usedby other armies. [t is basically a brightlycoloured cloth badge, usually worn on theupper sleeve, but occasionally on the field hat,to identify branch of service or unit.

The flash and the formation sign have agreat deal in common, but the formation signidentifies formations from the level of brigadeupwards, while the flash identifies units up toregimental level. As a flash is essentially aplain coloured patch, it has a similar role tofacing.

[0 reality, however, not all flashes areplain: the 4thl7th Royal Dragoon Guardsadopted their embroidered blue, yellow andred arm flash in 1940 (Bibl. 75) and the 83rd(London) Signal Squadron has inherited theformer World War [ formation sign of the47th (London) Division. Many authors wouldclassify both these badges as regimental armbadges; others would consider the latter aformation sign. It is a controversial area.

The Royal Gloucestershire Hussars wear ayellow, maroon and royal blue flash, and theformer Wiltshire Regiment wore a flash thathad been worn in India before World War 11as a puggaree insignia.

The units of the Parachute Regiment aredistinguished by the smock flashes, which arerather large coloured patches made of felt.The [Oth Parachute Battalion is identified bythe Roman numeral in red on a black background, but most of the other units wear plaincoloured patches.

Anillery units are identified by red andblue and engineers' units by blue and red,

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6

12

13

2

4

10

8

9

JI

3

5

I. HQ British Troops in Egypt andMediterranean Command 2. 8th Army 3. 8thCorps 4. 43rd (Wessex) Division 5. 24thIndependent Guards Brigade Group 6. 15thArmy Group.

8.9. Flash oflhe 6lh17th Battalion The BlackWatch (Royal Highland Regiment) 10. TunnelIingCompaniesR. E. 12. Highland LightInfanlry 11, 13. V.S. Special Forces.

Formation signs were reintroduced in 1940for the use of command headquarters, armies,army corps, divisions, independent brigadegroups and brigades. They were worn on bothupper sleeves of the battledress blouse. belowthe shoulder title and above the arm-of·servicestrip; they were not worn on the greatcoat.

In hot climates they were worn on theshoulder straps of the shirt, usually by meansof a slip.-on, or, particularly in south-east Asiaand India, one formation sign was displayedon the slouch hat or on the puggaree.

Two basic types of badges were usedduring World War ([ - the printed and theembroidered patterns - but others weremade abroad by local artisans. in metal,plastic and in metal wire embroidery. Wovenbadges did not appear until after the war.

Embroidered formation signs should bedivided into hand-embroidered and machineembroidered patterns, and. although the skillof the embroiderer makes it difficult to tellthem apart, hand-embroidered examples aremade of thicker cotton or of thread.

Almost every British formation sign of theWorld War Jl era was made in an embroidered version. The highest type of formationsign illustrated is that of Headquarters 15thArmy Group, which supervised the 5th USArmy and the 8th British Army in Italy. It is ahand-embroidered badge.

The Garrison of Gibraltar had a specialbadge depicting a key, for Gibraltar wasthought to be the key to the Mediterranean.

Two embroidered signs, with and withoutblack trimmings. were used by the 1st Army,and the 8th Army had at least a dozen, thecolour of the background varying from blue toblack and different styles of embroidery used.

The 14th Army and the 3rd Indian Division(The Chindits) operated in south-east Asia;the Chindits' badge depicted the mythicalBurmese beast Chinte, which gives its name tothe force.

The 7th Armoured Division, the famous'Desert Rats', wore three different formationsigns. The first represented a realistic image ofthe jerboa, embroidered in pink silk on battledress cloth; a red rat within a red frame on awhite background was used next; and finally,in France and Germany, the badge depicted astylized red rat, picked out in white on a blackbackground. The 4th Armoured Brigade wasoriginally part of the 7th Armoured Division,and therefore, when it later became an independent brigade, it continued to wear thejerboa.

Dick Whittington's cat was the emblem ofthe 56th (London) Division, until it becamean armoured division in 1947 and changed itsbadge to a motif that better suited its newrole.

A macaw on a perch was the centrepiece ofthe 48th (South Midland) Division during

BritainAlthough formation signs had been verypopular among the troops and had proveduseful during World War I, they wereabolished in the early 1920s by the regulararmy, although they were still worn by theterritorials. Many, therefore, remained inexistence. The 47th (London) Division wasdisbanded in 1935, but its formation sign stillmanaged to survive (see Flash).

BelgiumThe Belgian Army adopted formation signsduring World War 1I in an effort to standardize its insignia with those of the British Army.

The first badge was adopted by the 1stBanalion Belgian Fusiliers in the UnitedKingdom. and it was followed in 1942 by thesign of Colonel Piron's Brigade, which depicted the head of the Belgian lion on a blacktriangle edged in scarlet.

From October 1944 several battalions offusiliers were formed, and each wore a different formation sign made by local artisans fromwhatever materials were available. Thesewere used until January 1945. when the battalions were grouped into five infantrybrigades, each with its own badge (Bib\. 46).

Divisional signs adopted in 1948 all had alion's head in gold on a different colourbackground. The formation sign of the 16thArmoured Brigade, which was adopted in1950, is typical of the Belgian insignia of thistype; it is made of woven silk, and eitherembroidered or printed.

The air force also adopted formation signs:the 'Ist, 7th, 9th and 13th Fighter Wing, forinstance, wore the same badge but with different colour wings behind the wolfs head. Theformation of the Air Force Base Command isembroidered on felt.

FORMATION SIGN Known in the UnitedStates as shoulder sleeve insignia or shoulderpatch. a formation sign. which usually identifies a large formation from brigade upward.is worn on the upper sleeve or sleeves.

Formation signs are primarily an armyinsignia. although they could be used by otherservices. They were introduced in the trenchesof the Western Front during World War I, andthey took the form of coloured felt patches.which British soldiers initially had sewn on theback of their tunics, below the collar, later onthe upper sleeves. to identify the formation towhich they belonged.

Initially the coloured sign identified thebanalion and brigade by means of geometricalpatches. round. square. rectangular ortriangular. which developed into the signs ofhigher formations.

John Player & Son issued two series ofcigarette cards showing hundreds of thesebadges.

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7

9 13

13. As 12 but3rd pallern 14. 56th (London)Division 15. 3rd Indian Division (The Chindits)16. 48th (South Midland) Division 17. 4thArmoured Bri ade 18. 40th Division.

14

10

12

7. Garrison of Gibraltar 8. 1st Army 9 ,10. 8thArmy 11. 14th Army 12. 7th ArmouredDivision, 1st pattern.

World War H, while the cockerel was used bythe 40th Division, three battalions of whichformed the 27th British CommonwealthBrigade that fought in Korea.

Every war-time formation had its ownprinted sign, and printed formation signswere, therefore, far more numerous than theother patterns.

The 11th Corps, which was part of theHome Forces, used a tower to symbolize itsdefensive role in Britain. The 13th Corps,which was formed in the Western Desert,adopted an African motif, the gazelle, and,just as appropriately, Roman ruins were themotif used by the Cyrenaica District.

The formation sign of the Anti-AircraftCommand was self-explanatory. The 4th Division adopted as its emblem a globe with itsfourth quadrant displaced, while the 46th(North Midland) Division's badge depicted anoak tree. The 53rd (Welsh) Division wasidentified by a W in red on a khaki background; it should be noted that the badgeshown carries the arm-of-service strip printedat its base.

The 52nd (Lowland) Division badgeshowed the shield with St Andrew's cross set

152

17

above a scroll bearing the title 'Mountain',which was the division's role. This insigniawas worn on the sleeves of an officer's servicedress, and it is printed on thick canvas insteadof the usual drill-like cloth

The three clover leaves were the emblemof the 8th Indian Division, and also shown is

18

the Indian emblem of the 202nd Lines ofCommunications Area in India.

The lion rampant of Scotland is depictedon the badge of the West Scotland District,which, after World War H, was redesignatedLowland District, and on the badge of thel05th Coast Brigade RA (TA). Artillery signs


2526

19 20 27 28

3029

2221

31 32

33

36

34

35

23

could usually be identified by the colour of thebackground - red and blue for the 30th AntiAircraft Brigade, for example, or red, although there are many exceptions to this rule.

Robin Hood was appropriately chosen to

represent the North Midland District, whoseheadquarters was at Nottingham, and the last

19. 56th (London) Armoured Division 20. 11thCorps 21. Cyrenaica District 22. 13th Corps23. 4th Division 24. Anti-Aircraft Command.25. 46th (North Midland) Division 26. 53rd(Welsh) Division 27. 8th Indian Division28. 202nd Lines of Communication Area.

29. Lowland District 30. 52nd (Lowland)Division.31. 105th Coast Brigade R.A. (T.A.). 32. 30thAnti-Aircraft Brigade 33. orth MidlandDistrict 34. 6th Anti-Aircraft Division35. Scottish Command 36. 8th Anti-AircraftDivision.

153


shown is the wartime formation sign of the 6thAnti-Aircraft Division. which defended theThames estuary.

Formation signs made of woven silk ap·peared during World War 1I. but althoughsome very beautiful badges were produced inthis style at that time. few units used them.

The personnel of Headquarters ScottishCommand wore a woven sign. as did anotherScottish formation. the 3rd Anti-Aircraft Division. which used as a motif the thistle of theWorld War 19th Scottish Division. The 8thAnti-Aircraft Division was based in southWales and western England. and the EasternCommand defended the eastern coastal areafrom The Wash to the Thames. Woven formation signs were. therefore. worn by unitsspread all over the country.

The use of formation signs continued after1945. and recruits were issued with printedsigns as before. Embroidered or other types ofbadges, strictly adhering to the design approved by the War Office. could be purchasedprivately. Woven badges came to competewith embroidered badges. which could beeither hand- or machine-made. but wovenversions were more accurately finished. Twotypes of weaving were prominent: the old silkmethod using synthetic silk. or cotton weaving. which developed in Germany.

Formation signs of woven silk could befound for every type of unit. from the BritishCommonwealth Forces. Korea and HQ LandForces. Hong Kong. to divisions and brigades.

Some woven formation signs differ slightlyfrom the original pattern; the background ofthat of the 6th Armoured Division. for instance. is dark blue instead of black. and thebackground colour of the two badges of the6th Infantry Brigade varies, although bothbadges are woven.

Different types of formation signs wereused during World War 11 in addition to thoseshown. They were worn for a number ofreasons. but the two most probable explanations were the lack of any other badge or thetemptation of wearing a more attractive badgethan that on general issue.

Painted formation signs are not included inthe latter category. although their quality mayvary. It is not certain if formation signs wereever issued to minor African units, but thepainted specimens illustrated for Sierra Leoneand Nigerian units are the only examplesknown to the author. The painted sign of the12th Corps was. on the other hand. ascommon as the other versions.

The 'felt on felt' method of manufacturewas used for badges of simple design. The 3rdDivision sign. for instance. was a simpledesign. but a printed version and one with thered triangle in embroidery also existed. The1st Division was identified by a white triangle.and after 1945 the triangle of the infantry unitswas placed upon a larger triangle of scarlet

154

37

39

41

felt. with a yellow triangle for the armouredunits. The 12th Division wore a whitediamond. and the 42nd (East Lancashire)Division had the smallest badge in the BritishArmy.

Some extraordinary embroidered badgeswere made in India. and the unusual style of

38

40

42

37. 3rd Anti-Aircraft Division 38. EasternCommand 39. British Commonwealth ForcesKorea, 2nd pattern 40. 51st IndependentInfantr)' Brigade 41. 6th Armoured Division42. 56th (London) Armoured Division, 3rdpattern.


4349

50

45

51

52

54

.'-,..•.........-. "....

. 0::\... :... .

53

48

58

56

57<>

47

55

61 62

45. 7th Armoured Division 44. HamburgDistrict (BAOR) 45. HQ Land Forces HongKong, 2nd paltern 46. Hanover District(IlAOR) 47. 6th Infantry Brigade 48. 31stIndependent Infantry Brigade.49. 6th Infantry Ilrigade 50,52 Sierra Leon'and Nigeria units SI. 12th Corps 53. Koh~,tDistrict 54. The War Office.55. 3rd Division 56. 1st Division 57. 42nd (EastLancashire) Division 58. Gibraltar RoyalArtillery 59. 57th (London) Dh-ision. RoyalArtillery 60. 12th Di,-ision 61. 62. 63. 8th Arm).

155


2

~-- --

-to~~8HA8%\~

87

43

5

I. 2nd Army 2. 2nd Division 3. 4th Division 4. 8th Division S. 13thDivision

6. 25th Airborne Division 7. 25th Parachute Division 8. 29th Division9. Troops in the Southern Territories.

their embroidery identifies them immediatelyas Indian-made insignia. American-madebadges, even though machine embroidered,are also easily identifiable.

Gold and silver embroidered formationsigns were privately purchased by Britishsoldiers in Italy, and as this trade provedprofitable for the Italians, firms started tomake formation signs in plastic and in metal.The metal shield illustrated was supposed tobe mounted on a black felt backing.

On the second pattern of patch worn by the47th (London) Division, Royal Artillery, areplaced the shoulder title, the formation signand the arm-of-service strip in order as wornon the sleeves of the battledress. The BowBells are embroidered on a twill backinginstead of on felt.

FranceThe French Army introduced formation signsfor wearing on the right upper sleeves afterWorld War 11.

By 1945 France had two armies, the 1stArmy. which was identified by the Rhin etDanube insignia, and the 2nd, with theAmerican-made cockerel badge in woventexture.

The patches of the 2nd Division of the 25thAirborne Division, first pattern, and thebadge worn by Troops in Southern Territoriesare machine embroidered on a felt background, but all the other badges illustrated areof woven silk, sewn on a black felt backing.

The 4th Division used two formation signs.The first pattern depicted a pine tree, but thesecond pattern was changed to display the

divisional number on a yellow and greenbackground.

The badges of both the 8th and 13thDivisions display heraldic lions, but the 8thDivision has two versions - with and withoutthe yellow edging to the lion, crown andlettering.

The 25th Airborne Division was formed inFebruary 1946 by the conversion of the 25thInfantrv Division but was disbanded in 1948.The 25'th Parachute Division was formed inAlgeria in June 1956 and disbanded in April1961 (Bib\. 94). The red eagle was worn by the29th Division (Bib\. 23).

Germany, Federal Republic ofThe Blmdeswehr adopted formation signs inDecember 1962 for wearing on the left upper

156


I. Ministry of Defence 2. Central MilitaryStations 3, 4. 6th Armoured Division S. 12thArmoured Division, 2nd Brigade.

sleeve of the service dress jacket. The eagleidentifies headquarters organizations, andcrossed swords identify schools and depots.Divisional badges display different emblems.

Military personnel serving at the Ministryof Defence wear a badge with a yellow andblack border. The same badge. but with asilver and black border, would be used bypersonnel of the Territorial Defence Cam·mand, with a red border by personnel of the

157

A-Z OF MILITARY INSIGNIA_••••••••••••••••••••_

BundesJVehr Central Military Stations andwith a blue border by the personnel of theCentral Medical Stations.

Each of the army's 12 divisions (1975) hasits own emblem in the centre of the shield.The badge of the personnel of divisionalheadquarters is distinguished by a silver andblack border, while the 1st, 2nd and 3rdbrigades of each division have, respectively,white, red and yellow borders on their shield.

There are two basic types of badge: paddedand hand finished and with an edging oftwisted cords and machine made.

Ireland, Republic ofFormation signs were adopted in 1943 forArmy Headquarters, Army Troops, for thetwo divisions and four commands, or districts,then in existence. The badges of the commands depicted a yellow star on differentcolour backgrounds (Bib!. 125).

These badges were changed in the 19605when Army Headquarters adopted a goldsw~rd hilt as its emblem, and the Air Corpsadopted a winged Celtic boss in the nationalcolours. ew formation signs were adoptedfor the commands and for the Curragh Training Camp, which was formerly a command.The badge of the Eastern Command depicts adark red spearhead on a yellow shield.

Later many badges were introduced for thebranches of services of the higher formations.These attractive badges are all machine embroidered on coloured felt.

ItalyDivisional badges were adopted in September1934 in the form of shields made of brass andenamel for officers and warrant officers, andpainted on brass for the other ranks.

The basic design of the shield, which wasthe same for all divisions, was the Roman

sword on oak leaves at the top, but withdifferent divisional numbers below the sword.The divisional title and the specification of thetype of division were embossed on the sides.

The background of the shields of infantrydivisions was blue; it was dark blue or blackfor other ranks. The badges of the Alpinedivision had a green background and theshield used by personnel of motorized div-'isions had a red background.

In 1938, for reasons of economy. clothbadges were adopted. They were in goldembroidery on coloured felt for officers andwarrant officers and woven in rayon for otherranks.

The infantry divisions in North Africa,such as the 63rd, although not motorized wereclassed as motorized, and their shields had thered background.

The 31 infantry divisions were reorganizedin 1939-40. One infantry regiment was taken

5

I. Army Headquarters 2. Air Corps 3. ArmyHeadquarters Signals 4. Western CommandS. Southern Command 6. Curragh TrainingCamp 7,8,9. Western Command Artillery,Signals and Motor Transport.

2

4

158


8

3

from each division to form a new division, andall were re-numbered and most re-titled.

The Fascist Militia organized its own independent formations during the Ethiopiancampaign and the Spanish Civil War, and fourMVSN divisions were permanently stationedin Libya by the late 1930s.. At home, the militia was divided into 14territorial administrative zones, the personnelof which wore coloured arm shields with thezone's number. Two types of shields wereused, the first made of bakelite and the secondof painted metal. There were five versions ofthe painted metal type, which had the fascesin the centre for headquarters staff, theRoman sword with crossed rifles for fusiliers,and a machine gun for machine gunners with aburst of flames for support units.

After the Armistice of September 1943,the Black Brigades operating in the north ofItaly adopted several unofficial formationsigns, which they wore on the breast or on the

left upper sleeve. No formation signs wereadopted by the regular army.

In the south the royal government formedfive 'combat groups', some of which took partin the operations that led to the breaking ofthe Gothic Line. The formation ,igns of thecombat groups depicted the group's emblemon a tri-coloured flash. There were severalvariants of these badges, made in metal orplastic, and printed or embroidered on felt orsilk.

Shields were re-adopted in 1948 after theformation of divisions and brigades. Thecombat groups that were converted into divisions retained their emblems, and these wereset in the centre of thee new shields, newemblems being adopted for the new formations.

Most infantry formations had red shields;armoured formations had blue and redshields. Officers, warrant officers andsergeants wore embroidered shields, while the

I. 6th 'Legnano' Division 2. 3rd 'Julia' AlpineDivision 3. 15th 'Carnaro' Division 4. 24th'Gran Sasso' Division 5. 9th 'Pasubio' Division6. 5th 'Pusteria' Alpine Division 7. Volunteers'Fiamme Nere' Division (Spain) 8. 63rdMotorized 'Cirene' Division 9. 2nd LibyanDivision '28 Ottobre' 10, 12. 7th and 11 th Zone,different patterns 11. 'Littorio' AssaultDivision (Spain).

other ranks had woven badges, which, in the1950s, were replaced by plastic shieldsstamped on khaki felt. Alpine formationswore green and parachutists light blue shields.

Light blue was also the branch-of-servicecolour of the veterinaries, and light blue was,therefore, the background colour of the badgeof their training schools, while red was thecolour for the school of infantry.

Because veterinaries were all officercadets, they wore embroidered badges.

159


15

17

13. 'AldoResega' Black Brigade 14. BlackBrigade of Bologna 15. 'Cremona' CombatGroup 16. 'Cremona' Division 17. 'Ariete'Armoured Division 18. 'Pinerolo' Brigade.

160

19. 'Granatieri di Sardegna' Division20. 'Taurinense' Alpine Brigade21. Parachute Brigade22. Veterinary Training School23. Infantry Training School


1,2. 4th Infantry Division 3. 1st ArmouredDivision 4, 5, 6, 7. 2nd Corps.

include examples of printed, machineembroidered and hand-embroidered badgesin thread and in silver wire. There are alsoversions in plastic and in metal (see Slip-on).

The badge depicting the Mermaid ofWarsaw had a red background for corpsheadquarters and a blue background for corpssupplies.

3

2

PolandThe Polish Army adopted formation signs inthe early 1940s when it was reorganized in theWest, its personnel wearing British battledress.

The divisions that belonged to the 1stPolish Corps in Britain wore Polish formationsigns manufactured in the usual British patterns. The formations of the 2nd Polish Corpswere in Italy, where they used both Britishissued and locally made badges.

The formation signs of the 2nd Corps

NorwayThe combat formations and units of the RoyalNorwegian Army wear diamond-shapedwoven patches. Other units, the King'sGuards for instance, have different types ofbadges. The army is formed by two brigades,the South and the North Norway Brigades,two divisions, nine combined regiments andtwo independent battalions.

1. The King's Guards 2. North Norway Brigade3. 6th Combined Regiment 4. VarangerBattalion.

161

A-Z OF MIUTARY INSIGNIA _

SpainSince the end of the Civil War, the SpanishArmy has used a vast array of badges, whichhave been embroidered, made of metal orplastic, and woven or printed.

Hand-embroidered or metal badges, alsomade in metal and enamel, were used duringthe Civil War. The formation sign of the 1stIndependent Brigade is an example of anembroidered badge of that period. The sign ofthe 41st Infantry Division is woven in silk andsewn on khaki felt, and that of the 42ndInfantry Division is made of painted brass.

The emblem on the shield of the 31stInfantry Division of Maestrazgo is printed onwhite felt sewn on a blue backing. There isalso a plastic version of this badge, with thedivisional title shown around the edges.

United States of AmericaIn the summer of 1918, when the 81st Divisionwas at Hoboken, New Jersey, waiting toembark for France, its men wore the silhouette of a cat on the left shoulder as anidentification mark; the division had comefrom the Carolinas where wild cats werecommon on the mountains.

It was the first patch to be worn on USArmy uniform. Its use was officially authorized, and the other formations of theAmerican Expeditionary Force were advisedto adopt similar insignia, which were alreadyused in France by the British Army.

2

These badges, called corps or divisionalinsignia, are still commonly known as shoulder patches, but their official designation isshoulder sleeve insignia.

