Army Catering Corps cloth shoulder title
 

Hi,
Would appreciate any thoughts on the title at the top of the image.
It is the early reverse colours as is the WW2 printed ACC title,I also show the post war version. It has recently been suggested to me that it may be private purchase and could have been worn by members of the ACC in the Airborne role. I'm afraid I cannot find any ref or proof for this. An interesting variant in its own right, other WW2 ones I have are Khaki Slip on and KD type and I would also be interested to see any I may have missed. I know there is a reverse Embroidered type that evades me!
Thanks
Paul

My selection of ACC titles, the last one is a copy:-

Thanks for showing them Jerry,
The RACC title is a real unknown to me and a few other veterans I have spoken too, there were a couple if occasions when the Corps thought the Royal title would be bestowed upon them, when gaining independence from the RASC, 25th Anniversary and the one I remember the 50th Anniversary in 1991 but I think someone already knew we would be amalgamated just under 2yrs later. I do think there is something not quite right in that it is in the old reversed colour so unless it was an immediate post war expectation I have no explanation and why make or even order them unless an official memo/order or such was circulated suggesting the Corps be Royal?
A couple more of mine attached
Paul

ACC
 

And another variant with the rare ACC AER sign thrown in for good measure. Mike
Attachment 169727Attachment 169728

Army Council Instruction 469 of 1941 promulgated that the shoulder titles of the Army Catering Corps to be worn by other ranks on service dress were the letters ACC in brass.

When the designs of the new cap and collar badges were announced in ACI 1054 of 1941 it also stated under the heading "Distinguishing Marks for wear on battledress" that all ranks would wear the letters ACC in yellow on a grey background.

In ACI 1118 of 1940 "An arm of service" strip of coloured felt was to be worn by all ranks on the upper sleeve of the battledress and greatcoat. The strip allocated to the Corps was two inches long and a quarter of an inch wide. The first inch being of pigeon grey and the second half of yellow material. Grey was not a colour used by any other branch of the army and may have been the reason it was allocated to the new Corps. Grey backing cloth was approved for the worsted rank badges worn on battledress by officers.
 
On 27 June 1947 the Controller Army Catering Corps proposed to the Army Dress Committee at their second meeting after the war, that the existing shoulder title was unsatisfactory in that after a period of wear the yellow initials ACC became very indistinct against a grey background.
It was proposed and agreed that the full wording "Army Catering Corps" in grey lettering on a yellow background should henceforth replace it. This form of title, introduced in 1948, was worn until battle dress was finally replaced after 1963. The grey colour taken into use by the Corps was originally described as pigeon grey.

At the 80th meeting of the Army Dress Committee on 27 April 1955, when consideration was given to the pattern, style and colour of a mess dress for officers of the ACC, the description grebe grey was first used. Senior officers of the Corps promoted to the rank of Colonel prior to 1959 wore a grebe grey band around the service dress cap and grey gorget patches on their collars.

Tim

Thanks Mike,
The Golden Chalice, well Flaming Grecian Urn. Nice to see thanks
Paul

Thanks Tim,
You've confirmed most of what I understood, I still struggle for an explanation on the full wording yellow and grey title, the initials ACC seemingly the only official type in this colour format. As I said it was suggested they may be airborne related as other corps seemingly adopted their full wording title whilst serving with airborne forces.
I have a few SD metal titles of different styles that I will dig out tomorrow, I think one may be Army Cyclist Corps.
Paul

The reversed colours Paul describes also occurs with the full Royal Army Pay Corps title, so instead of the correct new colour of primrose lettering on blue it's the other way around. I have to say I always thought these were manufacturing errors. A case of manufacturers jumping the gun, hearing of the change but assuming the colours would remain the same.

This I assumed was also the case with the RACC title, manufacturers thinking the Corps would be granted a Royal prefix along with many other units in 1946. The other example being the RCMP title.

Paul also mentions the metal titles, one of which may be Army Cyclist Corps, of course there where also Armoured Car Companies.

Cheers
Sean

The RACC title was indeed an incorrect item. A War Office letter sent to all Commands in November 1947 pointed out that ‘It has been brought to notice that a number of ORs of the ACC have purchased and taken into wear Titles, Arm, Embroidered inscribed RACC. This designation is incorrect and steps should be taken to ensure that only the approved pattern is worn.’ A similar reference published in the Routine Orders of both British Troops, Austria and Malaya District suggests its use may have been widespread.

Whilst it is true that most units serving with Airborne Forces adopted Guards-style regimental designations the majority copied the Guards style and used serif letters. The example shown is I would suggest a little too crude to have been worn in Airborne Forces. There are many similar such unexplained arm titles.

Jon

Thanks Jon,
That clears up the RACC title, I am surprised it was worn albeit unofficially. No Corps members including a couple from that period could not recall it.
My unusual title I think may remain a mystery but still a nice one to have.
Cheers
Paul