Framed Australian Signals
 

At last I have framed some of my Australian Signal Corps Badges.

Phil.

Looks great!

Mick

G'day Phil

Well done mate they look great. "Jimmy" would be proud of you !!

regards

Phil.

Nice Phil.

I note your set of hat/cap/collar badges without the scroll. While at the AWM earlier this year chasing up correspondence on RAA badges I came across mention of the AC of Sigs badge in Military Board Circular Memorandum No 337 dated 19 June 1930 which amended the already approved design to state that the motto Certa Cito was to be added in a scroll around the foot of the badge.

I don't recall now whether this also related to the collar badges but the Illustration Numbers for both left and right collars, and the cap badge (No 1367) as supplied for the potential tenders suggest that the same design, and thus the motto, was used for cap and collar. L. Orbuck of Church St, Richmond, Victoria, manufactured both cap and collar badges.

The original approved design for the AC Sigs badge as authorised by MB CM No 200 of 10 April 1930 was for Mercury surrounded by the circlet with Australian Corps of Signals (The article in the Mercury dated 14 May 1930 describes it as a garter but this doesn't appear to be correct does it) surmounted by the Imperial crown. No scroll and motto.

The following link is to the file relating to correspondence from Signals units regarding the design of the badge during 1929-1930:

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/Searc....aspx?B=367409

It might be possible that some units of Sigs were quick off the mark in using regimental funds to order badges based on the first authorised design and these were supplied and worn until the design with motto began to be provided at public expense.

I note that sergeants of 6 Fd Bde AFA here in Hobart were wearing the old AFA collar badges on their privately purchased blue uniforms in 1930, perhaps on the same principle because collar badges for other ranks of RAA/AFA/AGA were not authorised until June 1930 and AFA/AGA officers collar badges, although approved at the same time, were not supplied at public expense.

Cheers, Keith

Thanks Keith for that very comprehensive information. I will be studying it in more detail in due course.

Best wishes Phil.

Phil, I've meant to bring a photo to your attention that kept appearing on ebay. There was a joker downloading photos from museum collections on-line and flogging them off on ebay but the quality was poor. Can't find them anymore so wouldn't be surprised if he has had a stop put to his game.

Anyway, there was a group photo he labelled as 7th Field Artillery Brigade, but was actually the South Australian members of 107th Howitzer Battery, 23rd Howitzer Brigade, in 1916. The men sitting in the front row were all signallers, wearing cloth crossed flags, and metal 'rising sun' badges with the exception of the centre bloke. He was wearing Aust Corps of Signallers cap and collar badges, and on his right arm is a large cloth Aust Corps of Signallers badge with the letters A C S arranged inside the circlet between the shafts of the flags.

This photo is actually from the collection of the State Library of South Australia and can be seen on that web-site. I did find it by chance a few weeks ago while looking through their stuff on keyword 'artillery' but don't have a link for it. Thought you might be interested to see those badges being worn by an AIF bloke four years after the corps was disbanded, not to mention the cloth badge.

Cheers, Keith

Thanks very much Keith, I would certainly like to see it, will have a look about I might be able to find it.

Phil.

Thank a lot Keith for that information, I have found and viewed the photograph, that is a great arm badge, the first that I have seen.
Wish I had one, even though I don't collect cloth badges.
All the best Phil.

hi guys
could you post a link so we can all see it please
bc

Go to State Library of South Australia, in the search box type Artillery, it is the third photo down, Signalman is in the front row centre.

Phil.

Well done Phil,

A really splendid display. Keep up the good word.

Cheers, Roy.

thanks phil and keith
never seen or even heard of that patch before. very interesting and a great find
cheers
bc