The badges used in 1918 and in the earlypost-war years differed in many respects fromthe well known shoulder patches of WorldWar 11. The first patches were usually made offelt or hand embroidered, and the colour ofsome divisional insignia identified the branchof service of the wearer. The wild cat of the81st Division and the frame around the patchwere blue to indicate infantry and red forartillery. A coloured patch was placed be-

3

3

6

I. 41sllnfantry Division 2. 1st IndependentBrigade 3. 42nd Infantry Division 4. 31stInfantry Division.

I. 81st 'Wild Cat' Division. World War 11pattern 2. 92nd Division, World War 11 patternJ. 92nd 'Buffalo' Division, World 'Var 11pattern 4. 88th Dh'ision, \Vorld War I pattern5. 88th 'Blue Devil' Division, "'orld War IIpaltern 6. 6th Division.

162

5


12

10

11

7. Army Air Force, 1st pattern 8. As7, 2nd pattern 9. 3rd Cavalry Division 10. London BaseCommand 11. Aleutian Islands Base 12. 3rd 'Marne' Division.

tween the legs of the buffalo of the 92ndDivision and the clover leaf of the 88thDivision was blue for the infantry, red for theartillery and black for the other branches. Theinsignia of the 88th depicts two crossed figure8s, hence the clover leaf.

When divisions were reactivated for service in World War n, the design of manyshoulder sleeve insignia was modified, and thenew patches were machine-made in woventextile. Some World War I patches were alsomade for collectors in woven textile, includingthat of the 6th Division with its blue number.

The old Army Air Force patch, whichsymbolized a propeller in motion, was.changed in March 1942 to the winged star,which was either machine embroidered on feltor woven.

Many other shoulder sleeve insignia werepartly machine embroidered on felt or ontwill, but the majority were in woven textile,entirely embroidered by machine, and oftenwith an additional olive drab (khaki) outerborder.

The design of shoulder sleeve insigniacould refer to the formation's number. itsstate of origin or former battle deeds, or itcould refer to some obscure event. related tothe formation's history. Some divisions alsohave nicknames. The 81st is known as the'Wildcat' division, and the 92nd, the 'Buffalo'division, was formed by Negroes whom theIndians called buffaloes, because of their curlyhair. The 3rd Division's title was 'Mafne'. andthe three white stripes on its blue patchsymbolize the three major engagements inwhich it participated on the Marne frontduring World War f. At least four of thisdivision's badges exist, including the woventype, and made by different manufacturers.

During World War 11, when Americantroops were posted overseas, local populations provided for officers' use, particularlyfor those of the US Army Air Force. alternative types of insignia, smarter than those ofgeneral issue. Some of these badges aremasterpieces of embroidery.

The patches of the 70th 'Trailblazer' Division and of the 75th Division were probablymade in Europe. The latter is partly made incoloured cottons and partly in silver wire.

The European Theater of Operations wasan organization that was based in Europethroughout lht" war years. The insignia ofETO depicted two flashes of lightning breaking a chain. while that of ETO Advance Basedisplayed in addition the emblem of the ArmyService Forces at the top. Both insignia werealso made in Britain. the latter in threeversions: hand embroidered in colouredthread, of gold, silver and coloured thread,and printed.

Embroidered shoulder sleeve insignia werepopular, especially among air force personnel,judging by the great quantities that have been

163

A HISTORY OF MIUTARY INSIGNIA

made in different patterns.Shoulder patches of the 8th Air Force were

made in Britain in at least three unofficialversions, and there is a printed version of the9th's badge as well as embroidered types.

The shoulder sleeve insignia of the US AirForce Europe is of woven silk, made inGermany.

In 1946-7 the US 88th 'Blue Devil' Divisionand units of the British 13th Corps werestationed in the north-east of Italy as occupation troops. The Italians, realizing that theBritish soldiers had shoulder titles and thatthe Americans did not, endeavoured to fillthis gap by producing hand-embroidered titlescombined with matching clover leaf for everyunit of the 88th.

These are examples of 'combined' insignia:the tab identifies the division's title andnumber and often the battalion's number androle, and it is worn with the shoulder sleeveinsignia. These tabs cannot, therefore, beclassified as either shoulder titles or shouldertabs.

As these badges were unofficial and wereprivately purchased by 'short timers' due to gohome (most Gls were waiting for discharge atthe time). they were made in great numbers

13

IS 16 19 20

19,20. 8th Army Air Force 21,22. 9thArmy Air Force 23. US Air ForceEurope.

2221

13, 14, 3rd 'Marne' Division 15. 70th 'Trailbrazers' Division 16. 75th Division 17. EuropeanTheatreofOperalions Advance Base 18. 8th Army Air Force

164


24,25. 88th 'Blue Devil' Division.

~27

29

26,27,28,29. Examples ofunutrieial tabs ofunits or the 88th 'Blue Devil' Division.

30. Trieste, US Troops 31. 82nd' AllAmericans' Airborne Division 32. 10thMountain Division 33. US Forces in Berlin.

31

and variety, embroidered in silver, gold or incoloured thread. Badges embroidered insilver or gold were duplicated by badges inwhite of yellow thread. There were specialgold or yellow tabs for cavalry reconnaissance, but always with the matching cloverleaf below. Some clover leaves had the devil'shead embroidered in the centre, as may beseen in the distinctive insignia of the divisional

32

headquarters (see Distinctive insignia).The clover leaf insignia of the 337th Field

Artillery Battalion was edged in red threadand that of the 338th in white thread, to matchthe coloured edging of their titles.

Not surprisingly, when the time came tochoose a special insignia for the US Armycontingent in the Free Territory of Trieste(1947-54), a tab was selected, set above the

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34

36

34. Korea Military Advisory Group35.1st'Spearhead' Armoured Division 36. 1st Army,1st pattern 37. US Army Europe.

166

35

39

~43

38. 1st Army, 2nd pattern 40, 39, 41. 6th Army42,43. 4th 'Ivy' Division.

clover leaf, with the city's coat of arms in thecentre.

Since the early 19405 many shoulder sleeveinsignia have been worn in combination withtabs, and the most common is 'Airborne',worn on the top of the formation patch. Someinsignia, for instance that of the AirborneCommand, had the tab woven in one piecewith the formation emblem. The tab 'Mountain' could be worn only with the insignia ofthe 10th Mountain Division, the only USArmy division trained in this role. The patchof the US Forces in Berlin had an integral tab,with 'Berlin' woven on the top.

Some tabs could be worn at the bottom ofthe main insignia; the personnel of the KoreaMilitary Advisory Group had the initialsKMAG below the insignia of the MilitaryGovernment in Korea, and the armoureddivisions had their own individual titles onstraight tabs sewn below the triangularpatches.

The design of several shoulder sleeve insignia was changed during or after World War 1I:for example, the background colour of the 1stArmy patch was changed after the war fromolive drab (khaki) to white and red. Theshoulder patch of the Supreme HeadquartersAllied Expeditionary Force, which was wornby General Eisenhower's staff during thecampaign in north-west Europe, was re-

A-Z OF MILITARY [NSIGNlA

44,45. 7th Army 46, 47. Combat Development48. 40th Armored Brigade 49. 20th EngineersBrigade.

50. 18th Military Police Brigade 51. 1stAviation Brigade 52. 1st Signals Brigade 53, 54.USMC Aviation Engineers and Parachutists.

47

48

46

deployed after the war as the insignia of USArmy Europe, but with a blue instead of ablack background.

The insignia of the 6th Army was changedaltogether during the war, and in 1957 thecolour of its background changed from olivedrab (khaki) to army green.

On 1 July 1957 the army green uniformreplaced the olive drab (khaki) uniform, andthe olive drab background of several shouldersleeve insignia was changed to army green atthe same time. Some insignia had an olivedrab outer border, which also had to becbanged to army green to match the colour ofthe new uniform.

The background colour of some patches,whether olive drab or army green, is supposedto match the colour of the uniform, but, asarmy green did not match the tan colour of thesummer shirt, new badges with tan backgrounds were adopted.

All modern shoulder sleeve insignia have awoven .border to prevent the badge fromunthreading at the edges. This border represents the latest stage in the progress thatdistinguishes new badges from older ones.The difference may be seen between the oldand new shoulder patches of the 7th Armyand of the Combat Development.

Subdued shoulder sleeve insignia are wornon field uniform and different types are used.

167


A woven pattern, black on olive drab withwoven border, is worn by the 40th ArmouredBrigade and 1st Aviation Brigade, whileanother pattern depicts the main insignia inblack machine embroidery on various shadesof olive green twill.

The commandant of the US Marine Corps(USMC) authorized the wearing of shouldersleeve insignia in 1943, and several wereadopted before the end of the war.

The personnel of the 1st Marine Amphibious Corps used seven patches, which had ablank red centre of a speciality emblem. Thenine types of shoulder patches of the FleetMarine Forces-Pacific identified the assignment of the wearer.

Six divisions and three corps, numberedthe 1st, 3rd and 5th, were formed duringWorld War 11. The 'Guadalcanal Blaze' of the1st Marine Division was the first divisionalinsignia adopted in March 1943. It was followed by the 2nd and then by the others.

Aviation personnel adopted patches basedon the design of the aircraft fuselage insignia,which were replaced by a winged USMCemblem above the wing's number.

The wearing of shoulder sleeve insignia bypersonnel of the USMC was forbidden inSeptember 1947.

The patch worn by the AmphibiousForces, US Navy depicted the inter-alliedemblem of combined operations in gold on ared background. A similar patch but on bluebackground was used by the army.

168

60

55,57. USMC Aviation, 3rd and 1st Wing, different patterns 56. Fleet Marine Forces- Pacific,Artiller}' Battalions 58. 2nd Marine Division, 2nd pattern 59. 5th Marine Division 60. AmphibiousForces US Navy.


6

4

2

3

Vielllom, Republic ofMany differenl formalion signs were used bythe army of the Vietnamese Republic, and,although its allies changed in lime, the badgesmaintained their Vietnamese character. Manydepict eagles and tigers or mythical animals inprinted, woven or embroidered versions.

The formation signs of the corps depictedRoman numerals in a ring, in red. Divisionalpatches displayed various emblems, usuallyon a blue background for infantry divisions.The patches of the marine battalions dis·played animals.

The ARVN Rangers, formed in 1960, werein separate companies that were deployed inanti-guerilla warfare. Innumerable shoulderand pocket patches of rangers' units, identified by tabs within Ihe shoulder insignia,were worn together or separately. Until 1973the colour of the tab identified the corps ofwhich the ranger unit was part - green, red,maroon and yellow for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and41h Corps, respectively - but after 1973 thetabs of all ranger units had a blue background.

The Vietnamese special forces had manydifferent patches, and, following the Amer·ican custom, several Vietnamese formationsraised their own independent reconaissanceunits, which adopted their own insignia. Mostof these badges were worn on the left uppersleeve, but some may have been worn on thebreast.

9

I. 7th Infantry Division 2, 3. 1st and 7th Marines Battalion 4. ARVN Rangers 5th Group 5. 3rdCorps, 6th Group, 35th Battalion 6. VNSF Mobile Strike Force 7. 3/573rd Provincial

5 Reconnaissance Group 8. 3rd Infantry Regiment, Reconnaissance Company, 2nd pattern 9. 6thGroup, 35th Battalion (Mobile Assault).

169

A-Z OF MILITARY rNSIGNIA _

FOUL ANCHOR In nautical terms, theword 'foul' means 'entangled'. An anchorconsists of a vertical iron shank that ends incurved arms, terminating in triangular pointscalled flukes, and is usually provided with atransverse bar at the top, called a stock. It isthe implement used to hold a vessel at rest inshallow waters.

A foul anchor is an anchor that has a ropetwisted around it; it is the emblem of most ofthe world's naval organizations.

FOURRAGERE A French decoration forbravery instituted by Napoleon I, a[ourragereis conferred upon units that have fought withdistinction. Since World War I the [ourragerehas been conferred on recipients of more thanone citation in the orders of the army. It mayalso be worn as a personal decoration.

It consists of a braided cord, in the coloursof the ribbon of the Croix de Guerre, wornaround the left shoulder.

Foul anchor, Royal Navy pallern, for shoulderstraps ofCommodore 1st Class.

GGIMP A twisted, plaited or woven cordmade of silk or other material is known as agimp. It is, for example, the cord that decorates the gorget patches of British brigadiersand substantive colonels.

170

GORGET Originally the part of a suit ofarmour worn to protect the throat, a gorgetdeveloped into an ornamental, crescentshaped device, engraved or embossed with acoat of arms, that was worn by officers aroundthe neck as a rank distinction. Neglected forabout a century, the gorget re-appeared inGermany in the 1930., when it was worn bystandard bearers and military policemen.

Gorget patches were adopted by the British Army at the end of the 19th century forwearing at the front of the stand collar by staffand departmental corps officers. and, from1921 onwards, by colonels and higher ranksonly.

Field marshals and generals wear scarletgorget patches with an embroidered ornamentof gold oak leaves and acorns, brigadiers andsubstantive colonels wear patches with agimp. The length of the patches varies according to the order of dress. The colour of thepatch and of the gimp of brigadiers andsubstantive colonels corresponds to the colourof the branch of service (Bib!. 59).

The bullon of the gorget patch indicatesclass of rank or branch of service.

1. Generals' gorget patch 2. Brigadier's and substantive colonel'~gorget patch 3. As 2 but smallsize 4. As 3 but of the Royal Arm)' Medical Corps.


S. Italian ammunition factory.

HIHACKLE A bundle of feathers worn on thehead-dress in combination with, or in place of,the cap badge, the hackle is the device peculiar to the British fusiliers. The LancashireFusiliers wore a primrose yellow hackle, theRoyal Irish a green one, the Royallnniskillinga grey one and the Royal NorthumberlandFusiliers a red and white one. The otherfusiliers regiments wore the white hackle.

All the battalions of the Royal Regiment ofFusiliers, which embodies all the former regiments. now use the red and white hackle,

The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) is entitled to wear a red hackle which isworn in place of the cap badge on the blueBalmoral.

HELMET PLATE In general terms a helmetplate could be any badge that is worn on ahelmet, although the word 'plate' describes ametal device. In British military terminology,the phrase refers to the large star-shapedbadge worn by all ranks on the blue clothhelmet adopted in 1878 and used in full dressuntil the outbreak of World War I.

Helmet plates, in officers' and other ranks'versions. were ensigned by the Victoriancrown until 1902 and then by the Imperialcrown.

An officers' helmet plate of the orthStaffordshire Regiment (The Prince ofWales's) is shown on the cover.

Hackleofthe Black Watch (The Royal HighlandRegt).

I. British Army

IDENTIFICATION TAG Known also as a'dog tag' and worn by soldiers in two worldwars. identification tags are suspended aroundthe neck.

During the 19th century the first identification tags were usually sewn into the fieldjacket. Later two tags were worn around theneck, suspended by means of a string or achain, the idea being that one was taken toaccount for the casualty while the other remained with the body.

Identification tags were made in bakelite,plastic and metal, and the information theycarry varies from the succinct. used by the

2. Polish Army in Britain

4. US Army

British Army, to the type used by the AustroHungarian Army during World War I. whichconsisted of a flat metal box containing fourpages listing the number of the regiment,branch of service, the soldier's name, religion,the year and precise locality of his birth, theaddress of next of kin and dates of smallpox,typhus and cholera inoculations.

American tags also displayed the addressof the next of kin, and they were attached toan attractive and functional chain.

Workers in ammunition factories wereoften issued with identification tags. as theirjobs had obvious risks.

171


1. Danish Home Guard 10 years service 2. As Ibut 20 years service 3. US Army 4. S Navy.

are red for the blue uniform and blue for thewhite uniform. Three consecutive stripes withgood conduct entitle the holder to wear goldstripes on the blue uniform.

L

LAPEL The part at the front of.a coat orjacket that is folded back is known as a lapel(see Facing).

LONG·SERVICE INSIGNIA Although inmost countries long service and good conductare rewarded by medals, insignia are alsoused.

British soldiers, up to the rank of corporal,serving in the regular army wear 'servicestripes' on the left forearm to identify periodsof long service. These stripes are actuallychevrons; the first is awarded after two years,the second after six, the third after twelveyears and another chevron is granted aftereach subsequent period of six years. Territorials, however, wear stars, one for eachperiod of four years' service.

Members of the Danish Home Guard areawarded long-service badges; the green badgeis granted after 10 years and the silver badgeafter 20 years of continuous service.

The US Army grants one service stripe foreach three years of honourable service. Thestripes are worn on the left forearm of thejacket and were olive drab (khaki) on a darkblue background for federal service and onbuff for National Guards (Bib!. 164). Since1957 the stripes are golden yellow on an armygreen background.

Enlisted men in the US Navy obtain onestripe for each period of four years' service.The stripes are worn on the left forearm and

LANYARD Derived from the Latin lana(wool), a lanyard was originally a woollencord, straight or plaited, that could be worn ina variety of ways, but usually from the outerend of the shoulder strap, under the sleeve tothe breast pocket button.

Lanyards have been made of wool, silk,rayon and other materials, and they are oftencomposed of single and plaited strands ofcord, some almost graduating to the status ofaiguillette. Some bear a whistle, which is keptin the breast pocket.

They are worn for many purposes, according to national custom, including the identification of appointments or units. Instructorsare often identified by a lanyard, and inBritain for instance, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4thbattalions of the Parachute Regiment areidentified by green, yellow, red and black Examplesoflanyards: the average pattern and the 'double' pattern with twisted and plaited cords.lanyards, respectively.

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3

4

173


NNATIONALITY INSIGNIA Included in thecategory of nationality insignia are all badgesthat identify the nationality of the wearer coloured cockades and shoulder titles andsome cap badges depicting a national coat ofarms (the American eagle, the Polish eagleand the Nazi eagle, for example). The Nazieagle was worn as a cap badge and above theright breast pocket by Wehrmacht personneland on the leh upper sleeve by the SS.

All ranks of the Dutch Army and AirForce display on the leh upper sleeve theNassau lion holding a sheaf of seven arrows,representing the seven provinces of tbe oldrepublic of the United Netherlands. Themotto traces its origins to 1544, when Williamof Orange inherited the principality of Orangefrom his cousin Rent! de ChaJons.

This badge was adopted during World War11, by the Netherlands armed forces in Britain, as a nationality title, and it displayed thewording 'Nederland' or 'Netherlands' in placeof the motto at that time.

During World War 11 many volunteersjoined the Polish armed forces in Britain.They were given special badges, which, bymeans of flags, identified their country of

2

6

7

5

8

I. 'Wehrmacht' breast badge, army officers2. Warren SS sleeve badge, other ranks, asissued. 3. Netherlands Army sleeve badge, postWorld War 11.

4. British badge 5, 6, 7. Polish Volunteers fromBelgium, North America and South America8. US Air Force breast insignia.

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6

9

JJ

8

10

5

'1

3

Aselection of British non-substantive insignia including: GrossedCannons I. Torpedoes 2. Signallers' Flags 3. Signallers' Initials 4. Writer.

Royal Danish Navy: 7. Gunner 8. Gunner Mechanic 9. Torpedoman10. Signaller Finnish Navy Gunners 11. Petty Officers 12. Seamen.

origin: Belgium, North or South America, forexample. The badge of the volunteers fromFrance displayed the French tri-colour only.

At the same time the Norwegian armedforces in Britain started to wear their nationalflag on the left upper sleeve, a custom that hasbeen adopted by the Bundeswehr and otherarmies, for field uniform.

All ranks of the US Army wear the 'USArmy' tab above the left breast pocket; airforce personnel wear 'US Air Force',

NON·SUBSTANTlVE INSIGNIA In Britishnaval terminology non-substantive insigniaare the badges worn by seamen on the upperright sleeve. They consist of a special devicecombined with the crown, six-pointed stars orletters of the alphabet. In most other naviesthey are called trade badges. and in the USNavy they are known as speciality and distinguishing marks.

BritainThe first non-substantive badge, for gunners,was adopted by the Royal Navy in 1860. Ittook the form of an old cannon barrel, whichwas modified to the current pattern in 1903.The torpedo was adopted in 1903 and crossedflags in 1890. The six-pointed star with initialsin the centre - W for writer, C for cook andothers - was introduced in 1932 and theaviation badges in 1935. The aeroplane depicted in the first badges had straight wings,but these were changed to swept wings from1939 onward.

Red non-substantive badges are worn onblue uniforms, and blue on white uniforms;badges embroidered in gold are for the No. Iuniform. Chief petty officers wear nonsubstantive badges on the collar of their bluejackets and on the right forearm of whitejackets (Bib\. 60).

Badges with the crown and two stars arenot used any more, and many others have

been changed since their adoption because ofconstant technological developments.

DenmarkThe Royal Danish avy used trade badgesembroidered on black felt. but without thecrown, until 1951.

Yellow badges woven on black silk backgrounds were adopted in 1951, all depictingthe crown and the anchor combined withanother device: the gun for gunners. gun andhammer for gunner mechanics, torpedo fortorpedomen, crossed flags for signallers andothers. The crossed flags were introduced in1955.

FinlandOnly two examples of trade badges of theFinnish navy have been included as most areself-explanatory; petty officers wear yellowbadges, and conscripted seamen have redbadges.

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13

16

19

20

- - ---

~22

21

23

13. Torpedoman 14. Helmsman 15. Musician oflhe French Navy.16. Gunner 17. Signaller 18. Diver of the German Democratic Navy.

19. Radar Specialisl20. Radio Signaller 21. Gunner 22. Helmsman23. Artificer and Fireman of the Italian Navy.

FranceThe badges worn by French seamen on theleft sleeve are called 'speciality insignia'.

Until 1940 there was a great variety ofbadges, in gold, silver and red embroidery,and cut out from red fell. Modern tradebadges have assumed a more conventionalappearance. Examples are shown of those of atorpedo specialist, musician and helmsman,which are machine embroidered on black fell.

GermanyThe naval tradesmen of the German Democratic Republic wear machine-embroideredbadges on round, dark blue backing for wear-

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ing on blue uniforms, and on white backingfor white uniforms. They are worn on the leftupper sleeve.

