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  #1  
Old 18-11-09, 03:21 PM
sailorbear sailorbear is offline
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Default Canadian Special Service Force Badge

Hi all, I believe the below image is a post WW2 Canadian Spcial Service Force badge? but can anyone tell me if, being metal, is it a cap badge? and if so what colour beret is/was worn on? I was of the belief that the SSF was a formation made up of serveral different units and that personnel wore the regimental cap badge of their individual units and the only SSF insignia worn was the woven patch (second image) Lastly, does the SSF still exist in the Canadian forces?

Regards Tony
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  #2  
Old 18-11-09, 03:55 PM
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Hello Tony, this from our friends at Wikipedia.
Post World War II: Canadian Army 2nd Special Service Force
In 1977, 2 Combat Group combined with the Canadian Airborne Regiment to form the 2nd Special Service Force, a formation of the Canadian Army. This latter day Special Service Force represented a compromise between the general purpose combat capabilities of a normal brigade and the strategic and tactical flexibility that derived from the lighter and more mobile capabilities of the Canadian Airborne Regiment. The Forces was a brigade-sized command with strength of 3,500, created to provide a small, highly mobile, general-purpose force that could be inserted quickly into any national or international theatre of operations. To this end each unit in the Force had a parachute sub-unit that would be used to support the Airborne Regiment. The Royal Canadian Dragoons had an armoured recce troop with M-114 Lynx APCs, while 2nd Royal Canadian Horse Artillery had a parachute battery with 105mm L5 Pack Howitzers. Though ultimately the Special Service Force's readiness and deployability were never tested as a formation, its units and soldiers served often & well in operations both at home and around the world. They have served in Cyprus, Somalia, the Former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Namibia and internally at the Native uprisings in Ipperwash & SE Ontario. Its troops were also used during the natural disasters as the 1998 ice storm in Quebec and the 1998 Winnipeg Flood.
The following Units were serving in the SSF on disbandment in 1995:
1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
2nd Field Ambulance
Royal Canadian Dragoons
2nd Military Police Platoon
2nd Combat Engineer Regiment
2nd Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
2nd Service Battalion
2nd Intelligence Platoon
427 Tactical Helicopter Squadron
22nd Air Defence Regiment
SSF HQ & Signals Squadron
Canadian Airborne Regiment (now disbanded)
With the addition of Leopard tanks for the RCD, M109 howitzers for 2 RCHA & the addition of the 2nd Battalion of The RCR, the Special Service Force was officially redesignated as 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (CMBG) by a Ministerial Order signed on 24 April 1995. This decision and the associated reorganizing and re-equipping of the formation are a reflection of the current emphasis in Canadian defence policy on general purpose capabilities. With a smaller force structure, a smaller defence budget and more frequent operational taskings, it has become clear that general purpose capabilities provide the best return on investment in defence. Accordingly, 2 CMBG has been designed to be a mirror image reflection of its two sister formations, 1 CMBG in Western Canada, and 5e Groupe-brigade Mécanisée du Canada (GBMC) in Quebec. In completing this transformation, 2 CMBG will maintain the fine spirit and traditions of the Special Service Force, while mastering the equipment and tactical doctrine that will give it wide employability in the range of possible taskings that face Canada's Land Force today.

The badge on the left was for the pipers and other members of the band which, IIRC, were fitted as a highland pipe band.
The badge on the right was worn on the CF green uniform until the disbandment of the the unit.I have posted a pic from our colleague great website John Cameron showing the way the patch was worn by a member of the Canadian Airborne Regiment.A similar "subdued" patch was also worn on the combat uniform of the time.

http://mpmuseum.org/securuniform/cf/abcf01.jpg
http://mpmuseum.org/secur/brassards/abbrassard.jpg

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Last edited by Voltigeur; 18-11-09 at 04:52 PM.
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  #3  
Old 18-11-09, 04:44 PM
Recce Recce is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sailorbear View Post
Hi all, I believe the below image is a post WW2 Canadian Spcial Service Force badge? but can anyone tell me if, being metal, is it a cap badge? and if so what colour beret is/was worn on? I was of the belief that the SSF was a formation made up of serveral different units and that personnel wore the regimental cap badge of their individual units and the only SSF insignia worn was the woven patch (second image) Lastly, does the SSF still exist in the Canadian forces?

Regards Tony


Hi your first Picture the one in metal the Pipe Sergeant Major, or Pipes and Drums wear them, I`ve seen only in Second Commando AKA PPCLI.

the second one goes on the Dress Uniform.

From 68 to 74 in Edmonton and from 75 till disbanded in Petawawa.

Last edited by Recce; 19-11-09 at 04:49 PM.
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  #4  
Old 18-11-09, 07:01 PM
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The metal capbadge was worn by the SSF Pipes and Drums on their glengarry caps. Collar badges were the crossed arrows with clutch pins and the sporran badge was a smaller version of the cap badge. I will post images later.
The SSF badges were replaced when the formation became 2 CMBG.

Phil
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Old 29-11-09, 07:14 PM
RMC_Birdgunner RMC_Birdgunner is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Recce View Post
Hi your first Picture the one in metal the Pipe Sergeant Major, or Pipes and Drums wear them, I`ve seen only in Second Commando AKA PPCLI.

the second one goes on the Dress Uniform.

