Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Jackson
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 |
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