1 SA Div formation signs being worn
 

A couple of photos showing the 1st Div formation sign being worn in North Africa.

The major appears to be wearing an armlet with a springbok on it. Any idea who it was or what the armlet looked like?

There's a photo in Joel Mervis's book South Africa in World War II which shows the divisional commander, Maj Gen George Brink, wearing an armband with a running springbok on it. My guess would be that it identified the divisional HQ staff. A further guess would be that the armband was orange.

Some time ago I did a little research on SA armbands and discovered some info in the SA Army archives. This prompted me to draw the attached. Apologies for the quality!

Thanks for sharing this Madziro. Quite interesting to see how South Africa, while part of the British Commonwealth forces and conforming in organization, doctrine, etc, still managed to retain its individuality in its insignia and the like.

TSM in plate 3 might actually be Troop Sergeant-Major, OPA is probably Observation Post Assistant (Ack in vernacular of the day) and GPOA is Gun Position Officer's Assistant. Those artillery ones are probably the SA variation of the armlets laid down in Instructions for Practice - Light, Medium and Heavy Artillery, 1924, for those appointments.

Keith

Some armbands been worn. These are all SAMC related.

1. Medical officer doing medicals at recruitment station.

2-4. SAMC Traing at Zonderwater 1941. Enlarged pics shows armbands with S?? and other ending with ??R. Any help with possible ID appreciated.

Steven

Many thanks for the additional info Gents. I have attached the UDF Order that I got the info from for interest.

I wonder if the medical S is not for sanitation? I note the 1934 regs had a yellow armband for sanitation duties but no mention of a letter.

Major-General George Edwin Brink (a.k.a. "Uncle George") as GOC 1 SA Division.

L: Bushjacket, Khaki Drill with 1 SA Div flash visible.
R: Battledress.

Hi,
Its possible but I think there may be more than an S... S been the first letter, but I cannot make out the other letters. The same for the R. There appears to be two other characters before the R.

S

Could it be something to do with Surgeon perhaps? It would be interesting to know what appointments and duties the 'Establishment' of a hospital would have had back then.

No I dont think so. The chap with the S armband is a seargent and probably the drill instructor (he is holding pace sticks). Looking at Madziro's list, there was an SDO armband (senior disciplinary officer).

Here is a picture of Maj-Gen Brink with armlet. Interestingly the springbok on this one appears to be a leaping springbok rather than just a springbok head. I have however seen a picture of a WW1 1 SA Brigade armlet that was just the springbok head so I wonder if it was 'meant' to be just the head?

And here is one of some pith helmets being worn that are not the most common variety...