Z Force patches
 

Last fall I was fortunate enough to pick up a matched pair of 49th Div patches, from a Cameron Highlander of Ottawa vets relative. These are thin cotton. The Cameron's served in Iceland as part of Z Force and wore the patch in that capacity.

Nice find Bill. I have a pic of my grandfather wearing these. When he went overseas he belonged to the Royal Regiment of Canada. They spent a month in Iceland. He later transferred to the 8th Recce. Cheers Brian

If you would like to part with them please let me know. :D I collect the 49th and I am looking for an attributed set to a Canadian.

Dear Bill,

I beleive that the patch set you have is actually a "theater made" version, made by the Sparta boys clothing shop, at Laugavegur street, Reykjavik. They made patches for the British / Canadian garrison troops. These where printed in a batch of 8 patches or 4 sets per sheet.

I am a co founder and member of the board of a WWII museum project in Iceland. My friend and co member in this museum is a old retired police detective that has a big collection, including an uncut sheet of these which he got as a gift from the former owners of this shop.

If anyone has photos showing these patches being worn, I would really be interested in seeing them, to further my Polar bear patch study.

Regards

Hinrik Steinsson

Z Force titles
 

Very nice badges. I believe these are the early version as the Polar bear is looking somewhat downcast. The subsequent, more common, version had the head thrown back 'in defiance'.

To the best of my knowledge all printed versions were made by The Calico Printers Association, The Broad Oak Print Works, Broad Oak Works, Accrington as they had the contract to supply cloth badges from @1940 to the early 1960's.

Now if anyone knows what became of their pattern books...

Stephen.

Here's the only photograph I know of in the Canadian Archives of an officer (upper left) of the Queen' Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada, wearing the polar bear patch.
Jo

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/d...oviqqavs023t31

Hi Hinrik, I believe Stephen has the story on these. The printed titles and patches were only made by Calico. I believe they had proprietary rights on the method, and as Stephen says, they were supplying the British army starting in 1940, onwards. The pattern appears to be the standard Calico issue, with a screen printed title, but no backing.
I would certainly like to see your examples for comparison. Any further provenance would be welcome.
Jo, The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa were the unit in Z Force, not the QOCHC.

Duly noted Bill, and correction made.;)
Jo

Here is a pic of my grandfather wearing the polar bear patch. I too would like to find a set of these. Cheers Brian

Thanks for comments and photos. When I get home next week, I can vist my friend and take a photo of his uncut sheet. But it is quite clear that this shop Sparta was selling these in Iceland. I think I remember correctly that my old friend said that they made them. He also said that many Icelandic seamstress where known to hand embroid patches for the troops, something that can explain the vast difference in partches. Cleaning, mending soldiers clothing
was a source of extra income for many women here.

Here is a wartime newspaper ad from the Sparta shop (came from fbi.is site)

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...747/Sparta.jpg

Canadian "Z Force" patch:

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...olarbear-1.jpg

And my Polar bear collection. Not that the blue "pig back" patch is American "Patch king" copy from 1950s. They are today often considered to be original, but are not. Top right set on khaki cloth is a fake set being sold by Gray_bear on Ebay. This set is sold for ca. 6 pounds in UK, but I see many offereings on ebay where they have been made to look authentic.

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...bearsfeb09.jpg

Always buying Polar bear patches. Primium price paid.

I also have some uniforms with patches still on them:þ This is the original jacket from USMC General John C. Marston, first US General to enter foreign soil in WWII (as far as I know)


http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...1234825794.jpg

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...CMarston-1.jpg

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...Iceland-10.gif

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...7/AC-75369.jpg

More photos for your interest:

General Curtis and General Bonesteel. Photo taken in 1941 when the Americans where taking over the garrison role in Iceland.

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...dBonesteel.jpg

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...urtispatch.jpg

This is a photo from a film that was taken of the Canadian Z Force. Does anyone know that emblem on the guys helmet to the left?

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...nd_vlbyssa.jpg

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...7/HU-87764.jpg

Hi Hinrik, That is quite an accumulation of 49th Div / Z Force patches that you have. Some really odd examples. I have a hand embroidered example, with Z Force embroidered on the bottom, and I have another printed example with the soldiers number inked on the spare material at the bottom.
Re the photo, the one with the two soldiers manning the Vickers, and the symbol on the helmet. The decal looks like a Royal Canadian Army Service Corps badge. This poses a real big question. The Canadian component of Z Force was made up of the Royal Regiment, Les Fusiliers Mont Royal, and the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa. How a RCASC fellow would fit in, especially as a No 2 on a Vickers, is a mystery. I may have the decal mis-identified.
Hinrik, a question about the Cameron Highlanders shoulder title. Why have you included that title in the display?

Bill,

It has taken many years to get this together. In my opinon, the metal bears are the rarest. I have a photo that showes that type of patch in use.

The Canadian man that sold me the "Z force" patch, said it was a part of the Ottawa Highlanders, but to be honest, I never got around to veryfing that. Is that not correct?

I would be interested in seeing good photos of your patches. If you pm me with email, I can also share more photos with you.

I called my friend, ex police detective. He says he is 100% that the Sparta shop was printing these. He even tried searching what happened to the templates, but they are unfortunatelly long gone and lost.

Reg

Hinrik