tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2956713848009971988.post8128198079162993187..comments2024-03-26T21:21:38.452-07:00Comments on Arnhem Jim: A "Gallimaufry" of MilitariaArnhemjimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01794722964883335445noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2956713848009971988.post-46726198932720206782022-04-07T14:36:54.572-07:002022-04-07T14:36:54.572-07:00Hello Nathan,
Hopefully you can appreciate my reti...Hello Nathan,<br />Hopefully you can appreciate my reticence to publish my e-mail address to the general Internet population. If possible could you in a written description, in a follow-on comment, (including citing colors), provide me with a virtual image of the badge which is puzzling you. Also what period in history are we talking about?<br />Warmest regards,<br />Arnhem JimArnhemjimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01794722964883335445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2956713848009971988.post-46430377602656211982022-04-07T09:59:19.819-07:002022-04-07T09:59:19.819-07:00Hello Jim, I am just completely stumped. I have be...Hello Jim, I am just completely stumped. I have been researching the badge on the shoulders of some Canadian Commandos for days, and cannot find it anywhere...I thus begging your superb educated knowledge on the matter. How would get a close-up image to you sir, please? Very best Nathan Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08693359674091315992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2956713848009971988.post-68119937624454546602019-04-02T08:18:21.141-07:002019-04-02T08:18:21.141-07:00Hello Eddy,
The badge is a British Army trade prof...Hello Eddy,<br />The badge is a British Army trade proficiency for a Driver (Mechanised Unit) with the I.C. standing for Internal Combustion. The Canadian Army may well have used the same badge. Glad to be a help, and sincere thanks for your interest in the blog. With best regards,<br />Arnhem Jim<br />Arnhem Jimhttp://arnhemjim.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2956713848009971988.post-17022632734183848122019-04-02T03:04:14.045-07:002019-04-02T03:04:14.045-07:00Hi Jim an arm insignia in your pictures ...green b...Hi Jim an arm insignia in your pictures ...green background ..white thin circle with a thicker white X inside with the letters I.C above ... please tell me what it is as my partners grandfather was a despatch rider in the canadian army (cameron highlanders ) during ww2 . We have all his medals ..cap and badges but cannot identify this one ...yours hopefully. .eddyAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07942292551640286807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2956713848009971988.post-27430478527927785372018-09-28T05:38:17.122-07:002018-09-28T05:38:17.122-07:00Hello Jim,
Many thanks fot theses information
I,gi...Hello Jim,<br />Many thanks fot theses information<br />I,give you a picture of th ebill millin statue in normandy.<br />you can see the shoulder title That I speak<br />http://image.noelshack.com/fichiers/2018/39/5/1538138183-bill2.jpg<br />Sorry for my english not very good<br />ChristopheAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03549679489938177994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2956713848009971988.post-75453146028716332922018-09-21T11:17:50.392-07:002018-09-21T11:17:50.392-07:00Hello Christophe,
Unfortunately I don’t have a cop...Hello Christophe,<br />Unfortunately I don’t have a copy of Bill Millin’s book. My very best understanding is that in October of 1940 the Independent Companies and the Commando Battalion were formed into a Special Service (SS) Brigade. As you probably know, the Headquarters Company of the Brigade wore a black rectangular patch consisting of two white colored parallel fighting knives with red S’s forming the cross-guards of the knives. In March 1941 the Special Service Brigade was disbanded, and the then existing SS Battalions were officially reformed and designated No. 1 through No. 12 Commando, with corresponding insignia, in the form of a shoulder title(red number/letters on black).<br /><br />The brigade's component units saw action individually in Norway and the Dieppe Raid (in France), before being combined under one commander for service in Normandy during Operation Overlord. On 6 December 1944, the Brigade was re-designated 1st Commando Brigade, removing the hated title Special Service and its association with the German Waffen-SS.<br /><br />As you probably also well know Lord Lovat was a rather unconventional, i.e. eccentric, individual. It may well be that he afforded Bill Millin, as his personal bagpiper, some latitude in his uniform and insignia. However, I have reviewed every available picture of Bill Millin showing his insignia, without finding the earliest SS version on his shoulder, but given that the re-designation did not occur until well after D-Day, it is still possible he was still wearing then.<br /><br />Guess that’s just a long-winded way of saying I’m sorry I don’t know, but hopefully does provide you with an accurate chronology of events and evolution of insignia.<br /> <br />Sincere thanks for your interest in the blog, and best regards.<br />Arnhem Jim<br />Arnhemjimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01794722964883335445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2956713848009971988.post-8341748883675017392018-09-20T12:20:50.060-07:002018-09-20T12:20:50.060-07:00Hello,
