Epaulette: Indian Royal Artillery?

[loupie1961]

I know that the epaulette I am enclosing of the pic of is badged to a captain of the (British) Royal Artillery and not to the Indian Artillery, but still my question (that can sound pretty senseless, I know!) is: can be this kind of embroidered RA title be considered as specific to the Royal Artillery that have served with Indian units, or was it a general custom with every RA formation operating in tropical/desert environment, regardless of the Division or Corps or Army Group it was attached to?

[David Tremain]

I would have expected to see a Royal Artillery epaulette with red (scarlet) backing to the 'pips'.

David

[loupie1961]

Originally Posted by David Tremain

I would have expected to see a Royal Artillery epaulette with red (scarlet) backing to the 'pips'.

David

I agree, but still it looks like in Indian Artillery units pips had khaki "GS" backings....

[loupie1961]

Originally Posted by David Tremain

I would have expected to see a Royal Artillery epaulette with red (scarlet) backing to the 'pips'.

David

another pair of officers epaulettes with "indian" backings...

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...ad.php?t=38526

[Mike Jackson]

Originally Posted by loupie1961

I know that the epaulette I am enclosing of the pic of is badged to a captain of the (British) Royal Artillery and not to the Indian Artillery, but still my question (that can sound pretty senseless, I know!) is: can be this kind of embroidered RA title be considered as specific to the Royal Artillery that have served with Indian units, or was it a general custom with every RA formation operating in tropical/desert environment, regardless of the Division or Corps or Army Group it was attached to?

With respect I think you are applying too much logic to what was a pretty casual situation. I should think that most Gunner units serving in a KD-wearing environment will have reached a similar and pragmatic solution to the officers' rank badge issue - locally made KD slides, locally made rank badges and either locally made or Indian factory made titles R.A. RHA will almost certainly have worn something rather more elegant (can anyone else recall RHA leather rank slides with gilding metal pips?). Mike

[JerryBB]

Some I have, not unit marked but they came on a BD with Burma star ribbon and traces of removed 14th army formation patch, sadly missing the ST as well so not sure who he served with. I also have a 46 pattern BD with plain backed rank stars on that and that is for armor. I have been told that plain backed rank insignia was from an earlier period, also I think WWI rank insignia was on plain backing.

The slip ons shown have the crowns directly embroidered on them.

[Postwarden]

The question of such slip-on rank badges has perplexed me for some time but I recently found the answer.

Special Indian Army Order 2/3/44 issued on 28th January 1944 is headed "Dress and Wearing of Uniforms during the war". It notes that "this order introduces battle dress, winter and summer as the universal dress for India Command"

The paragraph on badges of rank and shoulder title explains your example. For Officers it says that "Ordnance will provide the following to officers on repayment:
Embroidered khaki rank badges,
Embroidered black shoulder titles
Standard size shoulder strap sleeves in khaki or olive green, cellular."

These badges were to be sewn to the shoulder straps of the serge BD or to the shoulder strap sleeves for wear on cellular BD.

The section finishes with the warning that no departure from Ordnance standard patterns will be permitted.

All of which shows that your RA slip-on is exactly what was ordered to be worn on cellular BD in India Command (and was probably by extension worn in South East Asia Command as well)

Jon

[Mike Jackson]

Not Artillery-associated, but a couple more period pieces with different interpretations of regulation rank badges:
Rank Slides_India.01.jpg