Royal Rifles of Canada and the Winnipeg Grenadiers: Hong Kong and insignia

[Bill A]

In Hong Kong the Royal Rifles of Canada and the Winnipeg Grenadiers wore khaki drill uniforms. Not sure of the issuing authority. They may have had Canadian issue khaki drill or they may have drawn on the British system for tropical wear, as the Canadians serving in Italy did. It is not clear what if any insignia was worn in Hong Kong. This early in the war the only insignia available was the worsted slip-ons and the worsted Canada titles. Both the RR of C and the WG were reformed in early 1942 and served in Canada for home defence. Each unit had coloured embroidered titles approved sometime in 1942, but these were not available for the Hong Kong personnel who were now Po W's. The WG served in Canada and were sent to the UK and became a training cadre depot there. The RR of C served in Canada and were sent overseas and broken up for reinforcementns. The new battalions of both units wore battledress. These uniforms may exist, but are not Hong Kong uniforms.
The survivors of the WG and RR of C held prisoner by the Japanese were repatriated immediately after their release from the the PoW camps. The remnants of the uniforms they had when released were destroyed. They were issued battledress on the way home. A special badge was authorized for the surivors, the HK patch with silver white lettering on a red circle. They were also supposed to get the appropriate regimental titles, but it is not clear if the inventory of titles was available when the arrived on the west coast. Most of these personnel were demobilized, but a few re-joined the army in the post war period. They wore the HK patch on the uniforms for a period of time, but effective January, 1947 it was ordered that all wartime formation patches be removed. Some of the Hong Kong personnel in the RR of C or the WG and would have wore the uniform insignia of those units and maybe the HK patch. There is a chance that these tunics surive.It must be noted that the titles for both regimets remained the same pattern from their approval in 1942 unti the were disbanded. Both of these reserve units remained active in the militia until the RR of C and the Winnipeg Grenadiers were reduced to nil strength and placed on the Supplemetary Order of Battle in 1966 and 1965 respectively.

[Michael Dorosh]

Originally Posted by Bill A

In Hong Kong the Royal Rifles of Canada and the Winnipeg Grenadiers wore khaki drill uniforms. Not sure of the issuing authority. They may have had Canadian issue khaki drill or they may have drawn on the British system for tropical wear, as the Canadians serving in Italy did.

I thought there were photos of them disembarking at Hong Kong already wearing the KD. If they are wearing KD on the boat on the way there, that would suggest to me they got it in Canada (otherwise, where else?)



LAC says this is a photo of disembarkation.

The only other possibility is that they wore Battle Dress on the boat, on a trip across the Pacific Ocean. Are there photos to support this contention? Moreover, does it seem likely? The troops did board the ships in autumn (October), albeit in the more temperate climate of the west coast.

[Bill A]

There is the possibility that they boarded with battledress and were issued the kd en-route.
C-Force proceeded directly to Hong Kong from Canada, in secrecy, which given the photo evidence would suggest the kd was issued from Canadian supplies.

[edstorey]

Considering the secrecy of the operation, the hypothesis that 'C' Force boarded their transport wearing BD and changed into KD enroute is very likely considering the KD that 'C' Force is photographed wearing in Hong Kong is Canadian.

The switching from BD to KD while onboard ship and enroute to Sicily was also done by 1st Canadian Division in July 1943, so the practice of exchanging uniforms while at sea was not that uncommon.