General Service Corps - plastic and GM

[mooke07]

Hi all,

I just found this group photograph which includes my father, Private Kenneth Moss (second from left, rear row) during basic training - April to July 1947. It shows recruits with both the General Service Corps badge in gilding metal (K&K 1084) and in chocolate-brown plastic (K&K 2278, patter sealed 16 January 1943). I think the lance-corporal is from The Sherwood Foresters (Nottingham and Derbyshire Regiment) and the corporal is from The Lincolnshire Regiment. He has white cloth shoulder titles that match a later photograph of my father and these were Lincolnshire and not Royal Lincolnshire. He also has a shoulder patch that I cannot make out from the angle. The Sherwood Forester appears to wear neither shoulder titles or shoulder patches. The photograph was taken in Lincoln.

Interesting that in 1947 a mixture of both GSC badges being worn. Not an amazing fact I know but hey…

Cheers Dean.

[Graham Stewart]

Originally Posted by mooke07

Hi all,

I just found this group photograph which includes my father, Private Kenneth Moss (second from left, rear row) during basic training - April to July 1947. It shows recruits with both the General Service Corps badge in gilding metal (K&K 1084) and in chocolate-brown plastic (K&K 2278, patter sealed 16 January 1943). I think the lance-corporal is from The Sherwood Foresters (Nottingham and Derbyshire Regiment) and the corporal is from The Lincolnshire Regiment. He has white cloth shoulder titles that match a later photograph of my father and these were Lincolnshire and not Royal Lincolnshire. He also has a shoulder patch that I cannot make out from the angle. The Sherwood Forester appears to wear neither shoulder titles or shoulder patches. The photograph was taken in Lincoln.

Interesting that in 1947 a mixture of both GSC badges being worn. Not an amazing fact I know but hey…

Cheers Dean.

Dean - have put in a 'Thanks' for reproducing this photo, as they appear to be such a rarity. We know a lot regarding the wearing of the G.S. capbadge during WWI and the units who wore it, but this is the first photo I've seen it worn during WWII - lovely photo.

[mooke07]

Thanks Graham,

I am pleased the photo was of interest. Most non-family photographs and postcards are un-marked and dating becomes a narrowing exercise. I presume like a recent thread I read on GSC badges in use today that for the three months of basic training recruits wear a GSC badge and then on passing out they wear the badge of the unit they are posted to. Same as 1947. Cheers Dean.

[Postwarden]

A close up of one with a backing in use on a GS cap. Probably just postwar.

Jon

[mooke07]

Thanks for posting John,

Even one of the most worn badges has details like when was a backing cloth worn not well known. Like many badges it awaits someone trawling through teh records.

Cheers Dean.