I'm no expert on this sort of thing but is that 'years of service' stripes on the BD of the Matchless rider?...

For some reason I thought they were a WW1 thing..(I have my Grandfathers from the first war..He did the whole four years..)...

Also, assuming they were used in WW2 were they still the same colour?..

Or perhaps I've got it all wrong and they are something else entirely.. ...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

I don't know Ian but he's wearing ladies' gloves !

Hi Ian,

It's a set of service stripes indeed. Not just a WW1 thing but very common in WW2. The red on khaki ones are service stripes (every stipe is one year served)and I believe the white on khaki ones are for the years served overseas.

Regards,

Ramon

email (option): noahlevi6@hotmail.com

Yes Ian, they look like years of service stripes, red in colour. If the bottom one was blue that would indicate a wound I believe - but happy to stand correction. This is a modern photo though, yes?

Years of service stripes were also a WW2 thing, but they don't crop up in photos often from what I've seen. But the manuals do cover their use. I have a set that my Grandfather had from WW2.

Thanks Ramon...(and Rik..I'll resist the temptation to make further comment despite JTs recent post.. )...

My GrandfathersWW1 stripes are a dark olive green...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

They are service stripes, usually printed red-on-khaki...........introduced in late-1944 with a stripe for every year served..........."wound" stripes were worn on the opposite arm and were a single strip of gold or yellow thin braid worn vertically for each wound received............

These service stripes were also used by other formations, including the RAF and Civil Defence, etc..........they, and the wound stripes, did not last long into the post-war years.............

As for the WW1 service stripes, they were a similar thing although generally embroidered rather than printed.........a single red stripe for each year served, and the addition of a solitary blue-colour stripe signified service during 1914.......again, these stripes disappeared in the interwar years only to be resurrected along with the wound stripe in late WW2 and then discontinued again......

Now I'm confused...My Grandfathers stripes came with all his WW1 bits and bobs...His 'Kings shilling', uniform buttons, cap badge, medals and the private purchase binoculars he took with him..

The stripes are embroidered but definitely plain,dark green...

He joined up in 1914 and served the whole four years...He was never wounded..

Although he kept all this stuff and used spend hours (sat in his greenhouse at the bottom of his garden) talking to me about the war when I was a young kid, he never wore his medals...They came to me still boxed and with pristine ribbons...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Ian, did he serve with a rifle regiment ? They had a habit of using different colours.

Royal Field Artillery...big rifles.. ...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Unusual.......official colours were stated.........and the stripes not introduced until again late-war (I think) 1917...........I have tons of WW1 and WW2 army dress regs here so am only quoting from those sources.......

They were part of a Highland division...I don't know if that makes any difference...If not I guess it will remain a(nother) mystery...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

they were also called good conduct stripe one for each year of good conduct as I knew them or as they say not getting caught stripes

email (option): roger.beck@node6.com

Alas not Roger, good conduct stripes were worn on the left-forearm and were the same as the NCO rank stripes but reversed (eg - pointing "upwards" rather than downwards)....

Generally, one awarded for 3 years service without any major marks against you.....and only worn by ranks below Corporal as NCO's were expected to maintain good conduct regardless.........

I don't know who the guy is but I think he set his footrests a bit high........

email (option): stinkypete80@hotmail.com