8th Indian Division 8th Army signs

[loupie1961]

To your consideration, two formation signs stitched to an Indian Made airtex bush shirt I have in my collection. One is the usual printed 8th Division "Clovers", the other one is an 8th Army Crusader Shield printed canvas sign of the pattern usually associated to the British Forces of Occupation in Austria. Since 8th Indian Division was part of the 8th Army, I would like to know whether it was also part of the Forces of Occupation in austria and how long. Thank you for you knowledge!

[peter monahan]

Elements of the 8th Army were in Austria as late as 1947, so it's quite conceiveable that some of the 8th Indian Div's troops were among them. I know that they were close to the Austrian border in May, '45, when elements of the 6th DCO Lancers, for example, accepted the surrender of the remnants of the Herman Goering Division.

[Mike Jackson]

8 Indian Division left Italy and returned to Indian in July 1945. It's possible of course that it shed some of its British units prior to leaving Europe. Mike

[loupie1961]

Originally Posted by Mike Jackson

8 Indian Division left Italy and returned to Indian in July 1945. It's possible of course that it shed some of its British units prior to leaving Europe. Mike

Hello Mike, yes, according to The Tiger Triumphs 8th Indian Division went back to India immediately after the cessation of hostilities in Italy, so it's very unlikely that it could have been part of the British Forces of Occupation, unlike 10th Indian Division that left Italy only in december. I have strong reasons to think that the original owner of the Bush Shirt, and of an Airtex BD I have also got in my collection, was a British captain, either RA or RE, W. R. Hodgson: maybe he could be somehow researched. A still simpler explanation would that the printed canvas Eighth Army sign was originally worn by Eighth Army men at the end of the war, possibly just after VE day?

[Mike Jackson]

I've always been surprised that the printed Eighth Army sign was ever produced. As you know there most have been thousands (ten of thousands) of locally produced signs all the way from Tunisia to the Austrian border with Italy. Perhaps the printed ones were issued as Eighth Army was transformed into British Troops Austria? I'm sure Jon will know. Mike

[Sonofacqms]

Some of the British elements of the 8th Indian Div were sent to NW Europe before the cessation of hostilities I believe.

Rob

[loupie1961]

Originally Posted by Sonofacqms

Some of the British elements of the 8th Indian Div were sent to NW Europe before the cessation of hostilities I believe.

Rob

Hello Rob, in a pocket of the Bush Shirt I have found the ribbons for the Africa Star and Italy Star, and in any case I am not sure that being sent to NW Europe Captain W. R. Hodgson would have worn an Airtex Bush Shirt complete with Eighth Army insignia....