Thank you for this forum and all informatio...Hello,<br />Thank you for this forum and all information present.<br />I am French, A french piper and I am looking for information for a long time. I can not find an answer.<br />It is about the 1st special service brigade during the d-day in Normandy.<br />About arm badge we can see the "1 commando" "2 commando".... Badge.<br />In a book (the bill millin book) the piper of lovat We can read that on the d-day the arm badge of Bill millin is not a "commando" badge, but a "1 SS brigade" badge<br />he says that this badge was removed quickly because the French confused with the German SS.<br />I dont find any picture or information about this badge.<br />Could you please give me information if you know that.<br /><br />Sorry for my bad english.<br />And thank you for your answers.<br /><br />Christophe Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2956713848009971988.post-55959802731192432002017-10-27T08:36:12.137-07:002017-10-27T08:36:12.137-07:00Am very glad to be of assistance. Reside in the st...Am very glad to be of assistance. Reside in the state of Arizona in the United States of America. As may be observed by some of the blog articles, served a number of years in the US Navy, parallel to my career in private industry. Being of Scottish ancestry has motivated personal interest in the Scottish Regiments of the British Army, as well as the British Airborne Forces in WWII. A word of warning collecting British Special Forces insignia which is conveyed throughout my blog, Be extremely cautious in the acquisition of any vintage pieces other than through established and reputable sources. Again best regards.<br />Arnhemjimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01794722964883335445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2956713848009971988.post-36434165329697289842017-10-27T03:09:48.747-07:002017-10-27T03:09:48.747-07:00Hello, thank you for replying. Jack is so keen and...Hello, thank you for replying. Jack is so keen and intent on broadening his collection. He wants to study military history, specialising in WW2, so perhaps the forum you mentioned would be a good source of information. Are you in France,(only asking because of the .fr), as Jack has acquired his collection from brocantes and depot ventes in Normandy. Thanks again. JaneAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2956713848009971988.post-67181390568946597532017-10-26T10:06:31.428-07:002017-10-26T10:06:31.428-07:00Hello Jane and Son,
Will be more than happy to try...Hello Jane and Son,<br />Will be more than happy to try and assist you in the identification of the insignia you have. I’m always very heartened to see an interest in military history by young men and women. Hope that you realize that I (or any collector) am at a “slight disadvantage” without being able to see actual photographs of the items, and I fully understand, as my blog doesn’t have the ability to receive them.<br /><br />Given those limitations, your descriptions are very good. The first insignia sounds very much like the standard brevet which is awarded and proudly worn by every officer and soldier of the Parachute Regiment who successfully passes out of the training course, and completes the requisite number of jumps. It is worn on right shoulder of No.2 Service Dress, the current Jump Smock, Parachutist (other than in an active service environment), and the “Wooly Pulley”(Wool Jersey). My only problem is that the insignia has been essentially the same since its inception in 1940, so without seeing yours it is difficult to date. You may have already discovered the article, but it shows the correct location on No.2 Service Dress; http://arnhemjim.blogspot.com/2015/05/uniform-of-lieut-colonel-of-parachute.html . The second brevet is the subdued tactical version, which was originally introduced during the “troubles” in Northern Ireland in the 1970’s. Again, without seeing the specific insignia, difficult to date. The third insignia unfortunately is totally beyond my limited knowledge, but from your description would not discount the possibility of it being Belgian.