Colour patch book WW2
 

Mike

One wonders what is the point of scores of colour patches. Division maybe OK or even down to Battalion level but hundreds of variations of minor units are completely useless. I think people would be hard pressed to recognise anything other than their own colour patch.

It just creates a wasteful administrative and supply nightmare. People are constantly moving between units so badge sewing would have been a major pastime. If the pride and morale argument is used would it not be better to have 1 Field Regiment on the patch (with standard Corps background) that everyone, including civilians could read, rather than a couple of colours that nobody but you knows what they mean.

I know from my time in the army most people could not tell you what the tac signs on the vehicles meant and that is their own unit. Not in the hunt of recognizing other unit tac signs. I reckon a large group could not even recognize the background colours for every corps let alone the unit numbers.

Those colour stripes/bars representing numbers could be read by three people in my time though possibly one other person was doing a stripe reading course by the time I got out. Once again, what is the point? Zero security as the enemy would know the colour combinations in the first 10 minutes of a war (no, they know it already) and every person in the world is burdened with an education that told them numbers are indicated by special shape squiggly lines unless of course they were of that abused generation of kids who were so unsuccessfully taught mathematics in a coloured rod failed experiment back in the 70's.

The current decoration of the revered Australian Slouch hat has lost the plot. The single badge on the turned up brim that has been there for over 100 years has now been joined by a large Corps badge on the front and would you believe it, they have now reserected the colour patches on the right side. Looks like an Easter Bonnet.

Still no army in the world has ever been capable of keeping their administration simple.

I feel better now!

Lang

I'm glad you feel better. WW2 Canada went down the coloured patch rabbit hole but it mirrored (for the most part) the shapes and colours used in the Great War. Very little complex geometry, more simple rectangles and diamonds. At first we rejected even them and used a khaki 'CANADA' with removable epaulet slip-ons. In a fit of regimental pride some units and corps were allowed abbreviated initials on their coloured flashes, but nothing over the top. Come 1941 we saw them uppity Brits with regimental titles named after their home towns and counties and historical units and before you could say 1942 we we ablaze with large colourful unit titles on our otherwise subdued battledress.

Ah, Lang and Bruce ... such cynics. Where would militaria collectors, enthusiasts, and museum collections be today if not for colour patches, unit signs, registration numbers, camouflage paint, etc etc?

Not that the following is a reason for their burdensome infliction on the common soldier, with his needle-staked fingers after yet another unit transfer, of course, but recently I had cause to celebrate the Aust colour patch system, at least at Divisional and AIF/AMF level, as I was able to recognise where soldiers in images were from by the shape and grey edge (or lack thereof) of their colour patches. Made for more illuminating image captions.

OK, back to the bunker ... incoming! :giveup

Mike

Wild West of Insignia
 

The current Canadian Forces has gone down the 'Christmas Tree' road producing and issuing a badges for the sake of satisfying an insatiable demand for 'bling'. As an example, both the Regular Force and Reserves of the Canadian Army can barely field a division, yet by 2013 all five Division along with both the First Canadian Army and 1st Canadian Corps formation badges were reintroduced for wear on the Army Distinctive Environmental Uniform and CADPAT uniforms. Add to this all of the existing Regular and Reserve Brigade badges already in use and both uniforms have become quite colourful. Qualification and hazardous skill badges have traditionally only been worn on DEU but now the plethora of the various skill and qualification badges have also migrated to CADPAT. To top everything off, there is also a bewildering array of Task Force and even Commemoration badges which are now adorning CADPAT, further garnished the Christmas Tree. While this may seem like best time to be an insignia collector, the haphazard and uncontrolled way in which many of this insignia has made its way onto both the DEU and CADPAT uniforms means that documenting these badges is near impossible.

Attachment 121594 Attachment 121595 Attachment 121596

Here we go.

The Australian Army boss, General Rick Burr, in a Gilbert and Sullivan uniform talking to a lady soldier with her slouch hat gently placed high in the air so it will not spoil her hair do.

Caption ....
 

General Bling, looking grim and earnest, to female soldier: '... can you kill a man?'
Female Soldier at attention with wry smile: '...eventually, Sir'

:doh:

I take your General Burr and raise you one now somewhat disgraced General Vance. Forgoing tactical khaki he sports a deep green base on which to display his colourful bling, no doubt a salute to our rich evergreen forests.