Although other naval insignia have beenkept in the traditional German shape, size andappearance, the trade badges have changedin shape (from oval to round), while themajority of trade emblems have been modernized. The emblems of gunner, mine specialist, of engine and of electra-technician and ofdiver have been retained, but all the othershave been updated, and most are now selfexplanatory.

ItalyIn the Italian Navy petty officers use gold

trade badges to match the colour of theirchevrons: red badges on blue or black areworn on blue uniforms and on white on thewhite summer uniform. Hand-embroideredbadges on medium blue twill backgroundwere used on the fatigue jacket; badges on adark blue or black background were worn onboth sleeves of the walking out uniform.

In the 1960s hand-embroidered red badgeswere replaced by machine-embroideredbadges, and plastic badges eventually appeared.

Italian trade badges, as those of othernations, have been modified several timesduring the present century as new specialitieshave developed.


OPOVERSEAS SERVICE INSIGNIA The British Army adopted chevrons for overseas service during World War I. Each arm of thechevron was 20mm ('!4in) long and was wornon the right forearm; one red chevron wasawarded for service in 1914 and a blue one foreach subsequent year. Similar chevrons wereused during World War Il, but not strictly onthe basis of overseas service.

The US Army adopted overseas servicechevrons during World War I. These wereinverted gold chevrons, which were worn onthe left forearm above the long service stripes,one for each six months of overseas service.The same insignia on the right forearm identified war wounds.

Yellow bars were granted during WorldWar Il and during the Korean War; eachindicated six months' service in an operationalarea. 3

2

British and US Army overseas service insignia.

I. British Army Qualified Parachutist 2. Czechoslovak Army Parachutist 1st Class3. As 2, butInstructor 4. Hungarian Army Parachutist 5. Master Parachutist, 95 jumps 6. Instructor, 250jumps.

PARACHUTE INSIGNIA Not all nationsadopted wings as the emblem for their paratroopers, as the parachute, which is the principal item of equipment, makes a decorativeemblem in its own right.

The parachute on its own is worn in Britainon the left forearm by qualified parachutistswho do not belong to an airborne unit.

The Czechoslovak badges illustrated wereadopted in 1965; they are made in threeclasses, plus master, instructor and the badgeof the basic brevet, which has the silhouette ofa" plane in its centre.

The previous badges had different wingson the sides of the parachute, and from 1951to 1962 a miniature replica of the Czechoslovak Army cap badge was displayed in placeof the proficiency number.

Several different types of Hungarian postwar parachutists badges can be found: the firstbadges were made of metal and enamel; laterthey were coloured with synthetic enamel;and finally plasticized badges appeared.

All the badges illustrated have two smallhooks at the bottom, on which are hung theshields indicating the number of jumps made.

Some badges, however, display the numberwithin the badge or they have a brass numberstuck on the centre. The latest pattern formaster parachutists displays the airplane andthe number of jumps in the centre, but aseparate brass plane and a tablet with a highernumber of jumps are often stuck above theoriginal ones.

Italian paratroopers initially wore wingswith a white parachute in the centre, belowthe crown, but about 1940 the parachuteinsignia was adopted, first embroidered andlater in metal. The men of Fa/gore and

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7. Master Parachutist, 5000jumps8, 9. ItalianArmy' Alpino' Parachutist 10. Italian SaboteurParachutist 11. US Army garrison cap badge ofParachute Infantry.

178

Nembo divisions had a gold badge'on greygreen felt, while a silver embroidered badgewas used by the Carabinieri Battalion. Coloured backgrounds were added under theparachute after the war: green for the Alpineparachute platoons, black for Carabinieri andblue for all ranks of the parachute brigade.Special airborne units wear additional badgeson the left breast pocket.

The last insignia shown is the US Armypatch, which is worn on the right side of thegarrison cap, the parachute on a blue background identifying airborne infantry.

PIP Pip is the nickname given to the BritishArmy officers' rank stars. See Rank insigniaand Star.

PIPING Coloured felt stripes, which identifybranch of service or regiment, are known aspiping. They are usually worn along the outeredges of the shoulder straps, on the collar orelsewhere on the uniform. Gold or silverpiping may identify class of rank.

Piping is applied in the following manner:the piping felt is placed on top of the cloth sothat the edges of both are aligned; the two aresewn together in a straight line as near aspossible to the edge; and the felt is thenturned behind the cloth. The result is an evenstripe of piping along the edge of the cloth.Modern piping is ready-made to be sewnwhere required.

POCKET INSIGNIA Pocket insignia aredivided into two groups: pocket badges, whichare usually made of metal, and pocketpatches, which are of cloth and worn mainlyby the personnel of the US armed forces.

Unit badges worn on the pocket have beendealt with under distinctive insignia.Pocket badges A number of metal badgeswere adopted in Germany during World WarIl as combat awards for the personnel of thearmy, navy and air force. Two army badgesare shown as examples.

The tank battle badge was instituted inDecember 1939. It was awarded for participation in three actions against the enemy onthree different days. In June 1943 two newbadges were instituted, which displayed at thebottom the number of engagements (25 or 50and 75 or 100) in which the recipient participated.

The general assault badge was instituted inJune 1940, originally only for the personnel ofassault engineers units, but later it was madeavailable to all combatants not entitled toother similar awards. In June 1943 two newbadges, as in the case of the tank battlebadges, were adopted. These badges have apin at the back and were worn on the leftbreast pocket.

The pilots of the Italian Air Force wereawarded gold, silver and bronze badges ac-


cording to the number of combat actions. Thegold badges had the central device in goldonly, and by 1942 the badges of the first twoclasses were made of aluminium while thecentral devices of first-class badges werepainted yellow.

There were 10 different badges, one foreach flying speciality.

Many NATO insignia are worn on thebreast pocket: the Ace Mobile Force (Land)(AMF) was formed in 1960. FOURATAF(Fourth Allied Tactical Air Force) wasfonned earlier in Germany; the badge is wornby a recruiter of the US Army Reserve.Pocket patches: In the US armed forces formations from the level of brigade upward areauthorized to wear shoulder sleeve insignia.Ranger battalions, for instance, were grantedshoulder tabs only. Regiments and other unitsthat do not qualify for a shoulder insigniawear the unit patch on the pocket of the fielddress. Before the introduction of subduedinsignia, coloured patches were used; those ofthe 3rd 'Brave Rifles' Armoured CavalryRegiment and of the 14th Armoured CavalryRegiment are examples of pocket patchesused in the 19505.

All the others are self-explanatory. TheSOlst Tactical Missile Wing is a unit of the USAir Force, which is in charge of 'Cruise'missiles, and the last illustrated example is thepocket insignia of the Special Forces.

POMPON See Tuf!.

3

2

I. 3rd 'Brave Rifles' Armored CavalryRegiment 2. 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment3. 1st Battalion 13th Infantry Regiment,Reconnaissance 4. sOtst Tactical Missile Wing5. Special Forces.

I. World War 11 German Tank Battle badge 2. General Assault badge 3, 4, 5. Italian Air ForceReconnaissance at Sea, Assault·Combat and Interceptors badges6. Ace Mobile Force (Land) AMF7. 4th Allied Tactical Air Force 8. US Army Reserve Recruiter.

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2

15

16

14

11109

Hungarian Proficiency insignia: 6, 8. TankDriver 1st and 2nd Class 7. Vehicle Driver 3rdClass 9. Distinguished Soldier of the H.P.A.2nd Class 10. Distinguished Soldier 3rd Class11. Distinguished Squad Leader 1st Class12. Eminent Platoon Leader 3rd Class13. Unit's Eminent Soldier 2nd Class14. Signaller 1st Class 15. Kilian MilitaryTournament, silver badge 16. Army SportsChampionship, gold award.

4

Czechoslovak proficiency insignia: t. Exemplary Soldier 2. 'VzornyI'osluchac' 3. Specialist 1st Class 4. Rifle Shooting Award 3rd Class5. Military Innovator.

PROFICIENCY INSIGNIA Badges of theWarsaw Pact armies that are awarded toindividuals or to units to encourage andreward personal skills and general efficiencyare known as proficiency insignia.

The badges cover all fields of activity,military and sporting in particular, and somenations have introduced branch-oC-service insignia that display a proficiency class number(see Parachute, Trade insignia and Wings) tofUrlher stimulate the pride of the soldiers.

These badges are usually made of metal,and they are worn on the right breast of theservice dress jacket.

CzechoslovakiaIn Czechoslovakia special badges are grantedto exemplary soldiers and exemplary studentsfrequenting military schools. Two of the lattertype bear the lettering Vzomy ZfJk, for students at basic schools, and Vzomy Poslllclrac,for students at colleges and at the academy.Specialists may be eligible for wings of 3rd,

2nd, 1st class or with an M in the centre formaster specialist.

Proficiency in rifle shooting is rewarded bya star, and any individual, of any rank, whoputs forwards any viable suggestion or invention that would improve the efficiency of theestablishment, is eligible to the badge of'Military [nnovator'.

HUllgarySome remarkable badges made of metal andenamel reward individual proficiency in theHungarian Army. Most are made in separateparts, meticulously joined together. Numbered interchangeable shields are set on thebase of the badge by means of a screw andsmall nut. Even a football is fixed in thismanner.

Tank drivers and vehicle drivers wearwinged badges numbered 3, 2 or 1, with theletter M for masters.

The badges for distinguished performancewere adopted in 1967 for soldiers, squad and

platoon leaders, company and battalion commanders. All are numbered from 3 to I.

Proficiency badges are awarded to individuals or to individuals within units and, eachyear, at top level to the best servicemen withinthe army.

Self-explanatory badges are awarded toindividuals for distinguished performance intheir duties or for advanced performance.Such badges are also awarded to an individualwithin the unit.

A special proficiency badge, in three classes, is worn by signallers, and badges in gold,silver, bronze and iron were given to participants to the Kilian Military Tournament. Asimilar badge carries the letters KTP underthe star.

Badges for sporting achievement includethe Army Championship Award, in gold,silver and bronze, and the championshipbadges of the military academy and of otherestablishments and units, which are made ingold, silver and bronze.

180

18

17. 'For Our Socialist Country', gold award18. Sports badge, gold.

The star 'For Our Socialist Country' is inthree classes (Bibl. 122, 123).

Polal/d.A set of 20 branch-of-service badges, made inbrass and enamel, was adopted in Poland in1951 for wearing on the breast. They were thesame for all ranks and displayed the branchof-service badge. set in relief. in the centre. In1958 the driver trade was divided into threeclasses, and a new, slightly smaller, badge wasmade, with a flat branch-of-service emblemset in the enamel and the class number at thebottom.

Polish insignia: 19. Driver 3rd Class 20. Sailor3rd Class 21. Tankman 2nd Class 22. Infantryman 3rd Class. 23, 24, 25, 26. Examples ofSoviet Proficienc)' badges.

Proficiency badges for soldiers (Soll/ierz)and sailors (MarYl/arz) in gold or silver wereintroduced in 1958 and later divided into threeclasses. Wings for tank crews were adopted inthe same year, with number 3, 2, J. or theletter M for masters (Bibl. 156, 157).

Shoulder patches displaying the branch-ofservice badge and proficiency number are nowused by army and navy personnel.

Soviet UnionIn the Soviet Union proficiency badges rewarded sport and industrial achievementslong before the war. The well known Guards'badge was adopted in May 1942 for thepersonnel of units that had gained particulardistinction on the battlefield. In the same yeara series of 25 metal and enamel badges, onefor each branch of service, was introduced toreward individual proficiency. The pattern ofthese badges was changed in 1955, when several branch-of-service badges were modified.The centre of the previous badge displayedthe hammer and sickle only, on a round redbackground. New badges are worn now,which display class of proficiency.


PUGGAREE INSIGNIA Puggaree insigniais a stripe of cloth, originally muslin. woundaround the base of the colonial helmet butabove the brim. The British foreign-service,or Wolseley pattern helmet, adopted in 1934,was available in white and khaki versions, orwith a white cover, and a white puggareeecould be fitted on the khaki helmet.

The puggaree was usually the same colouras the helmet, although some regiments usedcoloured puggarees on the white helmet: TheBuffs (The East Kent Regiment) wore a buffpuggaree, the Northumberland Fusiliers had ared and white puggaree, and the Duke ofCornwall Light Infantry a red one.

Generals and staff officers and others holding special appointments wore the aigrette ona white helmet, in dress order, but usually thecap badge was worn at the front in the centreof the puggaree, or a flash on one side.

Many of these flashes were very simple:square- or diamond-shaped, they depicted theregimental or branch-or-service colours.Others were in the form of a shoulder title andbore the regimental title and often also thenumber of the battalion.

21

19 20

23

24

Puggaree insignia ofthe King's Regiment(Liverpool) and oflhe 6th Battalion ofThe RoyalSussex Regiment.

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2

1955-86 : Austria regained independence bythe Four Powers Agreement on May 1955,when the armies of occupation were withdrawn and the new Federal Republic ofAustria began to rebuild a new army. Rankinsignia are worn on the head-dress (seeDistinction lace) and on the collar of thejacket or on the shoulder straps of the combatand fatigue uniforms (see Slip-on).

The collar patches of the grey jacket display rank insignia on branch-of-service colours (see Collar insignia), and, according to

1,3. General and Brigadier 2, 4. Field officers5. Captain 6. Fiihrich'

Austro-Hungarian rank insignia of corporal.

Austria-HungaryAll ranks' insignia were displayed on thecollar of the tunic, which was faced in branchof-service or regimental colour; later it wasworn on coloured patches, and, from 1917,rank insignia could be worn directly on thecollar. Field officers, however, usually retained the badges on the collar patches.

Marshals were identified by special goldembroidery on a scarlet collar.

Generals wore a 33mm (1 1/3in) stripe ofgold lace sewn along the front and bottomedges of their scarlet collar, with three silverstars joined by a wreath for the GeneralOberst and three, two or one stars for theother generals.

Field officers wore gold or silver lacestripes, according to the colour of the buttons,and from one to three stars in opposite colour- gold stars on silver lace and vice versa.Company officers wore from one to three goldor silver stars according to the colour of theirbuttons.

The embroidered six-pointed stars were,and are still, made in a manner that recalls theshape of the edelweiss. The junior ranks worea combination of narrow stripes and stars, andthe last three ranks wore on their collarpatches celluloid stars, which were later sewndirectly on the collar.

The administrative officials of the armedforces had different rank titles, used differentpattern of lace and wore rosettes instead ofstars on the collar (see Distinction lace).

Austria1933-8 : The same type of rank insignia thathad been worn in the Imperial Army - starsand lace in opposing colours - was adoptedby the Republic of Austria for wearing oncollar patches that identified the branch ofservice.

the collar of the tunic on branch-of-servicecolour.

2. Britain: officers' rank insignia were wornon the shoulder straps; other ranks' insigniaon the sleeves.

3. France: all ranks' insignia were worn onthe sleeves.

4. Russia: all ranks' insignia were worn onthe shoulder boards together with branch-ofservice colour (see Shoulder strap).

The German system deviates from theRussian, with shoulder cords replacing shoulder boards.

Army establishments that used one or theother system of rank identification did notnecessarily adopt the whole system. In Belgium, for example, army officers have Austrian-style badges, while non-commissionedofficers wear bars.

Fashion - and often political reasons also caused some nations to change their armyranking from one system to another.

1. Austria: all ranks' insignia were worn on

RRANK INSIGNIA All the devices andbadges displayed on the uniform to identifythe position of the wearer in a specific hierarchy of command are rank insignia.

Any conventional army is composed ofofficers and other ranks (in the United States,officers and enlisted men), but, technically,there are three classes of rank - officers, noncommissioned officers and rank and file and often there are four - officers, warrantofficers, non-commissioned officers and rankand file. The rank and file includes corporalsand privates (enlisted men in the US Army).

The officers' class of rank is sub-dividedaccording to the type of formation or unit theycommand, a rule that varies from nation tonation according to the nature of the armyestablishment. General officers commandhigher formations - ie, armies, army corpsdivisions and brigades, although often therank of brigadier may be a temporary appointment rather than a general officer's rank. Theother officers' ranks could be sub-divided intofield officers, captains and subalterns - ie,company officers - or into senior officers(down to major) and junior officers (fromcaptain to second lieutenant) according tonational custom.

Apart from rank insignia, officers andother ranks wear badges that differ in quality,and non-commissioned officers often alsowear different badges, which could be considered as a class of rank distinction. Generalofficers, flag officers and officers of air rank,who are at the top of their services' hierarchy,usually wear their own distinguishing capbadges; these cap badges identify class ofrank, and, in the case of British field-marshals,the badge identifies one rank.

Chinstraps, cap bands or other head-dressor tunic devices were and are used to displayrank, in combination with, or in lieu of, themain rank insignia. The other means of rankidentification are dealt with in the appropriatesections of this book.

At the beginning of the 20th century therank within the armies of the major powersestablished four different systems or fashions,which were copied by other nations and stillsurvive:

182

•••••••••••••••••••••_ A-Z OF MILITARY INSIGNIA

7. 'Vizeleutnant' 8, 9. Senior NCOs 10. JuniorNCO 11, 12. NCOs for greatcoat.

one star for the Adjutant and one star above asilver wreath for the Adjutant-chef, who replaced the warrant officer 1st class who usedto wear one star below a small silver bar.

The type of insignia displayed on thepeaked cap and the chinstrap identify class of

II

9

7

the foudre or, in the case of 'technical' generals, by the corps badge. Field officers wearone bar surmounted by stars, and theCapitaine-commandant wears three stars surmounted by a narrow bar (see Collar insignia).Company officers have the stars only, in silverfor cavalry officers and in gold for all the otherbranches.

Warrant officers wear silver rank badges:

silver stars onlarge and narrowsilver lace

silver stars onlarge lace

grey stars withoutlace

BelgiumThe officers and warrant officers of the Belgian Army wear rank insignia on the collarpatches of their dress and service dress uniforms.

Generals have two gold bars surmountedby one, two or three six-pointed stars and by

tradition, the stars still recall the image of theedelweiss. The patches are pentagonal inshape and fit the collar. Those of the officersand of the non-commissioned officers areedged with gold or silver twisted cords, respectively. The Vizeleutnant wears specialgold and silver edging. Gold or silver, goldand silver (Vizeleutnant) or no edging at all isused to identify class of rank on the spearhead-shaped collar patches of the greatcoat,which are always worn with a button.

The patches worn by generals and fieldofficers on their jackets have silver embroidered stars on gold lace in a traditional Aust·rian zigzag pattern. The General and theChief of Staff wear three stars and a silver oakwreath; the Korps-kommandant wears threestars, and divisional generals and brigadierswear two and one stars, respectively.

The company officers have gold stars, andthe Fiihnrich (Ensign), the lowest of theofficers' class, wears a special collar patch.The Vizeleutnant is classed as the first noncommissioned officers' rank and is followedby:

O!fizierstellvertreter }OberstabswachtmeisterStabswachtmeisterOberwachtmeister}WachtmeisterZugSfiihrer}KorporalGefreiler

The non-commissioned officers' stars could beembroidered in silver or in grey cotton.

Rank insignia are displayed on the headdress in the form of lace stripes, and theyidentify each individual rank from general toGefreiler.

Rank stripes are worn on the black band ofthe peaked cap, in gold for officers, in silverwith a gold zigzag design for Fiihnrich andVizeleutnant, in silver lace for the noncommissioned officers and in grey lace for thecorporals. Generals wear one large gold stripewith narrow stripes above, according to thenumber of stars on the collar patch, and thefield officers have a medium gold stripe withnarrow ones above it. Company officers wearthe narrow stripes only. When more than onestripe identifies a specific rank, the stripes arewoven in one piece.

A similar system of rank identification isused on forage caps: the stripes are placedbelow the cockade in an inverted V-shape,with a large stripe above narrow ones.

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1. British Army General 2. Lieutenant Colonel3. Lieutenant, World War I.

2

3

Belgian Colonel of infantry.

BritainThe modern rank insignia of the three servicesof Britain are the result of a constant processof developement that, in the case of the RoyalNavy, started in 1783 when distinction lacewas introduced for flag officers. Distinguishing marks of rank for the epaulettes ofarmy field officers, in the form of crowns andstars. were adopted in 1810. In 1855 rankinsignia were moved to the collar, and two orone stars were granted to captains and lieutenants, respectively. The 2nd lieutenants did notget the pip until 1902, and lieutenants thenobtained two stars and captains three.

In 1880 rank insignia were again transferred to the shoulders, on shoulder cords orshoulder straps according to the type of uniform, but other trimmings were used to identify rank or class of rank, including embroideries, stripes of lace or Austrian knots.

rank (see Cap badge). In barracks dress andshirt sleeve order or in combat and fatigueuniforms, rank insignia are worn on the shoulder straps: ranks below warrant officer useplaslic slip-ons with white chevrons.

There arc now four services in Belgium the army, navy, air force and medical service.The medical service was formed by the amalgamation of the medical branches that hadpreviously belonged to the other three services.

Naval personnel wear conventional navyrank insignia. The air force adopted Britishstyle rank stripes during World War 11, whenBelgian airmen wore British uniforms. Rankinsignia were previously displayed on thecollar. Officers and warrant officers of themedical service wear rank stripes as the airforce, but made of gold.

Sergeants and corporals of the four services wear bars on the forearms of the jacket.

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or three gilded Finnish lions, set upright inrelation to the wearer on the stancl-and-fallcollar, or one above the other on the patchused on an open collar, which is worn verticalIy. The Finns follow the Russian tradition ofappointing generals of the branches of service.instead of keeping the general officcrs as aseparate class.

10

6

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11

4. Captain, bronzeS. Colonel, plastic 6. Major,Corps of Royal Engineers 7. 2nd Lieutenant,Infantry and a selection of modern rankinsignia.

4

and officer cadets are distinguished by two firtwigs embroidered in the corners at the frontof the patch within the frame. The generalofficers' frame has one large and one narrowembroidered stripe; field officers have twonarrow stripes; and company officers oncstripe only, as do the other ranks.

