British Tank Badge: Difference between WWI and WWII?

[jagjetta]

Greetings,

I am actually a collector of US WWI Tank Corps related items. As many of you know, many of the U.S. Tankers trained with British formations, with the 301st Battalion actually serving with as a unit of the British Tank Corps.

Many US tankers adopted the British Tank Badge as a symbol of their own service. I have encountered this patch on uniforms of tankers who had served in England before going to France and on those of men who never stepped foot on the King's soil.

All that said, I was wondering if anyone had a secret method of determining whether a Tank Badge is from WWI or of later manufacture?

Attached are examples from known, identified U.S. tankers.

Thank you so much for any guidance!

John A-G

[delta]

I regret I am unable to assist you with the badge recognition.

I would however liek to thank you for the excellent picture of Dick Haigh

[tanks3]

John A-G

The simplest way to determine if the badge is a WW1 variant is to look at the gun barrel on the badge. If hollow or straight, it is WW1. More modern badges show the gun at a 45 degree angle to the sponson. There were quite a few WW1 badges issued in WW2 mainly to Canadian units

Tanks3

[Gareth Davies]

Indeed, on all the modern ones the barrel slopes upwards towards the front (verified by me checking the 11 such badges I have on various items of uniform).

[wainfleet]

Also, the early ones tend to be a bit more irregular in shape. The ones shown here are all classic Great War style.

[jagjetta]

Thank you very much. Does anyone know if an article or published info exists to verify the "straight barrel" theory?

Thanks again for all the info.

John A-G

[tanks3]

John A-G

You need to get (if you can find one) a copy of the book "Tanks Again" by Peter Payne and Jim McDonald. It is a private publication but there have been a couple for sale on the well known internet auction site of late. Last one went for £40ish

Tanks3

[jagjetta]

John A-G

You need to get (if you can find one) a copy of the book "Tanks Again" by Peter Payne and Jim McDonald. It is a private publication but there have been a couple for sale on the well known internet auction site of late. Last one went for £40ish

Tanks3

Thanks for the tip, Tanks3! Does the book have an ISBN, by chance? Havne't found it listed yet, but will keep searching!

[tanks3]

John A-G

No ISBN number. It was a private publication with only a few printed

Tanks3

[jagjetta]

I regret I am unable to assist you with the badge recognition.

I would however liek to thank you for the excellent picture of Dick Haigh

You are most welcome! That image came off a press photo of Brittania that I have in my collection. It was clearly cut and pasted onto the image of the tank, but is one of the best I can find showing the tank badge worn on a British uniform