n cherry Posted 31 October , 2003 Share Posted 31 October , 2003 Does anyone have an original armband that the Specials wore in the front line trenches when discharging gas? If anyone does be interested in having a photograph of it...or even buying it if not too much money! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Parker Posted 31 October , 2003 Share Posted 31 October , 2003 Niall There is a coloured photograph of in Brasseys book on the British Army 1914-1918. If memory serves me its Black and orange??? vertical strips. Bit like the old arm band the Bobbies used to wear. Will have a look tonight Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n cherry Posted 31 October , 2003 Author Share Posted 31 October , 2003 Geoff, If you see this before you look in the book... I think it was pink, green and white...and if anyone knows why they picked these colours...please say so... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewThornton Posted 31 October , 2003 Share Posted 31 October , 2003 The colours used for the armband of the Special Companies R.E. were red, white and green, divided vertically. These were introduced so that the sappers were easily identified in a front line trench and not ordered "over the top" once the attack they supported got under way. The reason for the choice of colours was due to the recent entry of Italy into the war at the time when the Special Companies were being formed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Parker Posted 31 October , 2003 Share Posted 31 October , 2003 Niall You're right. Obviously my memory is definitely going. Don't know what I can be thinking of as being black and orange. Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 31 October , 2003 Share Posted 31 October , 2003 C H Foulkes who raised the Special Companies has this this to say about the brassards in his book "Gas!" The Storyof the Special Brigade" p62; "All wore special brassards of pink, white and green so that they might be distinguished and escape interference from infantry officers and regimental police". The date was 4th September 1915. He also states that these brassards were worn during the whole of 1916 but fell into gradual disuse and were abandoned before the end of the war. Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 1 November , 2003 Share Posted 1 November , 2003 Of course what we really want is a photograph of a live brassard in captivity. Brassiere, yes [black, white, pink, sports, offered by memsahib], but brassard? Someone out there surely has one? My eclectic notebooks, built up over the years say 'white red green' but also ask ' how arranged?'. I do have a huge list of brassard colours if anyone fancies them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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