Generals collar patches display one, two

The army rank insignia displayed on theshoulders are formed by a combination ofdevices: the crown, the star, the crossed batonand sword for generals, and the crossedbatons set on a laurel wreath, below the crownfor the Field-Marshal. These devices weremade in metal, often with enamelled details,or in metal wire embroidery.

The officers' khaki service dress wasadopted in 1902, and in November 1902 a newdefinitive system of officers' rank insignia wasadopted for all except Scottish service dress.

The badges were displayed all the cuffs inthe form of thread-embroidered crowns andstars stitched on Cl false flap decorated by astripe of chevron lace. Additional stripes weresewn around the cuff; one stripe for subalterns, two for captains, three for majors(with stripes of gold braid in between). threekhaki stripes and four gold stripes for lieutenant-colonels. and four khaki and five goldstripes for colonels. The officers of the Scottish regiments did not wear the flap, and hadthe stripes set in a different manner (Bib!. 60).

Badges of rank made of bronze wereintroduced during World War 1 for wearing onthe shoulder straps of the service dress. and in1920, after the abolition of insignia on thecuffs. (hey bccamc standard rank badges forall omcers.

Plastic badgcs were introduced duringWorld War 11 as an economy measure. andthread-embroidered badges on coloured backing were adopted in 1940 for the shoulderstraps of the battledress. Plastic badges werealso worn on battledress. but with colouredbacking underneath.

After 1945 crowns and stars were wornwithout any coloured backing. embroideredon khaki felt or on slip-OilS (see Aide-decamp).

The crown was changed in 1953 to the StEdward's pattern. and at about the same timethe generals' device. the crown and the starappeared in their latest versiops. made ofanodized aluminium.

The cuff stripes of the Royal Air Forceofficers were introduced in 1919; they are stillused today.

Fi"IandExcept in wartime, when officers pinned theirrank devices directly onto the collar andsergeants wore their stripes on shoulderstraps, insignia of rank have always been wornon the collar of the tunic. on emhroideredpatches identifying the army branch ofservice.

Air force personnel wear the same rankinsignia as the army. but on blue and blackcollar patches.

The branch of service is identified by thecolour of the patch and by the colour of itsembroidered frame. but the colour of theframe also identifies class of rank. All officers

IHS

A-Z OF MIUTARY INSIGNIA

I. General cs 2. Major General, Cavalry 3. Lieutenant Colonel,Engineers4. Major, Coast Artillery S. Captain, Artillery 6. 2ndLieutenant, Reserve 7. Oflicer Cadets

8. Military Specialist 9. Warrant Officer, Specialist Service Corps10. Sergeant Major, Coast Artillery tt. Junior Sergeant, Air Force12. Captain, World War 11 field uniform.

Field officers wear from one, two or threegilt or brass roses, 16mm ('I,in) in diameter;captains and subalterns have from one tothree smaller roses, 13mm (1j2in) in diameter,in the following order: Kapteeni (three roses),YliluU!IlOllllli (two roses and gold bar in between), Luutnalllti (two roses) and Viinrikki(one rose). Until 1941 the officers of theReserve wore silver collar devices.

Technical officers wear the normal rankdevices preceded by the technical branchbadge. which replaces the fir twigs. The collarpatches of the Military Specialists have no firtwigs; they wear six-pointed gilt stars insteadof roses and the specialist's branch badge.

186

Chaplains wear the Latin cross surrounded bya laurel wreath on a black patch. The Ist-cl,,.schaplain is comparable with the general's rankand has one large and one narrow yellowstripe around the collar patches, while theother two classes wear two or one narrowcrimson stripes.

Officer cadets wear company officers' typepatches, dark blue with a yellow frame. andthe Cadets School badge. They have chevronson the shoulder straps.

Until 1952 there were four ranks for noncommissioned officers. in addition to that ofcorporal. which is classed as rank and file. Thejunior sergeant, sergeant and senior sergeant

wore two, three or four yellow chevrons, andthe sergeant major wore a large gold chevron.20mm ('I,in) wide. The collar patch illustratedbelongs to a specialist warrant officer of theService Corps. Two other ranks were addedlater: those of senior sergeant and the warrantofficer, who wear a large chevron in front ofone or two narrow chevrons, respectivcly.

Scnior non-commissioned officers down tothe rank of scnior sergeant werc also grantedthe fir twigs on the collar patches.

Rank insignia are placed on the cuffs of thegreatcoat and raincoat in the form of stripes orchevrons. sewn on to hexagonal patches forthe cuffs of raincoats (Bib!. 90. 91. 92).

A-Z OF MILITARY lNSIGNlA

3

I. Brigadier2. Major3. Captain4. Major, Medical Corps5. WO Adjutant.

The longitudinal stripes of lace worn bywarrant officers were replaced by metal bars.which were worn at the outer end of theshoulder straps. with one. two and threestripes on black background for Ihe threebasic ranks. One new rank was added. and Ihetop rank obtained three stripes on red background surmounted by a gold star with rededges.

2

introduced after World War 11. are still in usetoday. However. in 1973 new metal badgeswere adopted for officers and warrant officers.The five-pointed star remained as basic insignia of rank. bUI the gold stripe around theshoulder straps of the field officers was replaced by a mural crown. The silver lace of thegenerals' straps was replaced by a small silvergreca which. like the mural crown. is worn onthe outer ends of lhe shoulder straps.

Irall'The Ilalian Army adopted officers rank insignia on shoulder straps in 1902. Previously thegenerals had worn embroidered cuffs. and theolher officers had gold or silver chevronssurmounted by Austrian knots above thecuffs. Epaulettes were also used unlil the1930"

In 1902 generals oblained shoulder strapscovered with silver lace displaying gold rankstars: field officers had silver stars and a stripeof gold or silver lace. according to branch ofservice. along the sides and the inner end ofthe straps: th~ other officers' ranks wereidentified by stars only. in gold or silver (Bib!.131).

In 1907 warrant officers were granted theirdislinguishing lace (see Distinlion lace). whichIhey displayed on Ihe head-dress and in one.two and three narrower ~tripes on the shoulder straps unlil Ihe 1970s. The olher rankswore gold or silver chevrons. with red for thecorporals. above Ihe cuffs.

During World War Ilhe officers rank slarswere moved to the cuffs. where they wereworn on a silver rectangular patch for generalsand within a rectangular frame of gold orsilver for field officers. Black chevrons.adopted for sergeants and corporals. wereretained by corporals until 1939.

In 1926 rank insignia were restored on theshoulder straps. but in 1934 new uniforms.with an open collar. were adopted for allranks. and new officers' rank badges wereintroduced for use on the forearms above thecuffs. These consisted of stripes. embroideredin silver above the greea (the traditionaldevice of Italian generals). with one. two orthree gold lace stripes above a larger one forfield officers and onc. two or three narrowstripes only for company officers. The upperstripes of each rank badge and Ihe singlestripe of the 2nd lieutenant had an oval curl.

New shoulder straps. adopted in 1934.were worn with or without rank stars. according ID the type of uniform on which lhey wereworn.

aval officers had Ihe same type of badges.in gold for flag officers and with a round curlon Ihe first stripe. The officers of the air forceand of Ihe MVSN had Ihe same type ofstripes. but with a diamond-shaped ornamentinstead of Ihe curl. in gold for generals andwith a different embroidered ornament belowthe stripes for the generals of the militia.

Inverted chevrons on both upper sleeveswere adopted for sergeants and corporals in1939, initially in red for corporals. but later inblack rayon.

In 1940 Ihe officers rank badges werereduced in size. and a new pattern of badges.made in yellow lace and with smaller curl. wasadopted for wearing on Ihe cuffs of the jackeland greatcoat.

Rank insignia on the shoulder straps. re-

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JapanThe rank insignia of the Imperial JapaneseArmy were displayed in the form of fivepointed stars and bars, which were worn onred shoulder tabs until 1938 and on red collarpatches from 1938 to 1945. The air force was abranch of the army. and its personnel therefore used army rank insignia.

The average shoulder tab was 90 x 25mm(3112 X Iin) in size, with a button and two shorttongues on the back, which kept the tabslightly curved. The shoulder tabs of thegenerals were covered by a stripe of gold lace15mm (¥.Jin) wide and edged by gold embroidery. showing a narrow line of red backing onboth sides between the lace and the embroidery. The other officers' and the warrantofficer's tabs had gold embroidery along theouter edges, with two gold lace stripes for fieldofficers and one stripe for company officersand for the warrant officer. The sergeants'tabs had the stripe of lace without embroid.ery. The stripe of gold lace was 6mm (V,in)wide.

One, two or three small, gilded metal starswere pinned on the shoulder tabs for eachclass of rank except warrant officers. Leadingprivates had one, two or three yellow stars,made of cloth or embroidery, on plain redtabs.

The M.98 uniform was adopted in 1938. Infact the uniform itself did not change, but allthe insignia were modified. Rank badges weremoved to the collar and worn in the form ofpatches. They were similar to the shouldertabs but considerably smaller in size 40 x 18mm (1112 x 'I4in) - and all the metalstars were made of white metal, althoughthose of the leading privates were machinewoven in yellow silk.

As before, the officers and the warrantofficer had gold embroidery along the longersides of the patches; during the war the

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188

1,2,3- Shoulder tab of the M.90 (1930)uniform, Private 1st ClassCollar patches of the M.98 (1938) uniform:4 - Lieutenant ColonelS-Major6-Captain7 - Lieutenant8 - 2nd Lieutenant9- Warrant Officer

10 - Sergeant Major11 - Sergeant12 - Leading Private13 - Private 2nd Class14 - Private 1st Class, for field dressIS - Private 1st Class.

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12

• L 'W· .- ..

10

embroidery was yellow. A new rank, officercandidate, was added at this time, which worered patches edged by gold embroidery.

The hierarchy of the rank and file wasmodified by the addition of a new rank ofleading private, which was identified by a goldor yellow stripe.

These patches were worn on the collar ofthe tunic, greatcoat and cape, and on thecollar of the shirt when in shirt sleeve order.In field dress only one badge could be used,and it was worn attached above the left breastpocket of the shirt.

Stripes of brown lace were worn aroundthe cuffs of the greatcoat to identify class ofrank. and during World War lJ the samestripes were worn in combination with stars onthe tunic of the service dress to identifyindividual rank. The generals had threestripes, field officers two, company officersone; warrant officers had onc narrow stripe

14

(Bib!. 26, 152, 153, 154).The naval officers had the same rank titles

as the officers of the army preceded by theword Kaigun, which means navy.

Rank distinclion was displayed on the cuffsof the dress tunic and of the overcoat in theform of the conventional naval gold lace withcurl, and in black lace stripes with curl on theservice dress tunic. Shoulder boards, worn onthe white and khaki tunics, displayed class of·rank in form of longitudinal gold lace stripeson which small silver cherry blossoms werepinned to identify individual ranks.

Collar patches were worn on the blueservice tunic. khaki tunic and on thc summcrshirt. They were made of blue cloth andidentified rank, from admiral to warrantofficers, in the same way as the collar patchesof the army, by means of silver cherry blossoms and gold stripes, but without any additional embroidery (Bib!. 29).

IH9


I. Colonel 2, 3. Major4. Captain 5. 1st Lieutenant 6, 7. 2nd Lieutenant 8. Chief WarrantOfficer 9. Warrant Officer 1 10, 11. LieutenantColonel and 2nd Lieutenant for field uniform12. US Navy Warrant Officer.

12

8 9

5 6

2 3

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7

1

4

10

United States of AmericaThe same type of officers' rank insignia is usedin all the services, although naval officers wearalso distinction lace on the cuffs of the blueuniform and on the shoulder boards.

The badges of rank are unique as theydepict eagles, leaves and bars instead of theslar that is used by most other nations. Onlythe generals and officers of correspondingranks in the other services wear five-pointedstars in white metal. In the case of the toprank - General of the Army, General of theAir Force, Fleet Admiral - five stars areworn together in a pentagonal shape.

Before 1851 infantry colonels wore goldeagles, while colonels of other corps had silvereagles. From 1851, however, the silver eaglehas been the rank insignia of colonels. Theinsignia of lieutenant colonels and majorsdepicts a leaf, in silver for lieutenant colonelsand in gold for the majors.

Captains and lieutenants wore gold barsuntil 1872, later silver bars, and the 2ndlieutenant's rank was instituted in 1917,identified by one gold bar.American rank badges were made in Britainduring World War 11, and they differ considerably from the American pallerns.

The bars for chief warrant officer andwarrant officer junior grade were adopted inJanuary 1942, in metal and brown enamel,since brown is the distinction colour of thewarrant officers.

The ranks of warrant officers weremodified in 1956, when two new ranks wereadded and new rectangular badges wereadopted. The first two ranks had silver badgesand the other two gold badges, with three ortwo blocks of brown enamel according torank. The warrant officer I (W01), which wasthe lowest rank, wore two brown enamelblocks on a gold badge; the chief warrantofficer 2 (CW02) had three brown blocks on agold badge; and the two ranks above, CW03and CW04, had similar badges but made ofsilver. As these badges caused a great deal ofconfusion new ones were adopted in December 1972, which are all made of silver withfrom one to four black enamel blocks, according to rank.

These badges are worn on the shoulderstraps, on the right side of the collar of thesummer shirt and on the left side of thegarrison cap (Bibl. 164).

Subdued rank badges are worn on fielduniform: black embroidery refers to silver andyellow embroidery to gold metal.

Non-commissioned officers of the armyand of the air force wear chevrons.

Crossed foul anchors is the insignia of thewarrant officers of the US Navy, and they areworn on the cap, on the shoulder boards andon the sleeves of the blue uniform, abovewarrant officers' lace and in miniature metalversions on the shirt collar.

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7

5

3

Lieutenant Colonel 6. Sergeant 7. Commanderof Company 8. Commissar of Company9. Commissar of Brigade.

4

.+

I, 2, 3. Pre- and post-World War H rank'stars' and modern star 4, 5. Modern fielduniform rank insignia, 1st Captain and

YugoslaviaAll lhe officers of lhe Royal Yugoslav Army,except generals, had four-pointed silver starson gold lace or metal shoulder boards. Generals wore six-pointed gold stars above the cuffsand gold shoulder cords.

Field officers used plain shoulder boardsedged in branch-of-service colours, whilecompany officers wore narrower shoulderboards and carried a longitudinal colouredstripe along the centre as well as the outerpiping; they wore from one to four stars.

The ranks of senior and junior noncommissioned officers were also identified bystars, but they were smaller and made ofbrass. One, two or three stars were used forthe lower ranks, and four stars below goldstripes were worn by the three sergeant majorsclasses.

After World War 11 the socialist government adopted shoulder boards again for theofficers, but with the five-pointed stars ofSoviet pattern. These were later changed toshoulder straps with five-pointed stars of aspecial Yugoslav pattern (see Slip-on). Metalbars are worn on the shoulder straps of thefield uniform.

The most important developments happened during World War H, however, whenthe whole conception of rank insignia waschanged. The Partisans Army abolished conventional insignia of rank and adopted 'appointments of command', and, as in the SovietUnion of the 1930s the field commandershared his position with a political commissar.

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191


The corporal wore one red star on the leftupper sleeve, the sergeant had two and thecommanders of company, battalion and regiment wore one, two or three red bars en·signed by the red star. The brigade was thehighest formation and its commander worethe star below a chevroll. The commissarswore the same badges, but their red stardisplayed the hammer and sickle.

Toward the end of 1942, the structure ofcommand was modified: the commissars' titlesand badges were abolished as they became

'assistant commanders' of units and adoptedthe badges previously used by the commanders. Commanders obtained vertical red barsensigned by the red star. Field commanderswere granted one bar more than their assis·tants. The commander of brigade thereforeobtained a new badge, which depicted the redstar within a red triangle.

The appointment of chief of staff wascreated also, represented by the initial N(Natelllik Sraba), worn above the commandbadge.

The brigades operating in a specific areawere put under the control of the commanderof operative zone, who wore two reddiamonds surmounted by the red star. Hisassistant had one diamond, and the chief ofthe general staff worc three diamonds and thestar.

In the mcantime the Partisans' Army wasredesignated Volunteer Army and PartisanDetachments, and the Liberation Army in thespring of 1942.

On I May 1943 the command titles andinsignia were abolished in favour of militarytitles and new badges were worn on theforearms.

The non-commissioned officers obtainedsix-pointed silvcr stars. the sergeant major,for instance. wearing three stars above a silverstripe. The officers had gold slars above goldstripes - which were mainly of Italian origin- thin stripes for company officers, two largestripes for field officers and three large stripesfor the generals.

10. Commander of Regiment 11. Commanderof Regiment, 2nd pattern 12. Commander ofBrig'lde 13. Assistant Commander of OperativeZone 14. Commander of Operative Zone15. Lieutenant General 16. Captain.

13

192

14

15

______________________ A-Z OF MILITARY INSlG lA

I. Royal Navy PeUy Omcer 2. Leading Seaman3. US Navy Chief PeUy Omcer, Electrician

4. 3rd Class PeUy Omcer, Special Artiticier5. Seaman, Seaman Branch.

2

5

RATING The classification and insignia ofthe lower ranks of most naval organizationsfollow the army pattern, but in some nationsthe navy developed as an entirely separateorganization with its own ranks, called ratings, and different badges.

Peuy officers wear the officers' type ofuniform, with the peaked cap and distinguishing cap badges. In the British Royal

avy chief petty officers are identified bythree buttons on both lower sleeve pettyofficers wear a crown and crossed anchors onthe left upper sleeve; and leading seamenwear the anchor. These badges are in red onblue or in blue on white, according to the typeof uniforms, and in gold embroidery for theNo. I dress.

The rating badges of the US Navy are wornon the right upper sleeve by personnel of theseaman branch and on the left upper sleeve byother branches. The insignia consists of theeagle, one arc, chevrons and a speciality markin the centre. The senior and the master chiefpetty officer have additional stars above theeagle.

The colour of the background, blue orwhite. matches the colour of the uniform, thearc and chevrons are red and the eagle andspeciality mark are white for the blueuniform.

Chief petty officers and petty officers areeligible 10 wear gold chevrons and arc, with asilver embroidered eagle and speciality mark,after 12 years' service and three good conduct

awards.The silver-embroidered eagle and special

ity mark. combined with a red arc and chev·ron, is an optional badge (Bib!. 164. 167).

Rate marks in the form of one, two orthree diagonal bars are worn on the left uppersleeve by enlisted men. The bars are white forthe blue uniform and blue for the whiteuniforms; personnel of the other brancheshave red bars for both uniforms.

ROSETTE Although rosette generally hasthe same meaning as cockade. it may alsorefer to a small rose, which is, for instance,the rank insignia of Finnish officers.

193


Crowns varied according to the monarch,while stars of the same pattern, although indifferent sizes and different types (see Rankinsignia), were used by all army officersexcept foot guards.

The service dress jacket of the officers ofthe Royal Air Force has no shoulder straps,but they are worn on the full dress and messdress jackets.

sSHOULDER PAD A shoulder pad is thepadded cloth device that is sewn at the outerend of the shoulder, on the seam that joins theshoulder to the sleeve, to prevent shoulderbelts or leather straps from slipping off.

One of the first British experimental fielduniforms was fitted with shoulder pads insteadof shoulder straps. Other ranks of the ItalianArmy wore tunics with shoulder pads displaying the company number until 1923.

SHOULDER SLEEVE INSIGNIA TheAmerican term shoulder sleeve insignia,which describes cloth badges worn on theupper sleeves, is discussed under Formationsign.

SHOULDER STRAP A shoulder strap isworn on the shoulder of the uniform anddisplays rank insignia and/or branch-of-service insignia according to national custom andservice.

There are two types of shoulder straps the fixed type, which is sewn in the outer endsof the shoulder seam, and the detachabletype, which is usually stiffened by the additionof a cardboard frame inside and is technicallyknown as shoulder board.

Shoulder cords, which consist of gold,silver or braid cords, are different but aredealt with here because they originated fromthe epaulette, and, regardless of appearance,they are used for the same purpose. In anycase, it is impossible to divide the 'shoulderdevices' into separate categories. Germanfield officers, for example, wear twisted shoulder cords. while company officers have theircords set flat, which may, perhaps, moreproperly be called shoulder boards.

When the use of epaulettes was discontinued. some nations opted for shoulderboards, others for shoulder cords. Shoulderboards are retained by naval organizationsand by most of the Warsaw Pact armies;shoulder cords are still used on full dressuniforms and by the Volksarmee of theGerman Democratic Republic.

BritainThe officers and the warrant officer of theRoyal Navy use shoulder boards. faced withgold lace for flag officers and gold stripes andthe curl for other officers. The fool anchor insilver embroidery below two stars and the

194

I, Royal Navy Vice-Admiral 2_ 'Foul anchor'3, Lieutenant.

crown is worn by the Commodore 1st Class.Officers of all British naval organizations

wear shoulder boards, but with different rankinsignia and buttons.

In 1881 the rank insignia of army officerswere moved from the collar to the shouldercords of the tunic. Embroidered rank insigniawere also worn on the shoulder straps of thepatrol tunic, frock coat and mess jacket.

2

3

--------------------_ A-Z OF MILITARY INSIGNIA

1110

7

5

10. Merchant Navy 2nd Officer11. Royal Air Force Flight Lieutenant.

4, S. British 'crowns'6. Territorial Lieutenant7. Generals' insignia8. Rank 'star'9. Irish Guards 'star'.

195


22

21

IS

13

20

20. Italian Air Force 2nd Lieutenant, Engineers21,22. Branch of service discs for Fitter andElectrician.

19

12. Italian Army Generals13. Infantry badge for metal shoulder board14. Other ranks' Infantry badge for shoulder strap15. Grenadiers, field officers' shoulder board.

17

12

14

16

18

16. Colonial Rifles 17. Air Force other ranks18. Colonel Medical Corps 19. Italian avy'Tenente di Vascello'.

ItalyItalian army officers wore shoulder boards ondress and service dress jackets and fixedshoulder straps on their field uniforms.

Generals had shoulder boards coveredwith silver lace displaying the Savoy eagle or, in the case of generals of the commissariatand medical corps, branch insignia - and alsorank insignia, according to order of uniform.

