Arthur Posted 9 June , 2008 Author Share Posted 9 June , 2008 Can any of you tell me what battle patches, if any, were worn by 1/18th Londons (London Irish Rifles) at Loos in September, 1915? Cheers, Taff Hi Taff, I have two references for the 1st/18th Bn. The London Regt, however, there is no time period given for when the formation signs were worn. [a] Green felt diamond, no size given, although it was of an equal size. Green felt diamond 3"X2" Hope this helps Regards Arthur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief_Chum Posted 9 June , 2008 Share Posted 9 June , 2008 Hi Arthur, Thank you for that, I really appreciate it. Do you know if the patches were worn on the sleeves or a single one just below the collar? Battle patches at Loos seem quite uncommon although 7/Suffolk were certainly wearing a patch when they went into action on the 26th. Thanks again for your help. with best wishes, Taff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted 9 June , 2008 Author Share Posted 9 June , 2008 Hi Arthur, Do you know if the patches were worn on the sleeves or a single one just below the collar? with best wishes, Taff Hi Taff, In answer to the question above. I am sorry to say that I do not have any photographic evidence of where the formation sign was worn. Prehaps another member might be able to help you here, or the likes of the National Army Museum or Imperial War Museum. Regards Arthur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief_Chum Posted 9 June , 2008 Share Posted 9 June , 2008 Thank you for your trouble Arthur. Alan Jeffries at the IWM looks after the 1917 insignia survey whch is extremely useful. Besides many original patches there is a huge amount of additional information (not always completely accurate as you would expect from information collected about months or years earlier) about previous insignia from questionnaires completed at the time. Cheers, Taff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florent Posted 21 June , 2008 Share Posted 21 June , 2008 Arthur, I am late on this post but I am interested in these units : 2/4th KOYLI 5th KOYLI 8th west yorkshire ( leeds rifles) 2nd Wiltshire Thanks in advance! Florent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted 23 June , 2008 Author Share Posted 23 June , 2008 Arthur, I am late on this post but I am interested in these units : 2/4th KOYLI 5th KOYLI 8th west yorkshire ( leeds rifles) 2nd Wiltshire Thanks in advance! Florent Hi, I have the following information: 2/4th KOYLI = Dark blue diamond 3"X2", Felt 5th KOYLI = Buff rectangle 2"X1", Felt 8th west yorkshire ( leeds rifles) = Dark blue 'T', Felt 2nd Wiltshire = Sorry I have nothing on this battalion at the moment. Regards Arthur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florent Posted 23 June , 2008 Share Posted 23 June , 2008 Thanks for the info Arthur. It is useful ! regards Florent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanks3 Posted 2 July , 2008 Share Posted 2 July , 2008 Hi Arthur, Does your pamphlet show any patches that may have been worn by the HBMGC/Tank Corps? Thanks Tanks3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted 3 July , 2008 Author Share Posted 3 July , 2008 Hi Arthur, Does your pamphlet show any patches that may have been worn by the HBMGC/Tank Corps? Thanks Tanks3 Hi Tanks3, The pamphlet does have some M/Gun Coy insignia, however, there is not over a lot of it. Sorry to report that there is no mention of insignia for the Tank Corps recorded in there. Are you looking for a specific M/Gun Coy['s]? Regards Arthur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanks3 Posted 3 July , 2008 Share Posted 3 July , 2008 Arthur, Thanks. No nothing particular just wodered if there was anything the tankies would be wearing Thanks Tanks3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1RGLI Posted 6 July , 2008 Share Posted 6 July , 2008 Arthur, Excellent topic, Do you have any mention of the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry, who were attached to 86th Brigade, 29th Division, I would be curious to know what they may have worn officially. In addition what would the 29th Machine Gun Company of 29th Division have worn? keen to know the specifications with a reference to the colour, size and material that they are made from. thanks, Mark - 1RGLI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted 7 July , 2008 Author Share Posted 7 July , 2008 Arthur, Excellent topic, Do you have any mention of the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry, who were attached to 86th Brigade, 29th Division, I would be curious to know what they may have worn officially. In addition what would the 29th Machine Gun Company of 29th Division have worn? keen to know the specifications with a reference to the colour, size and material that they are made from. thanks, Mark - 1RGLI Hi Mark, The 1st Bn Royal Guernsey Light Infantry wore a felt dark green and white horizontal rectangle 3ins X ¾ins. It is not stated where the sign was worn. Sorry to report that there is nothing in the pamphlet regarding the 29th Machine Gun Company. Regards Arthur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodge Dowson Posted 7 July , 2008 Share Posted 7 July , 2008 Arthur hi - does the booklet contain anything on the Royal Scots ? Thanks Rodge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted 7 July , 2008 Author Share Posted 7 July , 2008 Arthur hi - does the booklet contain anything on the Royal Scots ? Thanks Rodge Hi Rodge, The pamphlet gives the following information: 2nd Bn Tartan rectangle no size given red stripe top left - bottom right/yellow stripe top right - bottom left on dark green. Worn on hat. A Coy dark blue 2ins square, cotton B Coy dark blue triangle 1½ins sides, cotton C Coy dark blue diamond 1½ins sides, cotton D Coy dark blue 1¾ins diam disc, cotton 5th/6th Bn 2ins Red diamond, cotton with Coy bars below. A Coy red B Coy bright green C Coy yellow D Coy light blue 9th Bn Light blue vertical rectangle ½in X 3ins, cotton 11th Bn Red felt arc. No size given. 