<br /><br />With regard to reference sources, would like to provide two different approaches. First there are several active and excellent forums which you may consider joining, and the membership of these forums would welcome new blood and young minds. In particular I would highly recommend The British and Commonwealth Military Badge Forum (http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/forums/). The membership includes a world-wide group of experts with a broad range of knowledge, which they are more than ready to share.<br /><br />You are also absolutely correct in realizing the importance of a good reference library, and I have mentioned several very good ones in the following article; http://arnhemjim.blogspot.com/p/british-militaria.html . Additionally you may want to explore some of the past articles in this blog. See the following as to what might be of personal interest; http://arnhemjim.blogspot.com/2016/02/list-of-posts-on-arnhem-jim-blog.html .<br /><br />Hope this reply proves to be of some assistance.<br />Best wishes,<br />Arnhem Jim<br />Arnhemjimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01794722964883335445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2956713848009971988.post-3217796304852284272017-10-26T07:45:59.548-07:002017-10-26T07:45:59.548-07:00Hello, please could you help my 16year old son ide...Hello, please could you help my 16year old son identify some badges he has acquired for his WW2 collection. They are both Parachute Regiment badges, one is khaki green background with light blue wings and white parachute, the other is a grass-green coloured background with black wings and black parachute. He has another badge which he believes to be Polish, it is a black standing lion outlined in gold, on a red and white background. Above the lions head is a crown, and to the left of the crown as you look at it is '8e'. To the right is a capital D. We would be very grateful for any help you can give identifying them, and also any advice you can give him as to what reference books would be useful in identifying badges, insignia, and other WW2 memorabilia. Many thanks, Jane.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2956713848009971988.post-78450838504572709052017-01-15T08:37:26.871-08:002017-01-15T08:37:26.871-08:00Hello Russel,
The formation badge you are referrin...Hello Russel,<br />The formation badge you are referring to is WWII Headquarters, British Forces, Hong Kong. My recommendation, if you are planning on continuing your collection, is to acquire a book(s) like "BRITISH ARMY CLOTH INSIGNIA 1940 to the present, An Illustrated Reference Guide for Collectors" by the late Brian L. Davis, Arms and Armour Press, 1985, ISBN 0-85368-709-9. Hope this is of assistance.<br />Best regards,<br />Jim Arnhemjimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01794722964883335445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2956713848009971988.post-9502003097419428662017-01-14T14:21:17.833-08:002017-01-14T14:21:17.833-08:00I have more if you can let
Me know an email addres...I have more if you can let<br />Me know an email address I am on Russel . Asquith @ gmail .comAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09106977060157101827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2956713848009971988.post-254226006660770762017-01-14T14:20:35.326-08:002017-01-14T14:20:35.326-08:00Hi Jim. I have some badges I wish
To identify. One...Hi Jim. I have some badges I wish<br />To identify. One of them is the top right on your<br />Collection - this is the dragon on red with a blue stripe Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09106977060157101827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2956713848009971988.post-52102000921753080172016-11-14T08:16:22.415-08:002016-11-14T08:16:22.415-08:00Hello Nigel,
It is the formation badge of the 48th...Hello Nigel,<br />It is the formation badge of the 48th Infantry Division, 2nd pattern. Hope that helps.<br />Best regards,<br />JimArnhemjimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01794722964883335445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2956713848009971988.post-34859340742720914722016-11-13T15:50:39.882-08:002016-11-13T15:50:39.882-08:00Hello, I am interested in a battle dress I have bo...Hello, I am interested in a battle dress I have bought, it has royal signals insignia and a formation badge under it.The badge depicted is on your picture, another assortment of well British airborne forces and combined operations insignia, aswelk as British Army formation and skill at arms badges. The badge is green background, yellow outline with red cross and yellow crown. Please identify the badge for me, many thanks Nigel.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com