In 1934 metal shoulder boards wereadopted for the officers' grey-green full dress,field officers had a thick ornamental edging,and a thinner stripe was worn by the others.The metal plate was mounted on a backing inbranch-of-service colour, and the branch-ofservice badge was detachable. Sergeants andthe rank and file wore a pentagonal brass plateon the shoulder straps of the dress jacket.

The cloth shoulder boards of officers' whitesummer uniform displayed rank insignia,while those worn on the grey-green servicedress indicated branch of service in the formof piping and the embroidered badge, andfield officers' class of rank was shown bymeans of a stripe of gold lace.

Black shoulder boards were used on theblack full dress and on the khaki uniform usedin the colonies, with branch-of-service badgesand rank stars embroidered on black felt.

Navy flag officers had shoulder boardscovered with gold lace. The shoulder boardsof the other officers were dark blue, with agold embroidered edging stripe for seniorofficers. All wore the crown and rank stars.

Air force personnel, who had grey-blueuniforms, used grey-blue shoulder boards,covered with gold lace for the officers of airrank and with the additional gold embroidered edging stripe for senior officers. Officers'shoulder boards had additional twisted cordsaround the edges.

The crown, branch insignia and rank starswere worn by all officers, and the shoulderboards of non-flying officers carried piping inbranch-of-service colours. Airmen in fulldress wore the air force emblem in brass onthe centre of the shoulder straps, and below it,on the outer ends, the branch of service disc.

Germany1939-45 During World War 1I Germanofficers displayed rank insignia on the shoulder cords, and the coloured base on which thecords were placed identified branch of service.The type of shoulder cords identified class ofrank: generals, officers of air rank and navyflag officers wore three interlaced cords, twoof gold and one of silver. Field officers andsenior officers of the other two services hadtwo silver double cords interlaced, and theother officers had their cords set straight onthe coloured backing.

On dress and service dress uniforms thecords were of bright gold or silver, while thoseused on the field uniforms were dull.

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2S

23

26

24

29

27

30

28

23. Lieutenant Colonel, Artillery 24. Major, Cavalry or Flying Personnel25. 1st Lieutenant, Mountain Troops 26. 'Feldwebel', Infantry

27. 'Armeegeneral' 28. Colonel, Air Force 29. Captain, Armour 30.'Oberfeldweben', Signals.

The officers of all three services used thesame type of shoulder cords and rank stars.Those of the army and of the air force wereplaced on coloured backing according to theirbranches of service (see Collar insignia), whilenavy officers had a dark blue backing.

Musicians had silver and red cords, andadministrative officials wore a dark greenbacking under the shoulder cords.

The other ranks wore detachable shoulderstraps. Initially they were made of darkbluish-green cloth, but later during the warthey were made of field grey uniform cloth.These shoulder straps displayed rank insignia

in the form of bright or dull silver stripes andwhite metal stars and piping in branch ofservice colours. Dress shoulder straps couldalso show the number of the unit or bear aspecial badge in metal or embroidery. according to rank.

Tankmen wore black uniforms and blackshoulder straps, airmen had grey-blue shoulder straps and naval personnel wore shoulderstraps with pointed ends made of dark bluecloth with gold accessories.

German Democratic Republic: TraditionalGerman rank insignia were adopted for the

armed forces of the German Democratic Republic. Officers' shoulder cords and noncommissioned officers' lace stripes wereidentical to those used before 1945, but rankstars differed. Five-pointed silver stars wereadopted for army generals and equivalentranks of the other services, and smaller, fourpointed stars of gold and silver were worn bythe other officers and non-commissionedofficers.

Underlays to the cords in branch-of-servicecolours were re-introduced (see Collar insignia) for the army. Bluish-green was adoptedfor the whole air force.

197


10

5

2

7

12

4

9

x6

XI

11

3

8

SHOULDER STRAP BADGE

FilllandBranch-of-service badges were worn by noncommissioned officers and privates on theshoulder straps of the service dress (on paradeand walking-out order) and of the greatcoatuntil 1967. The badges could be worn in

while the Hungarians and Rumanians havenarrower boards.

Those of the army officers of the Rumanian Socialist Republic display longitudinalcoloured stripes according to class of rank andpiping as on the shoulder boards of the SovietArmy. Warrant officers are identified by silverchevrons and small bars, and non-commissioned officers wear gold stripes.

In the 1920s the Hungarian Army adoptedcollar patches that identified rank and branchof service, while the air force had shoulderstraps instead. Stiff, detachable shoulderstraps were introduced for army personnelafter World War 11, but they were latermodified to fit into the seam of the shoulder.The positioning of the rank stars was changedso that they faced inward.

Generals wear gold lace shoulder straps.Field officers have a stripe of gold lace in thecentre of the shoulder straps on which one,two or three large silver stars are pinned.Company officers have smaller brass starspinned directly on to the shoulder straps.

Those of the officers and warrant officershave twisted gold cords around the edges,while senior sergeants have silver cords. Acombination of silver stripes and gold or silverstars identify warrant and non-commissionedofficers.

39

~35

37

33

32

* 41

34436 X

38

31. Captain, Infantry 32. Junior Sergeant,Armour 33. Field officers' 'star' 34, 35, 36, 37.Modern branch of service badges for Sovietshoulder boards.

38. Rumanian Colonel, Border Guards39. Rumanian Sergeant, Infantry40. Hungarian Lieutenant Colonel, BorderGuards 41. 'Star' of rank, company officers.

I. Infantry 2. 'Jager' 3. Guards 4. Signals5. Armour 6. Engineers 7. Anti·Aircraft8. Field Artillery 9. Coast Artillery 10. ServiceCorps 11. Air Force 12. Frontier Guards.

Piping

black 40redblackblack

red

raspberry redred

blueblack

dark green

Infantry and CommissariatArtillery, Armour, and

Medical Veterinary andLegal Services

CavalryEngineers and Technical

Staff

The colours of the other ranks shoulderboards and piping were:

Shoulderboard

raspberry redblackblueblack

InfantryArmourCavalryEngineers and

TechnicalTroops

Medical andVeterinaryService

Soviet UnionThe shoulder boards were the most importantitem of the Imperial Russian Army uniform asthey displayed rank, branch of service andregimental insignia. Many types were used, incoloured cloth or khaki, with or withoutpiping and with metal or embroidered cyphersand regimental numbers. All were abolishedin 1917.

They were re-adopted, however, in January 1943. Officers of combatant brancheshad gold or yellow silk lace shoulder boards,and non-combatants in dress order wore silverboards. Marshals and generals had gold laceand silver stars on their shoulder boards, andfield officers had two stripes of branch-ofservice colours woven in the lace and largestars. Company officers' boards bore onestripe and smaller stars. The other ranks woreshoulder boards in branch-of-service colours,with lace stripes for non-commissionedofficers.

The following were the colours of thepiping of the officers' shoulder boards:

The shoulder boards of the field uniform werekhaki with red stripes for officers, and anouter piping in the colours of the branch ofservice. Other ranks wore coloured piping andcoloured rank stripes according to branch ofservice.

The personnel of the air force used shoulder boards with light blue piping, and navalpersonnel had dark blue piping for the linebranch with other colours for the servicebranches.

The branch-of-service badges were modified in 1955. All were reduced in size, somewere changed - for example the badge of thearmour, the tank, was modernized - andothers were abolished.

Bulgarians wear shoulder boards similar insize and appearance to those of the Russians,

198


26

20

17

23

of various military organizations.Embroidered branch-of-service badges

were worn by soldiers on the M.1936 great-

13. Helsinki HcadcluartcrsCompany 14. HorseArtillery Battery ol'the Cavalry Bri~ade.

15. Regular Army officers 16. Artillery School17, 18, 19. 'Pohjanmaan', 'Karjalan' and ·Sat3kunnan' Field Artillery Regiment 20,21. 'lager'and 'Pohjois-Karjalan' Independent F. A.Battery 22,23. 'Suomclllinnan' and 'Turun'Coast Artillery Regiment 24. 'Helsingin' AntiAircraft Regiment 25, 26. 'Tamparcen' and'Pohjanmaan' A.A. Batter)'.

24

21

18

15

19

16

(Kuolo) were used at the Naval School, as thecoast artillery organization was dependent onthe navy.

Numbers were also worn below the badgeof the service corps to identify the battalions.The air force had a winged propeller with aswastika in its centre. A bear and two fir twigsover a sword were depicted in the badge of thefrontier guards and symbolized their task inthe northern forests.

Many other badges were worn, includingthe bugle of the Jugers and the crossed swordsof the cavalry. In addition, letters of thealphabet were combined to display the initials

22

25

13

combination with letters of the alphabet ornumbers identifying a specific unit or organization, a custom that was abandoned duringWorld War 11.

The crossed rifles of the infantry could beworn above: P (Pori Regiment); U (UusimaaRegiment); T (Tampere Regiment); V (Viipuri Regiment); KS (Central Finland Regiment) or PS (North Savo Regiment).

The Jugers badge, which depicted crossedskiis above a bicycle wheel. was worn abovethe battalion number, I, 2 or 3. The wheatsheaf, which was taken from the coat of armsof Vaasa. was the emblem of the Guardsbecause Vaasa was the headquarters of theFinnish White Guards during the Civil War.The badges of the signals and of the engineersare easily identifiable, and both were alsoworn with an E underneath by personnel ofindependent companies. The 'iron clutch'was, and still is, the emblem of the armouredcorps.

The badge of the field artillery was aflaming grenade. which could be worn aboveregimental numbers or above another badge,the Finnish lion on top of a tower, whichidentified the Juger Artillery Regiment. Thepersonnel of the anti-aircraft batteries worethe anti-aircraft artillery badge above a swastika. The swastika was a traditional Finnishand Estonian emblem, unrelated to the swastika adopted in the Third Reich. The badge ofthe coast artillery was two crossed gun barrels,and it was worn by the personnel of theheadquarters coast artillery and coast defencestaff, above the numbers I, 2 or 3 by personnel of the regiments and above number 4 bythe 4th Indpendent Coast Artillery Battery.The crossed cannons above the initial K

14

199


8

7

5

I. Fusilier Guards 'Princes (rene' 2. 'Garderegiment Jagers' 3. 'Stoottroepen' Regiment4. Infantry 5, 6. 'Johan Willem Friso' and 'Menno van Coehoorn' Infantry Regiment 7. Artillery8. Engineers 9. Medical Corps 10. Quarter-master StafT.

HollalldAfter World War 11 regimental and branch-ofservice badges were adopted by the Netherlands Army for wearing on other ranks' shoulder straps. Initially these badges were made ofbrass; later they were of anodized metal.

The Fusilier Guards Priflses lrefle Regiment traces its origins to the Royal Netherlands Brigade, which was formed in Britain inJanuary 1941. It was redesignated Primeslrelle Brigade on 27 August 1941 and becamea regiment in 1946, a guards regiment in 1948and a fusilier guards regiment in March 1952.

The Garderegiment lagers traces its originsto a regiment formed in 1665, and it becamejager in 1939. Re-formed in 1947, it assumedthe present title the following year.

The SlOollrOepell Regiment derives fromthe Netherlands Interior Forces of wartimeand was formed in September 1944. Regiments that were formed in the 19405 but didnot possess a traditional emblem were grantedthe infantry badge, although some were entitled to wear special badges, such as theInfantry Regiment Johafl Willem Friso andthe Infantry Regiment Menno van Coehoorll,which obtained their regimental titles andspecial badges in 1950 and 1953, respectively(Bibl. 120, 121).

Other badges were used by the personnelof the artillery. engineers, medical corps andquartermaster staff.

These badges were abolished in 1963 whenthe regimental and branch-of-service insigniawere transferred to the collar (see Collarinsignia). Some were re-adopted in smallersize, but the patterns of others were changed.

coat, on the summer blouse and on the fieldtunic. l1lustrated are those of the HelsinkiHeadquarters Company and of the HorseArtillery Battery of the pre-war CavalryBrigade.

Regular army officers wear the Finnish lionon their shoulder straps.

In 1967 new metal badges were adopted forthe individual units of the various branches ofservice. The examples shown are all artillerybadges.

The first is the badge of the school, followed by three regimental badges of the fieldartillery and by the badges of two independentbatteries. The coast artillery is composed oftwo regiments and three batteries. The antiaircraft artillery has onc regiment and fourbatteries, of which two badges are shown.

SHOULDER TAB A shoulder tab is a rectangular device, worn on the outer end of theshoulder in lieu of a shoulder strap. They wereand still are worn by US Army officers,although now on dress uniform only, to display rank insignia and branch-of-servicecolour.

200


both are equal, they are collected singly. Theyhave been used for more than a century, andthe scope is vast. Often a regiment's basichistory may be traced by its shoulder titles:15th (The King's) Hussars and 19th (QueenAlexandra's Own Royal) Hussars merged toform 15th!l9th The King's Royal Hussars.Large shoulder titles were eventually replacedby smaller versions or changed to differentversions, or even abolished altogether.

Many were changed, often several times.The East Yorkshire Regiment, for example,changed the spelling of its title in 1921, andthe first version of the title of The Duke ofWellington's Regiment (West Riding) spelledWEST RIDING until 1915, followed byDUKE OF WELLINGTON'S or DUKE OFWELLINGTON, both on three lines, the lastversion being curved upwards and followed bythe initials DW in 1931, and, in 1970, byDWR in anodized metal. The Durham LightInfantry, in common with all light infantryregiments, wore its title in combination with abugle: DURHAM and DLI below the bugle;the bugle and DURHAM in brass as a onepiece badge; and the same but in white metal,later anodized aluminium.

Four variants of the Royal Artillery shoulder titles existed: the obvious RA, RFA(Royal Field Artillery), RHA (Royal HorseArtillery) and RGA (Royal Garrison Artillery). There were others for volunteer andterritorial brigades.

Territorial infantry battalions were usuallyidentified by a T above the battalion's numberor above the baualion's title; rine baualionsused blackened shoulder titles. The initial Ybelow the T was worn by yeomanry regiments, and volunteer battalions wore V inwhite metal below a number. Several otherswere also available (Bibl. 68). The number,the T or V and the title were often wornseparately, or they were roughly solderedtogether. Some were made by local firms; forinstance, the T over 5/6 of the North Staffords, which was made in 1961.

Regiments of foot guards had specialshoulder titles, and fusiliers also wore thegrenade, a blank grenade or the regimentalgrenade.

Officers' training schools had innumerableshoulder titles, and the latest restructuring hasled inevitably to the formation of new regiments and new shoulder titles, some of whichare made of brass, some of anodizedaluminium and some of black metal.

The coloured cloth shoulder title was wornon bauledress until the battledress wasabolished. It had been invented and wornbefore then, however, even by some volunteer battalions from about 1900 (Bibl. 72).

29

21

JJ:D18

2S

31

17

28

30

24

19

26

mv16

(31. The Royal Anglian Regiment) and theblack titles (4th Battalion The WiltshireRegiment (The Duke of Edinburgh's)) of therine battalions.

1311

RBG ern2

fi[B mtmB3 4

B::G I7:L5 6

!XL :xIIXL7 8

.o:s:a ..9 10

o~

BritainShoulder titles were adopted in 1881 as acomplementary device of regimental or corpsidentification, and they were initiallyembroidered on the outer ends of the otherranks' shoulder straps of the tunic. Later,metal titles were adopted, and, because theywere cheaper and detachable, they slowlyreplaced the embroidered versions. The metaltitles were made of brass or white metal, andthey were fastened on to the shoulder strapsby means of a split pin.

Shoulder titles are worn in pairs. but, as

Aselection of British shoulder titles made ofbrass, white metal (22. The LancashireHussars), gilt and silver (28. The RoyalNorthumberland Fusiliers), anodised metal

SHOULDER TITLE An insignia worn onthe shoulder to identify the regiment or corpsof the wearer is known as a shoulder title. Theterm generally refers to badges that are wornon the shoulder straps and on the top of thesleeve, provided that the badge spells out thetitle or name of the regiment or corps.

201


The Army Council Instructions of 18 September 1940 specified that 'all ranks [of theFoot Guards] will wear the authorized regimental designation in worsted at the top ofeach sleeve of the blouse, ie, above the corpsor divisional sign', and that 'warrant officers,non-commissioned officers and men will wearon the shoulder strap of the battledress blousethe authorized worsted titles, except as ordered otherwise by the local military authorityduring active operations'. It is clear that theGuards, although prevented by the sameinstruction from wearing arm-of-service strips(see Arm-of-service strips), were the firstregiments to be given shoulder titles, whilethe other regiments and corps obtained theofficial permission to wear slip-on cloth titlesinstead.

The guards wore shoulder titles that wereembroidered on felt, the letters with serifs.The Grenadier Guards wore white on red andthe Welsh Guards wore white on black, withsquare ends. The other three regiments woretitles with rounded ends.

The colours of the shoulder titles of thebranches of service were based on those of thearm-of-service strips, with an extra colourwhen necessary. Except the rifle regiments allthe infantry had white lettering on scarlet, theKRRC and the Rifle Brigade had rifle-greenbadges with red and black lettering, respectively, in accordance with the regimentalpiping. The Royal Ulster Rifles, the Gurkhasand other regiments adopted black on greentitles, others red on green, like the KRRe.

The regiments of light infantry wore shoulder titles with white lettering on scarlet; TheDuke of Cornwall Light Infantry had CORNWALL and DCLI titles, in white on a scarletbackground. The Durham Light Infantrywore initials on the metal title only, andDURHAM LI on the cloth shoulder titles.Later, all the light infantry regiments changedto yellow lettering on a light infantry-greenbackground.

Some Scottish regiments adopted shouldertitles, but others chose to display the regimental flash (see Shoulder flash) as their onlyidentifying device.

The first pattern of shoulder titles issuedduring the war were made in two versions:embroidered on felt or printed on cloth.

The shoulder titles of the Royal Artilleryhad red letters on blue, while the RoyalEngineers had blue letters on a red background. Many among the other branches andthe full corps title on the badge as well as ashoulder title bearing the initials only; forexample ROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORPSand RASe.

After the war, the. prefix 'Royal' wasgranted to many regiments and corps, andthereafter their shoulder titles were changed:the CMP (Corps of Military Police) becameRMP (Royal Military Police), and the AD

202

'i'l\LTSHIRt

K c-"'!.. ...:J •.L. .

\')\JRHAM L.t.

A selection of self-explanatory wartime clothshoulder titles embroidered on coloured feltaccording to the rules established by the A.C.instructions ofSeptember 1940 (see Arm-ofservice Strip). Most were machine embroideredor printed but ~ome were hand embroidered ormade of metal . After World War Il many

~.A. M.C.

~~.COMMANDO


CORPS (Army Dental Corps) became theRADC (Royal Army Dental Corps) in 1946.

Personnel of the Army Air Corps, of theParachute Regiment and of the Glider PilotRegiment initially wore light blue titles withdark blue lenering. The Parachute Regimentlater adopted maroon titles to match thecolour of their berets.

After World War II many regimentsadopted new shoulder titles in regimentalcolours. These were based on the colours ofthe facings of their predecessors. The EssexRegiment had inherited the yellow from the44th and the purple red from the 56th Foot,the former East and West Essex regimentsthat amalgamated in 1881.

Some extraordinary titles appeared as aresult. The hand-embroidered title of TheHampshire Regiment is a beautiful example.In the post-war years The Durham LightInfantry had three shoulder titles, DURHAMLI was used by other ranks, the full regimental title in yellow on green was used by officersand the same, but with red letters, belongedto the 6th territorial battalion.

As regiments were amalgamated, newtitles had to be made for the new unit, whichusually bore the name of both its predecessors. Some very large shoulder titles appeared, including that of The North SomersetYeomanry & 44th RTR.

The Royal Air Force Regiment, which wasraised in 1942, was formed by ground personnel employed primarily in the defence of RAFinstallations. Another well known RAF shoulder title is that of the Air Training Corps,which is in light blue capital letters on a greyblue background.

The shoulder title was also used as a deviceto identify nationality. During World War 11many volunteers from other nations joinedthe armed forces in Britain and elsewhere.and they wore special 'nationality' shouldertitles, which were more numerous in the airforce than in the other services. The white onred POLAND titles, used by the Polish Armyin Italy, were made in Italy; the badge at thebottom is made of meta!. Officers in the RAFwore curved nationality titles embroidered inlight blue thread on a grey-blue background,while the other ranks had titles in light blue ona dark blue or black background, which wasusually rectangular in shape. However. allranks wore red lettering and badges on khakion their tropical uniforms.

Other RAF nationality titles includeNorway, Belgium, Mexico (Bib!. 166), Australia, Canada, Channel Islands. Newfoundland, Rhodesia and South Africa.

The Canadians retained the shoulder titleas a national insignia. and. according to anidentification booklet published by NATO inthe 1950s, the Norwegian Air Force still worethe ORWAY title on the left sleeve, whilearmy personnel had NORGE in white lener>

RHODESIA

infantry regiments adopted shoulder titleswhich displayed regimental colours and oftenindividual battalions wore different titles(see Durham Light Infantry). Nationalily titleswere worn by Commonwealth and foreigncontingents attached to the British armedforces (see nexl page).

203


on a khaki background.The personnel of the Home Guard wore

shoulder titles with yellow or black letters onkhaki; below the title were two badges, oneabove the other, displaying the county ortown initials and the unit's number. Theyellow letters were embroidered or painted,but the initials and numbers of the badgeswere printed.

COllatioThe Canadian Army used large and verycolourful cloth shoulder titles during WorldWar 11.

The 7th/11th Hussars was a regimentformed in 1937 by the amalgamation of the7th and of the 11 th Hussars. The 8th Hussarswas redesignated 8th Princess Louise's NewBrunswick Hussars in 1922. The CameronHighlanders of Ottawa (see Cap badge)became a machine gun unit in 1939, and theThree Rivers Regiment was deployed as atank unit during World War 11.

United States of AmericaShoulder titles are called 'shoulder tabs' inAmerica, and they have never been used aswidely as in Britain.

The Rangers wore shoulder tabs on the leftupper sleeve during World War 11, and sevenof their battalion tabs exist. Other tabs appeared after the war (see Formation sign) andin the 19505. Location tabs - Panama,Okinawa and so on - were also used (Bibl.166).

