World War I

During World War I the need to identify friendly troops in assaulting formations was made difficult by the new dispersion of troops across the battlefield. Beginning with the arrival of large number of Kitchener's Army troops in 1915, and widespread after the Battle of the Somme of 1916, each battalion of a division would have a particular sign of a distinctive coloured cloth patch, either sewn to the uniform jacket (on the sleeves, or the back of the tunic), or painted on the helmet.[1] These distinguishing marks, known as "Battle Patches" were distinct from the Division signs, and were for the most part simple shapes and colours. The scheme for these Battle patches could be decided at division or brigade level or be based on regimental colours or insignia, and was in some cases continued down to company or even platoon level. This system did not prevent duplication across the divisions, a red square was worn by at least 14 battalions.[2]
In most divisions the brigade could be deduced by the shape (for example 50th (Northumbrian)), colour (for example 55th (West Lancashire)) or design theme (for example 23rd) of the patch. Few divisions had a scheme of patches that had a specific brigade patch; those divisions which had such a scheme are shown below.

8th Division[3] 23rd, 24th, and 25th Brigade patches. These patches were worn by brigade HQ staff only, others wore battalion specific patches.
20th (Light) Division[4] 59th, 60th, and 61st Brigade patches. These patches were worn by all in the brigade on both sleeves with the infantry battalions wearing a number of bars under the sign to indicate seniority.
31st Division[5] 92nd, 93rd and 94th Brigade patches. These patches were worn by all in the brigade on the back below the collar. Battalion signs were worn on the sleeves which could also be used to deduce the brigade.
32nd Division[6] 14th, 96th and 97th Brigade patches. These patches were worn by all in the brigade on the sleeves, with the infantry battalions adding bars below it indicating seniority, the same in each brigade.
41st Division[7] 122nd, 123rd and 124th Brigade signs. These were not worn in the uniform, but used on sign posts and vehicles. The infantry battalions used numbers (or letters) in the sign as further identification.
74th (Yeomanry) Division[8] 229th, 230th, and 231st Brigade patches. These patches were worn on the right arm, battalion patches (when present) on the left.

More examples can be seen for the 38th (Welsh) divisions, the 146th, 147th and 148th brigades.

World War II

World War II British battledress arm of service (corps) colours

By the start of the Second World War, the British Army prohibited all identifying marks on its Battle Dress uniforms in 1939 save for drab (black or white on khaki) regimental or corps (branch) slip-on titles, and even these were not to be worn in the field. In May 1940 this was reinforced by Army Council Instruction (ACI) 419 prohibiting all formation marks on uniforms.[9]

In September 1940 formation patches were authorized by ACI 1118 to identify the wearer's independent brigade or brigade group.[10] A Brigade "Formation Badge" was sometimes worn when the formation was not attached to a division, as an Independent Infantry Brigade or brigade group (with attached other arms and services). When part of a division the infantry of a brigade wore one or more arm of service strips (2 inches (5.1 cm) by 1⁄4 inch (0.64 cm)), red for infantry, dark green for Rifle Regiments, indicating brigade seniority, one for the senior brigade, two for the intermediate and three for the junior.[10] As an independent brigade or brigade group the infantry would only wear one strip, the other arms would also wear their arm of service strip. Battalion specific or general regimental patches, in addition to the shoulder title, could also be worn below the arm of service stripe, but the cost of these had to be borne from regimental funds, not the War Office.[11]

In the British Army, ACI 1118 specified that the design for the formation sign should be approved by the general officer commanding the formation and reported to the War Office.[12] A further order of December 1941 (ACI 2587) specified the material of the uniform patch as printed cotton (ordnance issue), this replaced the embroidered felt (or fulled wool) or metal badges used previously. In other theatres the uniform patch could be made from a variety of materials including printed or woven cotton, woven silk, leather or metal embroidered felt (or fulled wool).[13]

Infantry

Armoured and Tank

Post War

Aside from the deployment to Germany in the British Army of the Rhine, the employment of divisions has been rare since the Second World War, with Brigades often being the primary field formation.

