Canadian badges

[auchonvillerssomme]

Can anyone tell me the dates of these 2 badges?

Both are collars, sorry about quality of pic

1. is 39 over Canada

2. is 48th Highlanders 134 over Canada

Mick

[Michael Johnson]

The second badge is for the 134th Bn. C.E.F., which was one of several battalions raised by the 48th Highlanders of Toronto (Canadian Militia). It was broken up for reinforcements, but many probably went on to serve in the 15th Battalion, which was the senior of the 48th's C.E.F. battalions.

At least part of the battalion was still in the U.K. in November 1916.

[Cam_s]

Hello,

The pictures are kind of dark but if it is 39 over canada, this would be a badge to the 39th Bn CEF.

Both badges are from WW1.

Cam

[auchonvillerssomme]

thanks for that....would they have been worn with the solid CANADA shoulder titles? and would the cap badge have been the same design as the collars or the maple leaf CANADA type?

Mick

[Bill Alexander]

thanks for that....would they have been worn with the solid CANADA shoulder titles? and would the cap badge have been the same design as the collars or the maple leaf CANADA type?

Mick

The cap badges of both these battalions were of a similar pattern to the collars in the images. The shoulder titles may have been the numeral (eg either 39 or 134) over INF over the CANADA bar. The 134th also wore a one piece 134 / Canada title.

[trenchtrotter]

Thought this might also interest you. I have been fortunate to find two Canadian cap badges in the fields around Courcellette on the Somme during the last three years. The first was a badge to the 81st Overseas Battalion and the second to the 10th Canadian Mounted Rifles. The 81st was found in the general vicinity of Regina trench and the other near to the Courcette Cemetery. Both battlions were reinforcement units and did not serve as a seperate unit in France.

Old soldiers loyal to their parent battalion keeping the badge in their pocket, or were they allowed to wear the first badge issued. Anyone know?

[Bill Alexander]

Thought this might also interest you. I have been fortunate to find two Canadian cap badges in the fields around Courcellette on the Somme during the last three years. The first was a badge to the 81st Overseas Battalion and the second to the 10th Canadian Mounted Rifles. The 81st was found in the general vicinity of Regina trench and the other near to the Courcette Cemetery. Both battlions were reinforcement units and did not serve as a seperate unit in France.

Old soldiers loyal to their parent battalion keeping the badge in their pocket, or were they allowed to wear the first badge issued. Anyone know?

The soldier in the Canadian army was required to wear the badges of the battalion in which he was serving. The two battalions for which you found badges did not serve as a fighting unit in France. They were likely in the kit of a soldier who was sent to France to reinforce one of the front line battalions. If there was shortage of battalion badges, the reinforcement was issued the Canada general service badges. Wearing other unit badges led to too much confusion, and the practice was forbidden.