The raising of special forces started an urgefor individuality among US Army units, andin Vietnam especially many tabs wereadopted, although most were unofficial. Divisional and regimental airborne-ranger detachments adopted their own in colour orsubdued, which were worn on field dressabove the shoulder sleeve insignia.

The US Navy uses shoulder tabs to identifythe name of ships in the same way that othernavies use the tally.

SLlP-O Derived from the verb to slip, ie,to move smoothly along a surface, a slip-onrefers to a piece of cloth, doubled up and sewnat the back. which is worn slipped on theshoulder strap. It is usually worn on theshoulder straps of the summer shirt, shirtsleeve order, field uniform, or any otheruniform that requires frequent washing.

Depending on national custom, a slip-oncould carry any type of insignia - regimental,divisional, branch-of-service or rank insigniaor other. In the US Army, for instance, theCombat leader insignia is worn on a green slipon.

The Austrian Army uses the slip-on asrank insignia for the field uniform.

In the British Army the slip-on had different roles. It was used to display regimental

204

\).55. HOLLANO

\.I.S.S_OES MOINt:S

\I.S5. STURGI:OJlj

1

3

5

11

8

2

4

7

9


11

10

13

15

Slip-ons used by the Austrian Army: I. Brigadier 2. Lieutenant Colonel 3.Lieutenant 4. 'Vizcleutnant' 5. 'Offizierstellvcrtreter'. The slip·on coulddisplay a regimental designation (6. The East Yorkshire Regiment (TheDuke of York's Own) 8. The I)evon and Dorset Regiment), a 'formationsign' (7. Australian Army Headquarters) or 'rank insignia' (8. 2nd

Lieutenant 9. Polish Army Lieutenant Colonel). 10. Ilolish Army slip-onwith plastic shoulder title and metal formation sign. 11. Italian slip-onwhich displays title, formation sign and rank insignia 12, 13. Swiss Armyslip-ons with unit number on branch ofscnice colour and also rankinsignia 14. Jordanian Army GeneraliS. Yugoslav Army First Captain.

devices, or a formation sign could be worn ona slip-on on shirt sleeve order. From the1960s, the slip-on incorporated the rank insignia and the regimental title.

During World War II the Polish 2nd corpsadopted removable rank insignia for wearingon the summer shirt, and a special slip-on, orflap, was worn, which fitted under the outerend of the shoulder strap and on which were

displayed the shoulder title and formationsign. The Polish 2nd corps was in Italy at thattime, and after the war the Italian Armyadopted the same type of slip-ons. furtherdeveloping the Polish patterns until the integral slip-on and flap appeared, which carriedall the insignia.

The Swiss Army uses slip-on tabs with thenumber of unit on branch-of-service colour

for the rank and file, with numerals andstripes for officers.

The slip-on rank insignia of a general of theJordanian Army as worn on battlcdress isillustrated.

The Yugoslav Army has perfected a styleof slip-on shoulder strap, in which can beinserted the shoulder strap of the shirt, bothfastening with the same button.

205


SPECIALITY INSIGNIA A speciality is anactivity or job at which the person who carriesit out is particularly proficient. In the contextof this book it refers to individuals, known asspecialists, who have attended a special courseor school.

All tradesmen are classed as specialists insome armies. In the British Army the skill-atarms badges are speciality insignia, and theseinclude the wings of the parachutists and ofthe glider pilots.

Before an independent signal corps wasinstituted, the signallers of most armies wereclassed as a speciality of the engineers. Andfurther back in time, the grenadiers, lightinfantry, rifle and mountain troops werespecialists of the infantry.

SQUADRON INSIGNIA The badges of airforce squadrons are known as squadron insignia; they are worn by air crews on the breastof their flying jackets or overalls.

Squadron insignia were initially painted onthe fuselage of aircraft, but during World WarI some were reproduced in cloth or metalversions (see Distinctive insignia andSweetheart badge) and worn on the uniformby members of the squadrons.

The custom of wearing these badges spreadduring World War 11, and groups, commandsand other air force organizations lateradopted the practice.

The badge used in the 1950s by the Italianacrobatic team, 'Red Devils', which won theinternational aerobatic competition at Soesterberg, Holland, is painted on leather. TheUS Air Force badge of the 366th FighterBomber Group is woven.

STAR The knowledge of small items such asstars to indicate rank is invaluable for thepositive identification of insignia and uniforms.

All armies use different types of rankinsignia, and many may be seen under variousentries in this book, particularly under Rankinsignia and Shoulder strap. However, mostarmies use stars in one way or another.

The Austrian star (see Rank insignia) depicts an edelweiss. The gold or silver starsworn by Belgian Army officers may be foundin either metal or embroidered versions, thelatter being embroidered directly on to thecollar patch.

The British star illustrated is that of themilitary division of the Order of the Bath. Inits centre are depicted the crowns of England,Scotland and I reland and the motto TrioJUllcta in Uno, which refers to the UnitedKingdom.

Before World War 11 the CzechoslovakArmy used five-pointed stars and threepointed stars in gold for officers, and threepointed stars in silver for senior non-commissioned officers. Now only five-pointed stars

206

are used; they are in gold for officers; smaller,silver stars are worn by non-commissionedofficers.

The officers of the Danish Army use threetypes of stars according to class of rank. Thelarge star identifies a major general, themedium star a major and the smallest wouldbe used by a 2nd lieutenant.

Two examples ofAir Force Squadron badges. Thefirst painted on leather belonged to the ItalianAcrobatic team, Red Devil. The second, woven,was the insignia of the 366 Fighter Bomber Group,USAF, stationed at Aviano, based in the 1950s.


SUBMARINE INSIGNIA Patches worn bythe crews of US Navy nuclear submarines areknown as submarine insignia. USS Nautilus,the first nuclear submarine, famous for itsvoyage across the North Pole, did not have abadge.

German officers have always worn fourpointed stars with the exception of the generals of the Volksarmee, who now use fivepointed stars. [n ITeland, the ITish officeTs'badges aTe called diamonds, as they aTesquare and display only an interlaced Celticdesign on the fouT sides. EmbToideTeddiamonds, worn from 1942 to 1944, wereTeplaced by the bronze pattern.

Gold or silver six-pointed stars were wornby Dutch officeTs on the collar patches until1963; two types may be found - those with asmooth or a lined sUTface. Officers' Tankinsignia and the otheT Tanks' badges andchevrons are now worn on the shoulderstTaps.

The Italian Army adopted metal staTs faTthe officeTs' shouldeT straps in 1973. They hadpreviously been embroidered in gold wire ormade of bTass, finished to imitate embroidery.The Norwegians use five-pointed staTS of anunmistakable pattern to identify officeTs'Tanks.

Field officers of the Spanish ATmy weareight-pointed stars, and company officerswear six-pointed stars. The two badges illustrated belong to the Civil War period.

3

9

6

8

4

5

7

10

13

11 12

15

I. Belgium 2. Britain 3. Czechoslovakia 4, 5, 6. Denmark, for generals, field officers and companyofficers 7. Germany 8, 9. Ireland 10. Holland 11, 12. Italy 13. Norway 14, IS. Spain.

Two woven badges of the US Navy of thenuclear submarine USS 'Swordfish' and ofthe USS 'GeoTge Washington' respectively.

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SWAGGER STICK The stick carried byBritish officers and warrant officers on duty asan insignia of command is called a swaggerstick.

Some swagger sticks are made of polishedwood, others are covered with leather; alldisplay the regimental badge embossed on thesilver knob.

SWALLOW'S NEST Also known as wings,the swallow's nest are the flaps worn bybandsmen on the outer ends of the shoulders.

SWEETHEART BADGE Badges of militarytype were bought by soldiers for theirsweethearts, who wore them as brooches.They became very popular during World WarI, when all kind of miniature replicas ofregimental badges were made on enamel orother decorative backgrounds for this purpose. There are at least two sweetheartbadges of the Cheshire Regiment, whichdepict the regimental badges used before andafter 1922. An enamelled brooch commemorates the battle of Ypres, and a set of Frenchmade badges displays the coats of arms oftowns that became well known during thatwar: Vimy, Bapaume, Combles, Peronne andso forth.

Beautifully executed in metal and colouredenamels, Royal Air Force squadron badgeshave always been very popular in miniaturereplicas, and they are still made with the StEdward's crown.

American distinctive insignia were alsoreproduced in small replicas as sweetheart

The British sweetheart badges shown here aremade of metal and enamel while the Soviet~souvenir'badges are made in anodised metal,painted.

208


The sword knot used by company officers of theItalian MVSN is shown on the len, followed bythat worn by the NCOsofthe AustroHungarian Army.

SWORD KNOT A strap with a tassel wouldbe worn wound around the hilt of swords,bayonets and daggers, or around the bayonet's frog, in a manner precisely described bydress regulations.

The knot was originally used 10 prevent thesword being lost in action, for the strap wastwisted around the wrist.

In Germany coloured side-arm knots hadthe precise function of identifying units downto company level, and in Italy gold knots, thepattern varying according to class of rank,were worn with the dagger by MVSN officers.

Non-commissioned officers of the ImperialAustrian Army displayed the national colours, yellow and black, on the side-arm knot.

badges or souvenirs; for example, the pinetree of the 92nd Division or the badge of the349th Infantry Regiment (see Distinctive insignia).

It is difficult to establish the differencebetween a sweetheart badge and a souvenirbadge. During World War I the Austrian RedCross produced a fan depicting portraits of allthe major A Istrian and German generals andbearing their signatures. These fans were usedby ladies.

In the Soviet Union souvenir badges related to military and other events are worn bymen and women. An aluminium badge depicting the ship Aurora could be purchased inLeningrad, and a number of badges weremade in 1967 to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the October Revolution.

•

The 50th anniversary of the foundation of theSoviet Union was commemorated by badges aswell as battles, famous leaders and militaryformations.

TTALLY Worn on sailors' hats, a tally is ablack ribbon used to identify the ship, navalestablishment or nationality of the wearer.

The seamen of the Volksmarine of theGerman Democratic Republic do not weartallies bearing the name of their ships, andAmericans wear the US Navy tally, and thename of the ship as a shoulder title.

The name of the ship is not usually displayed in wartime for security reasons. InBritain the initials HMS - His (or Her)Majesty's Ship - are used. The initials ORPstand for Okret Rzeczypospolilej Polskiej(Ship of the Polish Republic).

TIE See Arc.The pre-World War 11 British tallies displayed gold woven lettering which have now been replacedby yellow silk.

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A-Z OF M1L1TARY INS1GN1A _

TRADE INSIGNIA The distinguishingmarks identifying a man's specific job withinan organization are called trade insignia.

Trades have developed in different manners in the armed forces of different nations;therefore what constitutes a 'trade' in oncnation may be considered a speciality. aproficiency or a skill at arms in another.

BritainIn the British Army, trade badges are worn onthe right upper sleeve by the rank and fileonly, and they relate to jobs similar to civiliancrafts.

The crossed axes arc one of the best knownof the sappers' insignia, used in Britain byassault pioneers and in France by regimentalsappers of infantry.

British trade badges arc made of brass orembroidered thread. French badges were cutout from felt and partly or fully embroideredin thread or metal wire.

Other old British trade badges are thehorse bit and the cart wheel. Blacksmiths,fitters, welders and all trades related tomechanical engineering are identified by thehammer and tongs. Drivers' badges were allreplaced in 1950 by a star.

Letters of the alphabet within a wreath areused to identify groups of tradesmen; theletter A. for instance. includes almost fifty

trades, and these badges may be found withletters in capital, script or old English characters.

Instructors' badges are worn on the leftforearm: the 01 badge below a grenade, forinstance. was used by qualified instructors infield engineering, and the crossed signal flags,worn by instructors in signalling, was alsoworn by signallers as a skill-at-arms badge.This badge could be found in both small andlarge versions. the small pattern as illustratedor in brass or brass and enamel; while thelarge size was embroidered in coloured threadon khaki, embroidered in gold wire andcoloured thread on a black background orprinted. These are the modern variants, anddoubtless there are many others as the badgewas adopted in 1881.

MM and Rare skill-at-arms badges formotor mechanics and range takers, 1st class,Royal Artillery.

In the British Army musicians wear badgesof appointment on the upper right sleeve orabove chevrons, which could be worn on theforearms. The drummer badge shown is wornon full dress; brass or worsted drums are wornon other types of uniform.

Ge.rmanyDuring World War 1I the personnel of theGerman Army wore trade badges on the right

forearm, except for signallers and helmsmenof engineers assault boats, who wore theirbadges on the upper left sleeve. Airforcepersonnel wore trade badges on the leftforearm.

Similar circular badges were adopted bythe Bundeswehr in the 1950s for wearing onthe left forearm by specialists, includingofficers. These badges were embroidered ingrey cotton for specialists and in silver forofficers. The speciality badges of medicalofficers, veterinaries, dentists and pharmacistswere transferred to the shoulder straps in1972. and later, new specialists' badges in theform of wings, in gold, silver and bronzemetal, were adopted for wearing on thebreast.

The Volksarmee of the German Democratic Republic adopted oval badges, with theemblem initially embroidered in yellow. From1957 to 1966 it was embroidered in branch-ofservice colours, and later machine embroidered in silver grey cotton.

In both German organizations thesebadges are called specialists' insignia, but theyhave the same function as the trade badgesused in other countries.

HungaryMetal and enamel badges are worn on thebreast in Hungary to identify the specific trade

British Army trade badges are worn byqualified tradesmen below the rank ofsergeanton the upper right sleeve. Some ofthe badges

210

shown above are not technically 'trade', as forinstance the 'QI' worn by qualifiedinstructors below the rank of warrant officer on

the left forearm, and the drum which is abadge of appointment.

of the wearer and his degree of proficiency(see Proficiency insigna), from 3rd to 1st class.The shield below the flags is removable,fastening on the badge by means of a screwand a nut so that the wearer may change hisclass number if required.

Badges are available for tank drivers, armoured car and vehicle drivers, for tank,armoured cars and vehicle fitters, for signallers and signals technicians, for armamenttechnicians and for any other trade of thearmy and air force.

ItalyUntil 1934 the Italian army used gold or silverembroidered trade badges, according to

Pre-1945 German Army trade badges wereembroidered on dark green background, airforce badges on grey background. Grey oval

badges are used by the 'Volksarmee', arm}'.Melal trade badges which include a proficiencynumber are generally used by the Warsaw Pact


armies and five Hungarian badges have beenincluded.

211


The Italian Army trade badges are selr·explanatory, Spanish badges depict indetail the vehicle or weapon that thetradesman is qualified la handle.

TUFT Also known as a pompon, a tuft is thewoollen ball, of varying sizes and shapes,worn on the head-dress either as a plumeholder or as an ornament.

Coloured tufts used to be worn on the frontof kepis and shakos, above the cap badge, toidentify regiment or branch of service.

French sailors wear a red tuft on the centretop of their hats, and Italian Alpine troopswear an oval tuft in branch-of-service orbattalion colour on the left side of the hat as afeather holder.

branch of service for warrant and non-commissioned officers. After 1934 only goldbadges were worn. Badges embroidered inblack thread on uniform cloth were used inwartime, and embroidered in red thread onblack in the years between the world wars.Trade badges made of brass were made in1946-7 for drivers and motorcyclists.

Before 1915 tradc badgcs were embroidered in branch-{)f-scrvice colours. they thenchanged to black for reasons of camouflage. It isinteresting (0 nOle that the hadges of the machinegunners depicted the silhouette of a particulartype of machine gun: Fiat. St Etienne and Maximgunners wore slightly different trade badges. Thebadge of a driver depicted the motor car in useat the time. from the veleran cars of 1915 to therounded Aprilia of the late 1940s.

Trade badges on a khaki background appeared after World War 11, in coloured embroidery or in plastic, and trade badges set onan embroidered shield became a fashionablealternative in the 1950s.

Plastic shields were adopted in due course,and small metal and enamel shields were wornpinned on the left breast pocket of thesummer shirt.

Dress regulations published in (971 listed,described and illustrated the 32 insignia to beworn on uniform; all others were abolished.

SpainVarious types of trade badges have been wornin Spain since the Civil War; all are selfexplanatory, as the badges were made ofmetal and depict the weapon or vehicle handled by the tradesmen.

The half-track automitrailleuse de combatSchneider Pl6 (M29) and an Hispano Suizamay easily be identified among these badges.

1\1ft or Italian Alpine Engineers, other ranks.

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wWAFFENFARBE This German term meanscolour of arm or branch-or-service colour.

WINGS Three categories of badges are inthe form of wings: those used by aviators,those worn by airborne troops and the pro·ficiency insignia worn by the Warsaw Pactarmies.

ot all parachute brevets are displayed onthe uniform as wings as the parachute is theprincipal symbolic emblem of this speciality,and some other parachutists' badges are discussed under parachute insignia.

Aviatioll wingsMilitary aviation commenced during the firstdecade of this century with the sole purpose ofobserving the movements of the enemy; thetaSk of the observer was therefore as important as that of the pilot.

As independent air forces did not yet exist,'flyers' were distinguished from the rest of themilitary or naval personnel by special badges,and, appropriately, most nations chose wingsor eagles in flight.

Some countries opted for metal badges.The Austro-Hungarian pilots, for instance,had a golden eagle in flight set on an enamelled wreath of oak leaves, ensigned by thecrowns of the dual monarchy. The Austrianwings illustrated were adopted in 1956.

Britain: In Britain the first wings weregranted to qualified pilots in 1913, and whenthe Royal Air Force was formed five yearslater the initials in the centre of the wingswere changed from RFC (Royal Flying Corps)to RAF. Badges were embroidered on khaki.dark blue or black backgrounds. The observer's badge was adopted in September 1915and existed until 1942, when it was replacedby the navigator's wing. Air gunners wore ametal badge depicting a winged bullet from1923 to 1939, when it was replaced by thesingle wing with the initials AG. As a rule, thepilot was and is still distinguished by thedouble-winged badge, while the air crew wearthe single wing, a custom that was adoptedthroughout the Commonwealth.

The wing of the observer had at least 14feathers, while those of the other air crewbadges had only 12. All these embroideredwings, of both pilots and air crew, exist inpadded and in flat versions.

There are a dozen single wings with differ-

eot initials within the wreath or the parachute.Smaller wings, embroidered in metal wire

on grey-blue cloth, are worn on the messdress.


I. Austrian wings and a selection of pilot'swings (4,7) and air crew single wings of theRoyal Air Force.

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.=

13

10

14

12

9

10. Danish Fleet Air Arm Pilot I I. Frenchpre-World War I Pilot 12. 'Luftwaffe' Pilot13. Air Gunner/Flight Engineer 14. RumanianPilot/Bomber.The picture on the right shows a selection ofHungarian and Italian wings.

France: The French aviators obtained specialinsignia in 1913, which were worn on thecollar and on the right upper sleeve, later onthe left sleeve.

The collar badges depicted a five-pointedstar and a wing, in different colours accordingto class of rank. The sleeve badge was awinged propeller, embroidered in metal wirefor officers, a white propeller and red wingswith gold feathers for non-commissionedofficers, and a white propeller with red wingsfor the rank and file.

After World War I the sleeve badges werereplaced by qualification wings, with a star inthe centre for aviation personnel and a cogwheel for aerodrome specialists. The wingswere and are still worn above the right breastpocket of the tunic. Other ranks with flyingqualifications wore metal badges on the rightbreast of the tunic (Bibl. 28).

Denmark: In Denmark, as in Britain, the airforce is divided into two separate branchesand the helicopter pilots of Danish Fleet AirArm (see Curl) wear their wings on the lowersleeve.

Germany: During World War II German andRumanian airmen wore metal breast pocketbadges. The German qualification badgeswere adopted in March 1936, for pilot, observer, pilot/observer and for the wirelessoperator/air gunner. The air gunner/flight engineer's badge was instituted in 1942. Unqualified air gunners who had participated in atleast 10 operations in that role were granted abadge made of reversed metals in 1944, ie, asilver eagle on a darkened wreath.

The Rumanian air force had three badges,for pilot, pilot-bomber and for observer.

Hungary: The Hungarian badges illustratedwere adopted in 1975. Before 1931 metal andenamel badges of Austrian style had beenused. These were followed by gold or silverembroidered badges depicting an eagle inflight for the observer, and the same eagle,ensigned by the Hungarian crown, for pilots.After the war three types of badges, each inthree classes, were granted to aviators. Thepilots had a winged badge, similar to the oneillustrated but with a red, white and blueenamelled shield, according la class.Navigators had a bomb in place of the shield,and engineers were distinguished by a shieldabove a crossed hammer and spanner.

The wings with a wreath of a modern pilot1st class have an 18-carat gold finish; the wingsof the pilot 1st, 2nd and 3rd class without thewreath are made of polished brass. Thenavigators' wings have a slightly differentdesign (Bibl. 122, 123, 124).

214

Italy: During World War I Italian aviatorswore embroidered qualification insignia onthe left upper arm; pilots had an eagle in flightsurmounted by the crown. About 1919 theirbadge was changed to a winged propeller, andgold metal badges were introduced after 1923,when the Regia Aeronatica became an independent service. The fasces were added to thepilot's badge in 1935, while the observer'sinsignia depicted a winged sceptre surmounted by the crown.

The royal crown was replaced for pilotofficers only by the mural crown in 1948. Aircrew specialists had a series of white metalwings, with the speciality insignia in thecentre, which were re-adopted in the 19505.Warrant and non-commissioned officers of aircrews used a variety of unofficial badges,privately purchased. The pilots of the armylight aviation wear a torch combined with theeagle.

Japan: The Japanese pilots' badge was madeof silver and yellow silk with a gold metal starin the centre. It was worn above the rightbreast pocket.

Poland: The Polish flying eagle was adoptedin 1919 for pilots and with additional flashes oflightning for observers. The pilot's badge wasmade of white metal, the observer's in brass,but in 1928 a two-metal badge was institutedfor the dual qualification of pilot/observer,which had a silver eagle and gold wreath andlightning.

Some eagles carried the 'combat wreath',which was made of green enamel, in theirbeaks, and in 1933 qualifications of first andsecond class were introduced; the eagle of thelatter did not carry the gold wreath.