Infantry

Armoured

Modern

Brigades consisting of supporting units maintain their own insignia as well. For use in the field the patches are also issued in subdued colours, green-black, sand shades or tan-black.[50]

Soldier from the 16th Air Assault Brigade prepares to raise the Union Flag
Afghanistan Service Medal Parade, note 52nd Infantry Brigade insignia

Armoured and Mechanised

Infantry

Supporting Arms

Notes

  1. ↑ Chappell pp. 5-6
  2. ↑ Hibberd pps. 9, 17, 23, 39, 43, 44, 50, 51, 55, 57, 58, 61
  3. ↑ Hibberd pp. 12-13
  4. ↑ Hibberd pp. 21-22
  5. ↑ Hibberd p. 38
  6. ↑ Hibberd pp. 38-39
  7. ↑ Hibberd pp. 45-46
  8. ↑ Chappell p. 44
  9. ↑ Davis p. 92
  10. 1 2 Davis p. 95
  11. ↑ Davis pps. 94, 97
  12. ↑ Davis pps. 95, 97
  13. ↑ Davis pp. 99-100
  14. 1 2 3 4 Cole p. 128
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 Cole p. 129
  16. 1 2 Cole p. 130
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Cole p. 131
  18. ↑ Boulanger p. 248
  19. ↑ Boulanger p. 249
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 Cole p. 132
  21. 1 2 3 Cole p. 133
  22. 1 2 3 4 Cole p. 123
  23. 1 2 3 4 Cole p. 124
  24. 1 2 Boulanger p. 142
  25. ↑ Boulanger p. 143
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 Cole p. 126
  27. 1 2 3 Cole p. 125
  28. ↑ Boulanger p. 148
  29. 1 2 3 Cole p. 127
  30. ↑ Watson & Rinaldi p. 123
  31. ↑ Watson & Rinaldi p. 150
  32. 1 2 Watson & Rinaldi p. 151
  33. ↑ Davis (2) no. 128
  34. ↑ Cole (2) p. 64
  35. 1 2 Cole (2) p. 65
  36. ↑ Boulanger p. 228
  37. ↑ Cole (2) p. 67
  38. ↑ Cole (2) pp. 68-9
  39. ↑ Boulanger p. 234
  40. ↑ Cole (2) p. 68
  41. ↑ Cole (2) p. 69
  42. ↑ Boulanger p. 235
  43. ↑ Cole (2) p. 70
  44. ↑ Boulanger p. 245
  45. ↑ Cole (2) p. 98
  46. ↑ Cole (2) p. 99
  47. ↑ Cole (2) p. 100
  48. 1 2 Cole (2) p. 96
  49. ↑ Cole (2) p. 97
  50. ↑ Hodges pp. 484-496
  51. ↑ Hodges p. 492
  52. ↑ Hodges p. 493
  53. 1 2 3 Hodges p. 494
  54. ↑ Hodges p. 495
  55. ↑ Hodges p. 496
  56. ↑ Hodges p. 497

Bibliography

  • Boulanger, Bruno (2015). WW2 British Formation Badges, A Collectors Guide. ISBN 9782960180206.
  • Chappell, Mike (1986). British Battle Insignia (1). 1914-18. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 9780850457278.
  • Cole, Howard (1973). Formation Badges of World War 2. Britain, Commonwealth and Empire. London: Arms and Armour Press.
  • Cole (2), Howard, N (1953). Badges on Battledress, Post-War Formation Signs; Rank and Regimental Insignia. Aldershot: Gale and Polden.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  • Davis, Brian L (1983). British Army Uniforms & Insignia of World War Two. London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN 0853686092.
  • Davis (2), Brian L (1985). British Army Cloth Insignia. 1940 to the present. An illustrated reference guide for collectors. London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN 0853687099.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  • Hibbard, Mike; Gibbs, Gary (2016). Infantry Divisions, Identification Schemes 1917 (1 ed.). Wokingham: The Military History Society.
  • Hodges, Lt. Col Robin (2005). British Army Badges. Butler and Tanner Ltd. ISBN 9780955146305.
  • Watson, Graham E; Rinaldi, Richard A (2005). The British in Germany (BAOR and After): An Organizatinal History. Tiger Lily Publications. ISBN 9780972029698.
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