Can someone give a Yank information as to where the Division and Dispatch Rider's insignia/patches were worn on the British uniform?

email (option): jrosson86@att.net

Hi Joe

Coincidently this is from a 1943 publication called "Handbook of the British Army" which was written for US troops arriving in the OK so they could understand us.



I guess it all got shoved down a bit when the cloth shoulder title became standard around the top.

email (option): robmiller11@yahoo.co.uk

Wartime British Army insignia is a minefield.....there are numerous reference sources out there to give direction.....

A brief summary would be 1939-40 - no insignia other than rank and the odd slip-on shoulder title (worn on the shoulder straps, embroidered cloth slip-ons in white or black-on-khaki) plus sleeve "trade" insignia, etc...some older brass titles were also still worn...

1940 - as above, but with the coloured "arm of service" strip worn on the upper arm....

1941 - 1943....gradual appearance of coloured embroidered or printed shoulder titles and unit/Corps/Divisional patches...plus coloured backing to officers rank pips.....

1943 - 1945.....expansion of the above....note though, that most unit insignia removed in the front line...

The "winged wheel" DR or Motorcyclist (MC) sleeve insignia worn on the upper left forearm was never officially approved by the War Office (the same for similar insignia bearing other initials)....but it was very much down to the individual units whether or not you could get away with wearing such....

Thank you Rob and Steve, I tried to research this by looking at some of the WWII pictures from Henk's CD but the images could not be enlarged enough for this information and many of the pictures in North Africa looked as though insignia had not been required.

Thanks again.

Joe

email (option): jrosson86@att.net