These badges were re-adopted in Britain in1942 with a number of modifications, and they


28

29

The Polish wings were worn on the left breastand lhe hook of lhe small chain was pinnedunder lhe lapel of lhe jackel.27. Japanese Pilol wings, followed by a selectionof differenl USAAF and USAF wings in embroidery and in melal: 28. Pilo129. TechnicalOhserver 30. Flighl Surgeon (made by Gaunl,London) 31. Pilo132. Navigator.The last picture shows four Soviet Air Forcewings with proficiency numbers.

were modified again in 1944 when initials wereplaced in the wreath to identify air crewqualifications: S (Air Gunner); R (RadioOperator/Air Gunner); B (Bomb Aimer); H(Flight Engineer).

Soviet Union: The Soviet aviators used towear two crossed swords and a propeller.sided by wings, with the red star in the centre,and the design of the modern badges is stillbased on these motifs. The propeller has beenreplaced by a shield, which displays the classnumber; as well as the class, there are threecategories of wings, with a large wreath, asmall wreath and with no wreath.

United States of America: The first American pilots' badges were awarded in 1913 to 14officers of the Signal Corps. Conventionalwings, of the type still worn today, wereadopted in 1917 in embroidery and in oxidizedmetal from December 1918. The wingedshield of the airplane pilot was adopted in ametal version in 1921, and the badges of thesenior pilot and command pilot were introduced in 1941.

By 1947, when the US Air Force becamean independent service, 21 different wingsexisted, and several others were added later.Although the average pattern was made ofoxidized metal, the wings of the flight surgeonwere of gilded brass. Others were embroidered in silver or in white silk on an olive drab

or a blue background.Different qualification wings were used by

the US Navy and by the US Marine Corps.

Parachute wingsAlthough experimental training in parachuting and gliding started in the 1920s, the firstqualification badges of these new specialitiesdid not appear until the late 1930s.

German parachutists obtained their badgein November 1936. and the French brevet derill/allterie de rair was adopted in 1937.

The British parachute wings were adoptedin 1940, and they are still in use althoughmany variants may be found, from the generalissue pattern embroidered in white and lightblue cotton to badges partly or whollyembroidered in metal wire; the latter for dressuniforms. The wings worn by the Special AirService vary from straight, to inclined down orupward.

Glider pilots wore their wings above theleft breast pocket. The badge of the 1st gliderpilot depicted the royal crest in full colourbetween two wings; the second qualificationdepicted a yellow G within a yellow circle andthe wings. The former badge is shown, inmetal embroidery, for use on full dress.

215


10

11

6

1,3. British Army parachute wings 2. Special Air Service 4. 1st GliderPilot S. Belgian Army Para/Command06.ltalian Army ParachutistM.1964, gold

7. French parachute wing M.1937 8. Spanish parachute badge9. Cambodian wings, basic hrevet 10. Ugandan wings, basic brevet11. US Army glider badge 12. 'Bundeswehr' badge M.19S7.

The l3elgian para-commando wings wereadopted in 1963, in gilt, silver and brassversions according to class of rank. A yearlater the Italians changed the parachutists'badge from a parachute to wings in gilt orsilver and with or without the star.

The basic US Army wings were adopted in1941, the senior and master (see Backing)being introduced in 1950.

There are innumerable types of wings.Most depict the winged parachute, or eaglesand the parachute. The BUlIdeswehr made anexception by adopting in 1957 a brevet badgesimilar to the German wartime clasps; thisbadge, however, was in use for only one year(Bib!. 30).

WOUND BADGE Although most armies

reward war wounds with a medal, the woundbadge is still used in Belgium in the form of astripe of gold or silver lace, 40mm (1IIlin) longand 4mm (V.in) wide, worn on the left uppersleeve and inclined by 30" towards the front ofthe wearer.

A similar insignia is worn in Italy, but thestripe measures 50 X 6mm (2 X V3in), and it isworn on the right sleeve.

The Red Army adopted two classes ofwound stripes, in gold or red braid, in July1942 to be worn above the left-hand side ofthe right breast pocket.

The British wound stripes used during bothWorld Wars were worn vertically on the leftforearm. A metal stripe, made especially forthis purpose, bears the inscription 'TheWounded Stripe' on its back plate.

The British 'wounded stripe' shown togetherwith its back plate.

216

BIBLIOGRAPHY

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

I.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.

10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.21.22.23.24.25.26.27.28.29.30.31.32.33.34.35.36.

Halldbuch der Ulliformkuude- Kn6tel-Sieg- H .G.Schulz 1937Miliwria-F. Wilkinson- Ward Lock & Co. 1969Batlle Dress- F. Wilkinson - Guinness Signatures 1969Batlledress LT. Schick - Weidenfeld & Nicholson 1978Felduniformell- F. Wiener- Wehr & Wissen 1975Miliwry Uniforms ill Colour- P. Kannik - Blandford 1968Miliwry Ulliforms 1689-1918- R.North and J. Berry- Hamlyn 1970Soldiers Soldiers- R.Bowood- Hamlyn 1965The Armies ofEllrope Today-O.von Pivka-Osprey 1974I Cralldi Reggimenli- V.Melegari - Rizzoli 1968Armi e Ulliformi (4 volumes)- Y.Melegari -e.G. E. 1980Armies ofIhe World 1854-1914 - D. Woodward - Sidgwick & Jackson 1978W W2 Combat Ulliforms & IlIsigllia- M. Windrow and G. EmblelOn- PSL 1977Airborne Warfare 1918-1945 - B.Gregory and J.Batchelor- Phoebus 1979Army UlliformsofW W2-A.Mollo and M.McGregor- Blandford 1973Naval, Marine and Air Fora Ulliforms ofW W2 - A.Mollo and M.McGregor- Blandford 1975Army UlliformsofW WI -A.Mollo and B.Turner- Blandford 1977Miliwry Collectables-J .Lyndhurst -Salamander 1983Idenlificalion Pamp"'et Nos 1,2 (Briwill) -J. Waring - WaringIdell1ificatioll Pamph/(JI Nos 3, 4 (Commonwealth) -J. Waring - WaringIdelllificalioll Pamp"'e' Nos 5,6. 7 (U.S.A.) -J. Warin£ - WaringIdemificatioll Pamp"'el N08 (Far Easl) -J. Waring - WaringIdelllificalioll Pamp"'et Nos 9, 10 (Europe) -J. Waring - WaringIdelllificatioll- Miliwry Service Publ. Co. - Harrisburg 1943Army Badges & IlIsigllia ofW W I (I) - G. Rosignoli - Blandford 1972Army Badges & IlIsigllia ofW W2 (2) - G. Rosignoli- Blandford 1975Army Badges & IlIsignia Sillce 1945 - G. Rosignoli - Blandford 1973Air Force Badges & Insigllia ofW W2- G. Rosignoli - Blandford 1976Navalalld Marine Badges alld IlIsigllia ofW W.2 - G. Rosignoli - Blandford 1980Parachwe Badges & IlIsignia oflhe World - R.J .Braggand R. Turner- Blandford 1979Les COSltll1teS elles Armes des Soldllls de 10US les Temps- L.&F. Funcken - Casterman 1967L" Ulliformeelles Armes des Soldllls du Premier Empire- (2 Volumes) - L.&F. Funcken - 1968/69L"Ulliforme et les Armes des Soldllls de la Cuerre 1914-18 (2 volumes) - L.&F. Funcken - 1972L"Ulliforme elles Armes des Soldllls de la Cuerre 1939-45- L.&F. Funcken - 1972L"Uniforme elles Armes des Soldals de la Cuerreell Demelle (2 volumes) - L.&F. Funcken -Casterman 1975n6Navy Uniforms. IlISigllia alld Warships ofW W II - W.N .Tantum IV and EJ .Hoffschmidt- WE Inc. 1968

AUSTRIA

37. Halldbuchftir Ullleroffiziere- H .Schmid v. B. 191738. A ustro-Hungarialllllfautry 19I 4-19/8-J .S. Lucas - Almark 197339. UlliformlLlfel des Dsterreichischen BWlllesheeres- Tyrolia 1974- wall chart40. Diellslgrad- tII.d Rallgabzeichen, Watfell ulld Aufsc"'agfarbell des DSlerreichischell Btlllllesheeres- P.Sappl 1980s- wall chart-H. Trllppelldiensf-Olagazine

BELGIUM

42. Cou/eurs el AltribUlS des Armes el Services- Ministere de la Defense Nationale 193943. Inslrucliol1 sur les Tel111eS de I'Armee- Force de Terre (Plates) c.1950s or e;lrly 1960s44. Emblemes de Cavalerie-J. P.Champagne - Everling 197045. L'A viatioll MililLlire Belge-Illsignes el Tradiliolls-J .P.Champagne - Everling 197246. IlIfamerie- Traditiolls -J. P.Champagne - Everling 197347. Sous Nos Ailes-J.A.Mangin. J .P.Champagne and M.A. Van Den Rul- Everling 197748. La Cavalerie-J .P.Champagne - Everling 197849. Artillerie-J.P.Champagne-Everling 1982

BRITAIN (AND COMMONWEALTH)

50. Dress Regulaliolls for Ihe Army 1900- David & Charles Reprints 197051. Regimelltal Badges worn illlhe Brilish Army 100 Years Ago- E.Almack FSA - F.Muller 1970

217

BIBLIOGRAPHY _

52.53.54.55.56.57.58.59.60.61.62.63.64.65.66.67.68.69.70.71.72.73.74.75.76.77.78.79.80.81.82.83.84.85.86.87.

Regimental Badges- TJ.Edwards, MBE-Gale& Polden 1951-1957Regimental Badges-TJ .Edwards, MBE - Revised by A.L. Kipling- Gale & Polden 1966-1968Regimental Badges-TJ.Edwards, MBE- Revised by A.L.Kipling-C.Knight 1974Military Badge Collecting J .Gaylor- L.Cooper 1971Head-dress Badges ofthe British Army (to 1918) - A.L.Kipling and H. L.King - F.Muller 1972Head-dress Badges ofthe British Army (from 1918) - A.L.Kipling and H.L.King - F.Muller 1979Heraldry in War-H. .Cole, OBE-Gale & Polden 1946Badges on Battledress - H. N. Cole, OBE - Gale & Polden 1953Badges and Insignia ofthe British Armed Services- W.E.May, W.Y.Carman andJ. Tanner-1974Badges and Emblems ofthe Services - .A.G. 1940Rank and Badges in the Navy, Army, RAF-E.C.Talbot-Booth-G.Philip & Son 1940Regimental Badges and Service Caps- Philip 1941Discovering Military TraditiollS - A.Taylor - Shire 1969Discoverillg English County Regiments - A.Taylor- Shire 1970Discovering British Cavalry Regiments - A. Taylor - Shire 1973Discovering Military Badges and Buttons- R.J. Wilkinson-Latham -Shire 1973Military Metal Shoulder Titles (Infantry) - R. Westlake- Verner 1977The Sharpshooters- B.Mollo - Historical Research Unit 1970Military Insignia ofCormvall - D. E.l vall and C.Thomas - Penwith 1976Supplement to the above title- 1976The Staffords 1881-1978 - G. Rosignoli - Rosignoli 1978British Airborne Troops- B.Gregory- Macdonald 1974British and Commonwealth Armoured Formations (/919-46) - D.Crow- Profile 1972Uniforms ofthe Royal Armoured Corps- M. Dawson - Almark 1974British Military Uniforms- w.V.Carman - Longacre 1962Cavalry Uniforms- R.&C. Wilkinson-Latham and J.Cassin-Scoll - Blandford 1969Infantry Uniforms- R.&C. Wilkinson-Latham and J. Cassin-Scott - Blandford 1970A Selection ofBadges Designs ofthe Canadian Forces- Gutta Percha & Rubber Lld (Canada)Croquis d' Insignes Armee Canadienne 1920-50- D.Mazeas- Mazeas 1970The Regimental Badges ofNew Zealand - D .A. Corbett - R. Richards 1970Journal ofthe Society for Army Historical ResearchThe Bulletin, ofthe Military Historical SocietyDispatch, ofthe Scottish Military Collectors SocietyCrown Imperial, ofthe Society forthe study ofthe History, Traditions and Regalia ofthe Forces oflhe CrownThe Formation Sign, ofthe Mililary Heraldry SocietyDespatch, Journaloflhe New South Wales Military Historical Society

CHI A (Republic 00

88. Dress Regulations - Ministry of Defence c.1970

FINLAND

89. Stusvoimat, Ennenja Nyt- K.J.Mikola and V.Tervasmaki - V.S.Salokangas-Porvoo90. Miesten Koulu 196591. Miesten Koulo 196892. Miesten Koulo 1969

FRANCE

93. L'Armee Frtltt(aise 1940- Editions Militaires lIlustrees94. Insignes des Troupes Aeroportees Fran(aises- C.Malcros-S.P. L. 197595. Les Insignes De Chasseurs- D.Desjardins- A.S.T. 198196. Uniforms ofthe French Foreign Legion - M. Windrow- Blandford 198197. Francais Voici Votre Armee (Service Nalional)98. Uniformes- Les Armees de I'Histoire- magazine

GERMANY

99. Uniforms and Organisation ofthe Imperial German Army 1900-1918-FJ .Stephens and G.J.Maddocks-Almark 1975100. Handbook on German Military Forces- US War Department 1943191. Uniforms, Badges and Intelligence Data, etc. ofthe German Forces- Bamards-wartime

218

BIBLIOGRAPHY

102. Die Waffell SS- Eille Dokumelltatioll- K.G. Klietmann - Der Freiwillige 1965103. Germall Army Ulliforms & IlIsigllia 1933-1945 - B.L.Davis- Arms & Armour 1971104. Germall Military Ulliforms & Insignia 1933-1945 - WE Ine 1967105. Germall Combar Uniforms S. R.Gordon-Douglas- Almark 1970106. Waffen SS-D.S.Fosten and R.J.Marrion-Almark 1971107. Waffen SS-M. Windrow and M.Roffe-Osprey 1971108. Uniforms ofthe SS (AlIgemeille 1923-1945)-A.Mollo- H.R.U. 1969109. Uniforms ofthe SS (Germanishce 1940-1945) - H.Page Taylor- H.R. U. 1970110. Ulliformsofthe SS (Verfiigungstruppe 1933-1939) -A.Mollo- H. R. U. 1970Ill. Ulliforms ofthe SS (Totenkopfverbiinde 1933-1945) - A.Mollo- H. R. U. 1971112. Ulliformsofthe SS (Sicherheitsdienst und Sicherheitspolizei 1931-1945) - A.Mollo- H.R. U. 1971113. Ulliformsofthe SS (Badges & unit distrillctions 1939-1945) - A.Mollo- H. R. U. 1976114. Orders, Decoratiolls, Medals alld Badges ofthe Third Reich - D.Littlejohn and CM. Dodkin - Bender 1968115. Waffell SS (vol. 2) R.J .Bender and H.Page Taylor- Bender 1971116. Waffell SS (vol. 3) - R.J .Bender and H.Page Taylor- Bender 1972117. Germall Ulliforms ofWorld War 2 - A. Mollo- MaeDonald & Janes 1976118. Uniformell 'lIId Abzeichell derdewschell Streitkriifte-1956

HOLLAND119. De Nederlalldse Marilliers- M.Bosseher and Van Dishoeek - 1966120. De Nederlalldse IlIfamerie- H. Ringoir and Van Dishoeek - 196812 I. Afsrammillgel/ ell Voortzettillgell der IlIfallterie- H. Ringoir- Ministry of Defenee- 1977

HUNGARY122. Ntiphadseregiink Jelvtillyei 1945-1970- Z.Sz6nldi and G .Talas- Eremgyiijtok - 1971123. Ntiphadsereg Jelvtillyei 1970-1976- S.Marton and G.Talas- Eremygyiijyok - 1976124. Ungarische Pilorell ulld Fallschirmjiiger Abzeiche1l1920-1945 -G .Talas- 1981

IRELAND125. All Cosalltoir-A Survey ofthe Ulliformsalld Insiglliaofthe Defence Forces-J .M.Hudson and F.G.Thomas-MinislryofDefenee-1975

ITALY126. RegolamelllOsulfUlliforme 1931- Ministero della Guerra- 1931127. Le Uniformi del Partito Naziollale Fascista A.XVII- S.A.L'Editriee - 1938128. Agellda AlI/llIario PNF XX -Domus-1941129. L'Ulliforme lralialla lIella SlOria e lIe//'Arte-A.Gasparinetti - Centro Internazionale di Uniformologia- 1961130. Uniformi della Marina- A. Gasparinetti -Centro Internazionale di Uniformologia - 1964l31. Ulliformi Milirari ltalialle 1861-1933 - E.&V.Del Giudiee -Bramante- 1964132. Ulliformi Mi/irari ltalialle 1934-1968 - E.& V.Del Giudiee-Bramante - 1968133. Regolamel/tosulle Ulliformi de//' EsercilO 1971- S.M.deIJ'Esercito- 1971134. Caricat!- R.Puletti-Capitol-1973135. La Marilla Militare lralitllla - S.M.della Marina136. Fregi, Mostrille, Distil/tivi della R.S.I. - H. Kiiehler-Intergesl- 1974137. Mostrille, Fregi, Distimivi del Regio EsercilO lraliallo lIella Secollda Guerra MOlldiale - G.Tarlao -I ntergesl- 1975138. Le Ulliformi Cololliali Libiche 1912-1942 - P.Croeiani and A.Yiotti - La Roeeia - 1977139. Regio EsercilO Italiallo-Ulliformi 1933-1940- R.Belogi - Belogi - 1978140. MVSN 1923-1943-G.Rosignoli- Rosignoli-1980141. 1/ Reggimemo 'Giovalli Fascisti' lIella Campaglla dell'Africa Sellemriollale 1941-1943 - A .Cioei - Elliei - 1980142. Le Ulliformi dell'A. 0.1. (Somalia 1889-1941) - P.Crociani and A.Yiotti - La Roeeia - 1980143. Italialli TUlli ill Divisa - E.& V.Del Giudiee - Albenelli - 1980144. Ulliformi e Distimivi dell' Esercito lraliallo 1933-1945 - P.Marzetti - Albertelli 1981145. Le Ulliformi ltalialle lIelle Tavole del Cotlice Cenlli - Editoriale Nuova 1982146. Le Divise del Duce- U.Perieoli - Rizzoli - 1983147. Atlame delle Ulliformi Mililllri Italiane 1934-1984 - E.&V.Del Giudiee-AlbertelJi 1984148. L' Ulliforme Grigio- Verde (1909-1918) A. Viotti- S.M.dell'Eseereito 1984149. IlIquadramemo della M. V S. N. e Sue Unita Comballemi - F.Seandaluzzi 1985

219

BIBLIOGRAPHY _

150. Disposiziolli s,tlle Ulliformi - Comando 40 e.A.Alpino- 198515). Aquilifer. magazineo!fhe Club ltaNano Srudi SlOrico·militari

JAPAN

152. Japallese Army Ulliforms alld Eqllipmellt- R. Dilley and Almark - 1970153. ImperialJapallese Army and Navy, Uniforms and Equipmem- 1973154. Japallese Army Halldbook 1939-1945 - A.J. Barker and Jan AlIan - 1979

POLAND

155. Qziellllik RozkazolV NI' 5 (Rek X XIV) - Naezelny W6dz i Minister Spraw Wojskowych - London 1941156. Zolnierz Po/ski - K. Linder- H. Wicwi6ra - T.Woinicki - Wydawnictwo Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej - 1965157. Polskie Symbole 1V0jskoIVe 1943-1978 - K. Madej - Wydawnictwo Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej - 1980158. Piechota 1938-1945 - Polisb Institute and Sikorski Museum - 1970-74

SPAIN

159. Uniformes Militares de la Gllerra Civil Espailola-J. M. Bueno - Editorial San Martin - 1971

SWEDEN

160. Svellk Soldat- L. L.Jung and R.Grahn- Overbenilhavaren - 1983

SWITZERLAND

161. Die Abzeichen der ScllIveizer Armee- Herausgeber- 1976

USA

162. The Officer's Gllide- The Military Service Pub!. Co. -1942. 9th Edition163. The Officer's Gllide- Stackpole Books- 1972, 36th Edition164. The N(f/iollal Geographic Magazille Vol. LXXXIII, No: 6-J une 1943165. Come ricolloscere le Forze Armate degli Stati Ulliti - US War Information Office - US 724 IT166. Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, Insignia of Rank, Service Ribbons, Decorations and Insignia o/the VS Armed Forces - Jocl & Aronoff167. American Badges and Insignia - E. E. Kerrigan and L.Cooper- 1967168. Field Artillery Bat/aliolls ofthe US Army (I) -J .A.Sawicki - 1977169. Field Artillery Bat/aliolls ofthe US Army (2) -J .A.Sawicki - 1978170. Illfalltry Regiments ofthe US Army-J .A.Sawicki - 1981171. Tradillg Post, ofthe Americall Society ofMilitary IlIsigllia ColleclOrs, and the folowing A.S. M.l.e. catalogs:172. Cloth Patch a/the V.S. Armed Forces-Headquarters, Commands, Bases, Theatres, Army Groups, Annie!,. Divisions liU51173. Cloth Patch ofthe US. Armed Forces- Divisiolls 5110 157, Army Corps174. Cloth Patch ofthe US. Armed Forces- Armoralld Cavalry175. Cloth Patch ofthe US. Armed Forces-/llfalltry alld Artillery176. In/awry Distinctive Insignia177. Armorand Cavalry Distinctive Insignia178. Engineers Distinctive Insignia - with supplement179. A rmy A viation Distinctive Insignia180. Transportation Distinctive Insignia181. S[(lte Guard Distinctive Insignia

U.S.S.R.

182. Ulliforms alld IlIsignia ofthe Soviet Army 1918-1958 -OV. Haritonov- Leningrad Artillery Historical Museul1l- 1960183. L'Armata Rossa e le Slle Ulliformi (/917-1945) E&Y. Del Giudice - Edizioni Equestri - 1976

220

INDEXNumbers in iwlics refer to illustrations in the Historical Section

Aides-de-Camp (ADC)jn~ignia27.66

Aigrelle66Aiguillelles 25-7. 66Air forces insignia 52-6. 62

see al.\'O Royal Air Force;Wings

Airborne forces. badges50-2see also Pamchute

insignia; WingsAlbania. cap badges 79Anti-Aircraft Command.