From 68 to 74 in Edmonton and from 75 till disbanded in Petawawa.
Just to clarify, the dates above are incorrect. They would be for the Canadian Airborne Regiment alone and not the SSF. The Cdn Ab Regt was in Edmonton from 1968 to 1977 when it moved to Petawawa. In 1977 Petawawa was rebaged from the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade to the Special Service Force, a brigade size formation. All members of the Brigade wore the woven patch on dress uniforms. The SSF rebaged in 1996 to 2 CMBG.

Cheers,
Denis
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Old 29-11-09, 08:15 PM
edstorey edstorey is offline
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Default Naming Conventions

Apparently the organization of the SSF was pulled off of Wikipedia as the naming conventions for many of the units and the way in which they are listed is incorrect. As well, the order of precedence was not followed and when it comes to naming conventions the correct unit names are as follows:

Royal Canadian Dragoons
2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
2 Combat Engineer Regiment
2 Headquarters and Signals Squadron
1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
Canadian Airborne Regiment
427 Tactical Helicopter Squadron
2 Service Battalion
2 Field Ambulance
2 Military Police Platoon
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  #7  
Old 29-11-09, 08:26 PM
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Ed, I think we discussed this somewhere else, but why are some units 1st and other are 1?
Eg 1st Battalion RCR vs 1 Battalion RCR. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason?
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Old 29-11-09, 09:15 PM
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The change to 2 CMBG was earlier than 1996. I seem to recall that it was in 1992 or 1993.
The new brigade badge was designed by the Brigade Sergeant Major's Assistant, Master Bombardier (at the time) Dave Robinson.

Phil
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Old 30-11-09, 07:57 PM
Recce Recce is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RMC_Birdgunner View Post
Just to clarify, the dates above are incorrect. They would be for the Canadian Airborne Regiment alone and not the SSF. The Cdn Ab Regt was in Edmonton from 1968 to 1977 when it moved to Petawawa. In 1977 Petawawa was rebaged from the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade to the Special Service Force, a brigade size formation. All members of the Brigade wore the woven patch on dress uniforms. The SSF rebaged in 1996 to 2 CMBG.

Cheers,
Denis
Yes I forgot to clarify that, Airborne for the dates I mentioned Not SSF which was from 77 to 5th March 95. The greatest Canadian injustice ever made.
For the mistakes a few so many payed the price.
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  #10  
Old 04-12-09, 06:14 PM
RMC_Birdgunner RMC_Birdgunner is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Phillip Herring View Post
The change to 2 CMBG was earlier than 1996. I seem to recall that it was in 1992 or 1993.
The new brigade badge was designed by the Brigade Sergeant Major's Assistant, Master Bombardier (at the time) Dave Robinson.

Phil
The airborne battle group was desolved in 92 or 93 but I was on the rebadgeing parade as a gunner in October 1995. I was remembering 96 for some reason but now I am sure it was 95.

Denis
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  #11  
Old 04-12-09, 09:01 PM
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The change from SSF to 2 CMBG was in March 95 with the badge coming out in the fall of 95.

I remember being in a below-ground Bde CP the engineers had built for us in Gagetown (Sep 95) and having to tell the Bde RSM that his shiny new badges had the bear facing backwards and he'd have to get new ones before he sewed them on his uniform. He didn't like that but soon found out I was correct. This is the source of the five sets of prototype DEU/Garrison badges that are 'backwards'.
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Old 04-12-09, 09:13 PM
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I've seen those somewhere...
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  #13  
Old 22-10-10, 11:39 AM
1stmotors
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XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX

Last edited by 1stmotors; 20-06-11 at 12:56 AM.
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Old 23-10-10, 02:41 PM
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Originally Posted by 1stmotors View Post
Hi Tony

Better late than never. The metal badge you show is that worn by the Special Service Force Pipes and Drums, from 1977 until 1990's change to 2nd Mechanised Brigade. I was a member of SSF Pipes and Drums in 1991 and 92.

The metal badge was worn on a dark green Glengarry, a miniature of same worn on the leather battle sporran and the crossed arrows of the WW2 1st Special Service Force(Devil's Brigade) worn as collars on the standard CF green or tan tunics. The fabric SSF badge was also worn on the upper sleeve area of said tunics. The tunics were the highland cut away pattern, with the Black Stewart Tartan as kilt.
Here is the badge set Glengarry, Sporran collars and also Plaid brooch

Cheers
Tom Tweney

Hi Nice thank you for sharing.

Quote:
the crossed arrows of the WW2 1st Special Service Force(Devil's Brigade) worn as collars on the standard CF green or tan tunics.

I thought and read they started wearing the Canadian 1st SSF. Crossed Arrows Post WWII

One of the Cross Arrows for Sale
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  #15  
Old 23-10-10, 04:37 PM
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The cross arrows were worn as a pair, for collar badges. They are post war Meyers from US if I remember correctly. Clutch back fasteners.
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Last edited by Bill A; 23-10-10 at 11:24 PM.
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