15th Bn Red felt octagon worn on hat. No size given. Red rectangle 2½ins X 1in worn on shoulder strap, braid [1]16th Bn 2½ins X 1¾ins rectangle, felt A Coy red B Coy black C Coy tartan D Coy dark green square 1¾ins sides. HQ Coy white [2] 2½ins X ¾ins blue rectangle, braid Sorry no time periods given. Regards Arthur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodge Dowson Posted 9 July , 2008 Share Posted 9 July , 2008 Thanks very much Arthur for taking the time, the listing is most helpful - best wishes Rodge D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tocemma Posted 10 July , 2008 Share Posted 10 July , 2008 Hi Taff, I have items belonging to Major WW Hughes who was 2ic of 14th London Regiment. The patches were Rifle Green felt and on his uniforms the measure 3 1/4" high and 2 1/4" across they are worn on the upper sleeves in his case 2 1/2" from the shoulder seam. I have looked through the photographs and I cannot see any evidence of these being worn as early as the Battle of Loos. My own feeling is sometime in late 1916 but maybe as late as 1917. Worn by all ranks in same quality material judging by Major Hughes tunics anyway. Regards Tocemma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grovetown Posted 10 July , 2008 Share Posted 10 July , 2008 I've just been leafing through I Was There (the four volume edition) and what strikes me most about the battle patches, in its hundreds and hundreds of images; is their absence. Similarly, I've dozens of portrait photos of soldiers - and, again, the battle patches are conspicuous by their rarity. And to the extent that I made a special effort to obtain such images and, with a few exceptions (9th Div, 29th Div and 38th and a few others); they are generally very hard to find. I know that images of schemes being worn on July 1st etc exist; but.... I do wonder if we've all been a bit 'Chappellised' over them. Chappell - fair play to him for being the only half-decent references for years - does tend to portray the majority of his soldiers as done up like Christmas trees. As a consequence, I suspect we've been seduced into thinking that these schemes were a. almost unviersally worn b. almost universally worn within any given coy/ bn/ regt/ bde/ division and c. were a hell of a lot earlier for the majority than they were. Waring's Identification Pamphlet No. 2 - which I have - is indeed the most helpful text (if awkward to navigate); but again perhaps encourages one to assume that all men of all schemed battalions/ bridgades/ divisions were universally 'patched up' and then prior to their actual adoption. Best wishes, GT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobL Posted 10 July , 2008 Share Posted 10 July , 2008 In my research of the 110th Brigade, i've found that in photographs the cloth insignia seems to be universally worn, despite the fact that a large yellow shape on each shoulder and on the back (from July 1916 onwards, and a coloured patch on the collar before that, either black red yellow or green depending on Battalion) isn't exactly inconspicuous Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Abbott Posted 10 July , 2008 Share Posted 10 July , 2008 55th West Lancashire Division insignia. MM awarded to 2602 Sgt William Thomson 1/8th Liverpool Regiment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott henderson Posted 10 July , 2008 Share Posted 10 July , 2008 Hi Arthur. Could i ask if you have anything on the 1/7th & 14th battalions Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. Thank you. Scott. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick D Posted 10 July , 2008 Share Posted 10 July , 2008 Can I add my 2, 12th & 15th DLI many thanks Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief_Chum Posted 10 July , 2008 Share Posted 10 July , 2008 Hi Tocemma Thanks for that. I agree. Having been through as much reference as I can find on the 14th it looks like the patches were not being used at Loos. Thank you for taking the trouble to reply. Cheers, Taff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted 11 July , 2008 Author Share Posted 11 July , 2008 Hi Arthur. Could i ask if you have anything on the 1/7th & 14th battalions Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. Thank you. Scott. Hi Scott, 7th A&SH 4 light blue horizontal strips, cotton. 14 A&SH buff disc on red diamond, cotton on felt. Regards Arthur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted 11 July , 2008 Author Share Posted 11 July , 2008 Can I add my 2, 12th & 15th DLI many thanks Mick Hi Mick, 12 DLI green/red/green square [horizontal] with central green disc, felt. 15 DLI green inverted triangle 2" top 3" sides, felt. Regards Arthur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick D Posted 11 July , 2008 Share Posted 11 July , 2008 thanks Arthur, I take it that they were worn on the upper arm, but was it both arms ? Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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