Brigade. and Divisionalformation signs 153. 15-t

Anti-partisan war badge 59Yugoslav WWII partisan

award 141Are67Argyll & Sutherland

Highlanders (PrincessLouise's) cap badge 86

Arm badge 67-8Ann-of-serviee strip 68-9Arm shield 40Armband. Armlet 38-40.

64.69-70AmlOur JArmoured Brigade. .\th.

formation sign 152Armoured Divs. 6th. 7th.

56th. formation signs152-5

Army Air Corps. cap badge90

Army Catering Corps. capbadge9()

Army Educational Corps.collar insisnia 125

Army PhySical Trng Corps.cap badge 90

AnnyTcrritorial Service.collar insignia 125

Australia13th Light Horse.

Warrant Officer inkhaki drill 10

cap badges 92Austria-Hungary

backings 70cap badges 79-80collar insignia 119-20commemorative insignia

141identification tags 171pioneers uniform. 1915.

11rank insignia 182

Austria::lViCition wings213baekings 70-1buckles 75cap badges 80collar insignia 119lace 144rank insignia 182-3stars 206

Avanguardista. ItalianFaSCISt Youth 2/

Aviation wings 2 13-5

Baekings 70-4Badges

and patches 41-60definition 74011 ballledress 15-36,

13-37see also Red badges;

Boss: Cap badges;Wound badges

Badoglio. Gen Pietro /7Bars 7.\Red badges 74Belgium

armlets 69backings 70-1cap badges63. 80-1collar insignia 120-1formation signs 151para-commando wings

216rank insignia 74,183-4stars 206-7wound stripes 216

Belt buckles 75Berkshire & Westminster

Dragoons. cap badge 88Black shirt. Italian Fascist

Militia20Black Watch (Royal

Highland Regt)flash. 617th Battn 151hackle 171

Boss 75Branch-of-service colour

150Branch-of-service insignia

76Brass cap badges. WWI88Brassards 38-40. 64. 69-70Breast insignia 56-8. 76

pocket insignia 178-9Bngadiers

gorget patch 170Royal crest 82

Britainbattledress37buttons 77-8cap badges 62.81-91collar insignia 122-5drummer boy. 18th

century 2flashes 150-1fonnation signs 151-5identification tags 171khaki drill uniform. Boer

War&WWlJOkhaki uniform. 1902.9long-service stripes 172non-substantive insignia

175officer's uniform

1900,61920../4

officer's tropicaluniform, pre-WWI, 7Order of the Bath 206.

207overseas service insignia

177parachute insignia 177

puggaree insignia 181rank insignia 184-5, 194-5shoulder strap 194shouldertitles 201-4trade insignia 210wings213.215-6wound stripes 216see a/so names ofseparate

formations, egGrenadier Guards

British CommonwealthForces Korea. formationsign 154

Bundeswehr see Germany.Federal Republic

Buffs (R East Kent Regt)cap badge 8.\collar insignia 123puggaree msignia 181

Bulgarian Army. shoulderstraps 198

Buttons 76-8

Cambodia, wings216Cambridgeshire Regiment

cap badge 85collar insignia 123

Canadacap badges 92-3shoulder titles 204

Cap badges61-3. 79-115British 62. 81-91British paramilitary

forces 94-5Commonwealth 91-1

Cap band 115Cheshire Regiment

cap badges 85. 86sweetheart badges 208

Chevrons 116-7Chief Petty Officers 45. 193Chin straps 117-8Chinese People's Republic

cap badges 95uniforms 13

Cityof London Regt. 5thcap badge 85

City of London Yeomanry(Rough Riders) capbadges 83. 86

Civil Defence armlet 69Cockade 118Collar insignia 119-11

Britain 122-5Colonels. substantive

gorget patch 170Royal crest 82

Colourofann 150Combat leader

identification 141Combined operations

badge31-2Commemorative insignia

121-2Corps and Depts. cap

badges 90Corps of Military Police.

cap badge 90Corps of Royal Engineers

see Royal Engineers

County of London Regts.cap badges 84. 86

Cross of Lorraine 145Crown 142Cuff insignia 37-8. 1.\2-3Curl 143Cypher 143Cyrenaica District.

formation sign 153Czechoslovakia

cap badges 95-9collar badges 126parachutc~insignia 177proficiency insignia 180stars 206-7

Defence Atomic SupportAgency insignia 53

Denmarkbackings 70-2cap badges 96-7collar insignia 127-8long-service inSignia 172non-substantive insignia

175officers wearing M. 1923

khakiservice dress. 1939./6stars 206-7wings 21.\

Derbyshire Yeomanry. capbadge 84

Devonshire Regt. capbadge 8.\

Devonshire & DorsetRegt. collar insignia 12.\

Distinction lace 1..f4Distinctive insignia 145-9

see a/so FlashDrummer boy. 18th century2

Duke of Edinburgh's RRegt (Berkshire &Wiltshire). collar insignia12.\

Duke of Cornwall LightInfamrycap badge 85puggaree insignia 181shoulder titles 202

Duke of Wellington's Regt(West Riding)cap badge 88shoulder titles 20 I

Durham Light Infantrybacking 70shouldertitles 20 1.202.

203

East Anglian Brigade. capbadge 89

East Germany seeGermany. GDR

East Lancashire Division(42nd), formation sign 155

East umcashire Regt195037cap badge 88

East Riding Yeomanry.collar insignia 123

East Surrey Regt. capbadge 86

East Yorkshire Regt (Dukeof York's Own)cap badge 86shoulder titles 201

Eastern Command.formation sign 154

Eastern European insignia5/

Eighth ArnlY. formationsign; 151. 152. 155

Eighth Corps. fonnationsign 151

Eleventh Corps. formation~ign 153

Epaulettes 20-.\. 27. 1.\9E~sex Regiment

cap badge 85collar insignia 123shoulder title; 203

Facing 150Falklands eampaign.\OField service 1918 uniform

/2Fifteenth Army Group

fOJ11lalionsign 151Finland

Air force officer. WWI I22

cap badges 97collar insignia 128non-substantive insignia

175rank insignia 185-6shoulder strap badges

198-200First Army. formation sign

152 .First Division. formation

sign 155Flashes 150

see a/so Distinctiveinsignia

Forester Brigade. capbadge 89

Formation signs 151-69British 151-6

Fortieth Divn. formationsign 152

Foul anchor. 170. 19.\Fourragere 170Fourteenth Army.

formation sign 152Fourth Divn. formation

sign 153France

branch-of-serviceinsignia 76

cap badges 98chevrons 116collar insignia 128-9Commando Marines 50distinctive insignia 145formation signs 155non-substantive insignia

176rank insignia 74trade insignia 210

221

INDEX _

wings214,215.216 shoulder titles 202 formation si~ns 158-60 officer. 1920s. 14 Parachute insignia 177-8French Foreign Legion Guards Brigade Group. Gen. Badog io wearing Lincolnshire Regt. cap wings215-633-6,49-50 24th Independent, full dress. pre-1934. 17 badge 85 Parachute Regimentchevrons 116 formation si~ 151 general, pre-WWII. 18 Light Infantry Brigade. cap cap badge 88

Functions II Gurkhas. cap adges 89 identification tags 171 badge 89 shoulder titles 203Fusilier Brigade, cap badge lace 144 Liverpool Scottish. cap 10th Parachute Battn.89 Hackle 171 Navyepaulette 149 badge 86 flash 150

Future insignia 64 Hamburg District. non-substantive insignia London Divn (56th). 'Para' in civvystreet 48formation sign 155 176 formation sign 152 Patches and badges 41-60

General Service Corps, cap Hampshire Regt, collar parachute insignia 177-8 London Scottish, 1900,6 Petty Officers 193badge 90 insignia 123 paratroopers 41 Lon~-servicc insignia 172-3 Pips see Rank insignia;

Generals, British Hanover District, pocket insignia 178-9 Low and Brigade. cap Starscap badges 82 formation sign 155 rank insigma 187 badge 89 Piping 178gor~et patch 170 Helmet. cloth. 18783 shoulder straps 196 Lowland District. Lowland Plastic cap badges, WWIJran insignia 184. 195 Helmet plates3, 4, 61, 171 stars 207 Divn (52nd). formation 88

Germany Herefordshire Regiment, trade insignia 211-2 signs 53 Pocket insignia 178-9buckles 75 cap badge 86 wings214,216 Loyal orth Lancashire see also Distrinctivecap badges 99-100 Highland Brigade. cap wound stripes 216 Regt. cap badge 86 insigniacollar insignia 129-31 badge 89 Luxembourg. cap badges Polandcommemorative insignia Highland Light Infantry. Japan 109 aiguile!te 66

141 flash 151 cap badges 109 cap badges 109-10cuff insignia 37-8, 142-3 Holland see Netherlands rank insIgnia 188-9 Manchester Regt. cap collar insignia 136epaulettes 23 Home Counties Brigade, wings214,215 badge 85 commemorative insigniaHitler Youth armlet 70 cap badge 89 Junior Leaders Trng Regt. Marines badges 32-6.89 141officer, WWIJ 23 Home Guard, shoulder Infantry. cap badge 90 Mascot 46 distinctive insignia 147pocket insignia 178-9 titles 204 Mercian Brigade. cap fusiliers. Italy. 1945.25shoulder straps 196-7 Hong Kong. HQ Land Khaki drill uniform. Boer badge 89 jlenerals. pre-WWIJ 18stars 207 Forces, formation sign 155 War and WWI 10 Middlesex. 7th (London Identification tags 171trade insignia 210-1 Hungary Khaki uniform. 1902. 9 Seottish) Rifle lace 144uniforms 12 cap badjles 103 King's Dragoon Guards. Volunteers. 1900.6 proficiency insignia 181wings214.215 colonel In service dress. 1st. cap badge 83 Military Police. cap badge rifleman in Britain.

Federal Republic WWII,I3 King's Hussars. 14th12Oth. 90 WWIJ.24cap badges 100 parachute insignia 177-8 cap badge 84 Monmouthshire Regt. wings 214-5collar insignia 131-2 proficiency inSIgnia ISO King's Hussars. 15thJl9th. collar insignia 123 Pompons212formation signs 156-8 shoulder straps 198 shoulder titles 201 Prince of Wales's Plume 68.trade ins~nia 210 trade insignia 210-1 King'sOwn Hussars. 3rd. Name tabs 56 71.122wings21 wings214 cap badge 84 see also Identification Princess Victoria's (R Irish

GDR King's Own Royal Regt tags Fusiliers). collar insigniacap badges 101-2 Identification t1s 171 (Lancaster). cap badge 85 Nationality insignia 174-5. 123chevrons 117 Indian Divn. 3r King's Own Scottish 203-4 Prisoners 13-14chinstrap. officer's 118 (Chindi!s). formation sign Borderers. collar insignia aval badges 28-31. 62 Proficiency insignia 180-1collar insignia 132 152 123 cap badges 81-2 Puggareeinsignia 181cuff insignia 142 Indian Divn. 8th. formation King'sOwn Yorkshire etherlandsnon-substantive insignia sign 153 Light Infantry. cap badge backings 72. 102 Quee,'-s Own Buffs (R

176 Infantry Brigades. 84 collar insignia 133 Kent Regt). collar insigniarecruits, Volksarmee 43 formation s~ns 154. 155 King's Regt (Liverpool) shoulder strap badges 124shoulder straps 197 Intelligence orps cap badge 85 200 Queen's Owntrade insignia 120-1 backin~ 71 collar insignia 123 stars 207 Worcestershire Hussars

Gibraltar cap ba ge90 puggaree 181 New Zealand. cap badges arm badge 67Garrison. formation sign Ireland King's Royal Rifle Corps 94 cap badge 83

152 chevrons 117 backing 71 Non-substantive insignia Qucen's Own R West KentR Artillery. formation collar insignia 133 cap badge 86 175-6 Regt. cap badge 88sign 155 formation Sil;"S 158 Kinr,'s Shropshire Light NATO staffs. mid-60s 39. Queen's R Lancers. cap

Gilt and silver plated cap officer's uni orm. 1920s In antry. cap badge 84 40 badge 88badges 84 14 orth Midland Divn Queen's R Regt (West

Gimp 170 stars 207 Lace 144 (46th). formation signs Surrey)Gloucestershire Regiment Irish Brigade, cap badge 89 Lancashire Fusiliers. cap 153 cap badges 84. 85

cap badges 85, 86 Irish Guards 'star' 195 badge 84 North Somerset Yeomanry, collar insignia 124collar insignia 123 Israeli Defence Force 50 Lancashire Hussars cap badge 83

Gorget 170 Italy collar insignia 123 North Staffordshire Regt 74 Rank insignia 15-20. 182-92Green Berets 46 alpino.1911-12,8 shoulder titles 201 cap badges 122 chevrons 116-7Green Howards backincr. 73 Lancashire Yeomanry. cap Norway Ratings 193

(Alexandra Princess of cap ba ges 62-3. 104-8 badge 84 cap badges 109 Reconnaissance Corps. capWales's Own Yorkshire carabinieri 4/ Lancastrian Brigade. cap formation signs 161 badEe90Regt) chin straps. officers badge 89 lieut wearing service Red ross. Red Crescentcap badges 85. 88 117-8 Lancers,17th.37 dress. 1930s 15 69collar insignia 123 collar insignia 134-5. Lanyards 25-7.59. 172 stars 207 Reforger exercises. 1983

Green Jackets Brigade. cap commemoratIve inSignia Lapel 150 55.58,60,61badge 89 141 Laser interrrogation 64 Officers. British. cap Rifle Brigade (Prince

Grenadier Guards distinctive insignia 146 Leicestershire Regiment badges 82-5 Consort's Own). capcap badge 85 fascists in uniform 18-2I cap badge 88 Overseas service insignia badges 86. 88

222

INDEX

Rosettes 193 epaulette 149 South Lancashire Regt WWI, with open collar 7 Welsh Divn (53rd),Royal Air Force lieutenant 194 (Prince of Wales's Tufts212 fonmlion sign 153

cap badges 91 ratings 193 Volunteers), cap badge 85 Turkey Welsh guardsshoulder straps 194-5 tallies 209 South Midland Divn buckles 75 cap badge 88shoulder tilles 203 Vice-Admiral 194 (48th). formation sign 152 cap badges 112 shoulder titles 202

R Anglian Regt. shoulder R Norfolk Regt. cap badge South Nottinghamshire chevrons 116 Welsh Regt, cap badge 88titles 201 86 Hussars, collar insignia collar insignia 139 Wessex Brigade, cap badge

R Armoured Corps. cap R Northumberland 123 Twelfth Corps, & Twelfth 89badge 90 Fusiliers South Staffordshire Regt. Divn. formation signs 155 Wessex Divn (43rd).

R Army Chaplains Dept. puggarees 181 backing 70. 74 formation sign 151cap badge 90 shoulder titles 201 South Wales Borderers. cap Uganda, wings216 West Germany see

R Army Dental Corps R Pioneer Corps badges 86. 88 UK see Britain Germany. Federalbacking7l cap badge 90 Soviet Union61-2 United Nations Republiccap badge 90 collar insigniCl 125 cap badges 113-4 Peace Keeping forces 54 West Yorkshire Regt

R Army Medical Corps. R Regt of Artillery commemorative badges armlets 70 (Prince of Wales,sOwn)cap badg 90 cap badgc 90 209 USSR see Soviet Union cap badge 85

R Army rdnance Corps collar insignia 124 exercises 55, 58 United States of America collar insignia 123cap badge 90 flash ISO observers at Reforger 83 82nd Airborne Divn 52. Western European insigniacollar insignia 124 shouldertitles201.202 proficiency insignia 181 57 49,50

R Army Pay Corps 57th (London) Divn. shoulder straps 198 IOlst Airborne Divn 52 Wiltshire Regt (Duke ofcap badge 90 formation sign 155 uniforms 12-13 ADC66 Edinburgh's)collar insignia 125 R Regt of Wales. collar wings215 arc 67 cap badges 86. 88

R Army Service Corps insignia 124 wound stripes 216 armlets 69 lIash ISOcap badge 90 RSCOls(Royal Regiment). seea/so Russia. Empire baekings 74 shoulder titles 201

shoulder titles 202 cap badge 85 of Spain cap badges 113 Wings 50-2. 213-6R Artillery.,·ee R Regt of R Scots Fusiliers. cap badge Air Force bars 74 captain 55 aviation 213-5

Artillery 84 buckles 75 captain, USAAF 44 gilder pi lots 215-6R Berkshire Regl (Princess R Signals see R Corps of cap badges II1 chevrons 116-7 parachute 215-6

Charlotte of Wales) Signals formation signs 162 Chief Petty Officer 45 see also Parachutecap badge 85 R Sussex Regt stars 207 collar insignia 140 insigniacollar insignia 123 collar insignia 123 trade insignia 212 distinctive insignia 148 Women's Royal Army

R Corps of Signals puggaree Insignia. 6th wings216 field jacket. 1944.28 Corps, collar insignia 125arm-of·scrvicc strip 68 Battn.181 Special AirService Regt fornlation signs 162-8 Women's Transportcap badge 90 R Tank Regt. cap badge 90 collar insignia 125 identification tags 171 Service. collar insignia 125collar insignia 125 R Ulster RIfles. cap badges wings216 infantryman, 1945, 1946 WWII insignia 5283rd (London) Signal 86.8H Special Forces 46-50 30,31 Wound badges58.61. 216

Sqdn.llash 150 R Warwickshire Regt. cap Speciality insignia 206 long-service insigniaRoyal Cypher 143 badge 85 Squadron insignia 206 172-3 Yorkshire Brigade. capR Dragoon Guards R Welch Fusiliers Staffordshire Regt (Prince overseas service insignia badge 89

collar insignia 123 cap badge 85 of Wales's). collar insignia 177 Yorkshire Hussars4thJ7lh.llash ISO collar insignia 123 124 parachute insignia 177-8 (Alexandra Princess of

R Electrical and Rumania Stars 206-7 paratroopers 62. 63 Wales's Own). cap badgeMechanical Engrs shoulderstraps 198 Staybrite cap badges. after pilot 56 83arm-of-service strip 6H wings214 1952.88 pocket insignia 178-9 Yugoslaviacap badge 90 Russia. Empire of Submarine insignia 207 rank insigma 74.190 cap badges 114-516th Parachute cap badges III Suffolk Regt, collar insignia ratings 193 chinstrap 118

Workshop. flash 150 collar insignia 137 123 service jacket. post- collar insignia 140R Engineers distinctive insignia 147 Suffolk & Norfolk WWll29 commemorative insignia

cap badge 90 see also Soviet Union Yeomanry. cap badge 88 seaman's jumper 27 141collar insignia 124.125 SHAPE. formation sign shoulder tabs 204 rank insignia 191-2captain wearing no. 1 Scottish Command, 53 special forces 46-9

dress. 1%9.42 formation sign S3 Swagger stick 208 staff sergeant. 194630shoulder titles 202 Serbia. cap badges II1 Swallow's nest 208 lechnical sergeant.Tunnelling Companies. Shoulder pads 194 Sweden WW1I26

lIash 151 Shoulder sleeve insignia cap badges 111-2 unit patches 41-9R Fusiliers(Cilyof (Formation signs) 151-69 collar insignia 138 wings215.216

London) Regt Shoulder straps 194-8 Sweetheart badges 208-9cap badge 85 Shoulder strap badges Switzerland. collar insignia Vietnam. Republic of.collar insignia 123 198-200 138 formalion signs 169

R Gloucestershire HUSS<JTS. Shoulder tabs49. 200, 204 Sword knot 209 Vietnam war 46-9lIash 150 Shouldertilles 201-4 Volksarmce see Germany.

R Hampshire Regt Shropshire Yeomanry. cap Tallies 209 GDRcap badge 84 badges 85.88 Tank battle badges 58 Volunteers. cap badges 87collar insignia 123 Silver cap badges for Territorials, cap badges 87

R Inniskilling Fusiliers officers 84. 85 Third Divn, formation sign Waffenfarbe 150cap badge 85 Skandesberg badge 79 155 War Office. formation sign

R Leicestershire Regt. cap Slip-ons 204-5 Thirteeenth Corps, 155badge 85 'Smart card' 64 formation sign 153 Warsaw Pact soldiers in

R Marines. cap badges 89 Somerset Light Infantry Ties 67 combat uniforms 47Royal Navy (Prince Albert's), cap Trade insignia 210-2 Welsh Brigade. cap badge

cap badges 81-2 badge 85 Tropical uniform, pre- 89

223

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Iwould like to express my sineerest gratitude to all the friends who helpedme with their adviee throughout the eompilation of this book.

Speeial thanks to Mr John Lueas. Mr Hugh King and Mr AndrewMollo for lending me some of the rarest and most valuable badges. and toMr Christopher Barbarski. Mr H. Diard. Mr Miehael Lamb. Mr RayWestlake. Mr Eddie Dart. Editor of Military Advertiser, and to JeremyTenniswood. Militaria, of Aldershot.

I am also indebted to the following for their kind help: LenvayGesellschaft MBH & CO, KG, Vienna; Mr Markku Melkko, Direetor,Sotamuseo, Helsinki; Mr Bj0rn Nielsen, Curator, Tojhusmuseet,Copenhagen; Major RS Or Josef Vohralik, Assistant Military and AirAttache. Embassy of the Czeehoslovak Soeialist Republie; ColonelGoran De Geer, Military and Air Attaehe. Swedish Embassy; ColonelGS W. Hertaeh. Defenee Attache, Swiss Embassy; Lt. Col. H.L.Zwitzer.Deputy Chief. Military Historical Section, Royal etherlands Army;Lt.CoI. BJ. de Montjamont. Assistant Army Attaehe. Embassy ofFranee and Group Captain Onder Aytun. Air Attache, Turkish Embassy.

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illustrated encyclopedia of military insignia of the 20th century-chartwell books (1986)

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