Maroon/blue/maroon?
 

I have a maroon/blue/maroon DZ with a 'pathfinder' arrow and have seen two similar badges, one with a 'lightbulb' and one with a lightning bolt, apologies for the elementary question but I don't have a Para reference book which covers these, please advise designation, thanks

That is the 16 AA Bde PF badge. The lightning strike was an Afghan interation whilst the light bulb is not PF but the despatchers.

I've also seen the lightbulb version referred to as APJIs, but dispatchers makes more sense to me given that APJIs have their own wings...

That's them. I could not remember the abbreviation for those who push paras out of doors.

Ah - different trades.

In that case its AJPIs - dispatchers (in men jumping out of aircraft terms) are (usually) RAF. Dispatchers who chuck pallets out of the back are (usually) army. APJIs (army or RM) provide training at unit level before guys go to jump out of the aircraft in question.

...and just to keep us on our toes in this wonderful hobby...:)

Some Parachute Regiment soldiers have qualified as RAF Parachute Jumping Instructors and wear the RAF brevet on their chest. The TRF with lightbulb is worn by RAF PJIs attached to 16 AABde (all RAF PJIs are PTIs, hence the pic with the cpl wearing a PTI top). RAF PJIs who serve/have served with an Army para-role unit wear the Parachute Badge With Wings on their right arm in perpetuity - the PJI brevet continues to be worn.

Mark

Attachment 236087

Attachment 236088

Attachment 236089

A correction: the PTI is Army per the insignia. RAF wear ranks and badges with blue facings. Sorry. But the same above applies.

Maroon and light blue DZ flashes
 

As has already been said, the DZ flash incorporating the pathfinder arrow is for the 16 AABde Pathfinder Platoon, while that with the parachute is for the Army PJIs. The DZ flash incorporating a lightning bolt was for 16 AABde Brigade Recce Force during the Afghan campaign. The BRF had the Pathfinder Platoon as it core but was augmented with other recce elements eg. engineer recce. All are based on the 16 AABde HQ DZ flash, which is the maroon and light blue vertical stripes but without any device on it.

Some pictures. The DZ flash with 'lightbulb' is or was worn by the first group of Army Parachute Jump Instructors qualifying at RAF Brize Norton in April 2017 when they were awarded a PJI half wing in army colours. see:

https://twitter.com/rafbrizenorton/s...12594346233856

Also showing the 16 Air Assault Brigade Pathfinder Platoon DZ flash and two versions of the Brigade Reconnaissance Force DZ flash which may not have been worn?

Tim (composing this while Mark posted his!

The maroon and light blue BRF DZ flash was worn but not the subdued ‘desert’ version. The thunderbolt arrow should point downwards.

Got to say, ‘pushing paras out of a plane’ could be a dream job. At least you know that if they forget their parachute it wont do them much damage...:)

Thanks
 

Just lost a long reply due to fat fingers and too far gone to re type...

I have read in, 'Badge Backings & Special Embellishments Of The British Army', written by a badge collecting QC ex army officer under the pseudonym C E Audax, that the white pathfinder arrow on maroon over green was the daytime version and black arrows were for night use. I find this hard to believe, was the black arrow not the 2nd version after the white?

I have a printed white arrow version, when did printed badges cease and switch to embroidered?

Here are some examples. The 5 Airborne Brigade Pathfinder Platoon was for some time 'unestablished' and run using manpower and equipment borrowed from Brigade units. The first example is locally made while the second and third are machine woven. The black arrow version is described as subdued and is obviously more tactically sound. It is unlikely that DZ flashes sewn on smocks were changed from day to night!

Tim

Unlikely
 

Yes, thanks, I thought that to be the case.

Indeed. I remember playing with PF Pl back in the early 90s and they had a habit of wearing their DZ flashes on the backs of their collars (so it was only visible when the collar of the para smock/hood of the windproof was up). I presume this hasn't persisted with the more recent habit of adding velcro to anything not nailed down and then sticking some kind of TRF or other badge on it...