[Bill A]

Cliff, British Columbia Dragoons. The patching scheme for the Canadian Armoured Corps changed several times during the war. The Canadian Army (Overseas) patching policy that was approved in 1940 authorized "imposed" formation patches for corps. These were patches with the appropriate corps abbreviation embroidered or, later, printed on the patch. When the CAC adopted their cloth insignia in late 1942, the policy was extended to armoured units. This meant that armoured regiments would wear the corps shoulder title, Canadian / Armoured Corps, over the appropriate formation patch. To maintain regimental identity and morale, the formation patch was to have the approved regimental abbreviation on the patch. There was a lot of confusion and angst over this policy, as many of the regiments now under the umbrella organization of the CAC were much older with battle honours and distinct regimental traditions. Some armoured units resisted the policy, which resutled in them wearing shoulder titles and plain formation patches. Eventually this policy was adopted for all the regiments and corps of the Canadian Army (Overseas). (There were serious logistical issues with providing imposed formation patches to say, 25 RCAPC personnel in 1 CID, or to issue patches to the Fort Garry Horse in 5 Canadian Armoured Division, then have the regiment transferred to another formation, as did happen. Supply and cost were important considerations.)
To the photos, 5 CAD and 1 CAB followed the CAC policy when they went to Italy. So, the appropriate patching for the armoured units in 1943 through early 1945 was the CAC shoulder title with the appropriate imposed formation patch. The BCD would have worn the CAC shoulder title with the 5 CAD patch with BCD on it.