Unidentified
 

I've had both of these for 30+ years and it's time fore their annual outing. The identification of the upper patch remains unidentified - same association with RAE 6 Div, 2 AIF perhaps. The lower - a slip on - is easily identifiable - 9 Aust Div, 2 AIF but who would have worn it. The late lamented Dave Allen - to who I sent both these - thought it might have been worn by Salvation Army or similar philanthropic organisation attached to 9 Aust Div.
Attachment 144615

if it's any help...
 

...the top one is an American Infantry Regiment from WW2, not sure which but it served in the ETO, it's a pocket patch.

RW

Fascinating - do you have any references to it? Mike

Perhaps the 272nd Infantry Regiment "The Battle Axe Regiment"?

http://www.69th-infantry-division.co...ories/272.html



Graham

Hi Mike, Dave's explanation is plausible but whoever made it had no idea what a platypus's tail looked like. It is flat, not curved up!

The slip-on was totally unofficial if it was worn by an Australian, it is based on the divisional vehicle sign. It does however appear to be original - perhaps a British Army member on attachment?

Over the years there has been a trickle of embroidered and I think printed 'formation signs' for 6th, 7th and 9th Aust Divisions appearing on the market, all I believe originating in the UK. The origin of these probably lies in the Gale and Polden charts of the post WW2 period, or even Howard Cole's books. They are all fakes.

As a youngster, when Airfix brought out their first plastic Australian WW2 soldiers in 1/32 scale in the very early 1970s, I recall their picture of the 6th Division's kangaroo over boomerang on the painting instructions as being worn by the division's members. I can also recall my father's earthy comment in response.

The new book WW2 British Formation Badges has a picture on p482 of a New Guinea Force printed patch, 1943 Pattern. It too is a fake, based on the vehicle sign of 2nd Aust Corps, a cockatoo's head over a boomerang. No vehicle sign was ever approved for New Guinea Force and this particular sign was never used under this title until 1944 when HQ 2 Aust Corps absorbed HQ NG Force and was known for several months as HQ NG Force. I had never seen mention of this patch until now, it is possible vehicle signs other than the known 6, 7 and 9 Divs may exist in cloth.

Some years ago an Australian collector and author returned to Oz with a handful of 6, 7 and 9 Div '...formation signs, found in an old tailor's shop...' and some were sold by IS Wrights in their postal auctions. In the late 1980s I think the printed 6 Div badges were being sold through Michael Long's or a similarly named militaria outlet in UK.

I think it was bc who pointed out in a previous recent thread that there are quite a few 'believers' around who have these in their collections and cannot be persuaded that Australians did not wear formation signs during WW2.

Keith

Always a sucker for a good story, I purchased the attached 9th Australian Division badge from an eBay dealer who claimed he removed it from a scarf that had all the Italian theater signs. He displayed photos of the scarf. Opinions, anyone?

Graham,
That's a very good lead - many thanks. There must still be some 272 Inf Regt veterans around - and probably a 69 Inf Div Veterans Association. I'll continue the hunt. Mike

272 US Inf Regt
 

First stop was here:

http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Ca...med%20Services

These are fantasy patches based on the division formation sign. Have a read of Keith's post about them. Australians never wore a divisional formation patch on their uniforms during the war.

They started popping up for sale in the 1980s.

Mick

I read you loud and clear. Even knowing the badges weren't worn by the unit, I guess I let myself play the "maybe it's an unofficial novelty patch" game. It won't happen again!