Help with Arm Badge Identification
 

I was asked today by a work colleague if I could identify the arm badge on his great grandfather's uniform sleeve.

He served in the Royal West Surrey Regiment 1916 - 1919. I can identify the marksman badge but not the other two worn above it. One looks like a star and the top one a fusilier / LI grenade.

He said his GGF talked of being trained as a grenadier but the name was changed to bomber??

Can anyone help with the identification of these badges please.

Thanks, Bill

First time I've seen that arrangement with the star rather than just the grenade over crossed rifles, which was Rifle Grenadier.

Perhaps a TF soldier entitled to star over rifles badge and simply put the grenade above when qualified.
Presumably he became a "Bomber".

Await input from the more knowledgeable usual suspects.

Hello Bill,

Yes, the original term was 'grenadier' but changed to 'bomber' in 1915/1916.

In Australia the oxidised copper grenade was approved for and issued to infantry bombers in 1916 but it was worn on the upper right arm as normal.

I don't know enough from the British aspect to say whether that your GGF badge is for a bomber.

Keith

I see Leigh has beaten me to it, I didn't know rifle grenadiers used a grenade over crossed rifles/

Star above crossed rifles was the prize badge for best shot in his company. It’s quite unusual but not unprecedented to see it represented using gilding metal rather than worsted badges. He was obviously a young man who took his skill at arms seriously.

Aha, the first of the usual suspects.
And (I'm guessing) upon becoming a Rifle Grenadier simply added the grenade above the star.
I've only ever seen one or two images showing grenade over rifles, this is the first time I've seen grenade / star / rifles.

I do not buy into the idea of a "rifle grenadier" badge ....... certainly never authorised centrally ..... I take the matter as a modern extrapolation based on the occasional photograph of a soldier wearing the grenade badge on the wrong arm, thus juxtaposing it with crossed rifles.

Never say never, and I will happy to be educated.

I have had a photo of a Sgt wearing the GM crossed rifles and a GM grenade over his chevrons on his right arm but not seen it on lower left before.

regards

The second and third expected suspects appear - the "Rifle Grenadier" badge has been discussed on forum before.
Reference was made on a web site (GWF?) by a knowledgeable member of this and other forums to the grenade / rifles being an authorised badge.
But perhaps an unofficial badge then?
If not Rifle Grenadier then what would it be likely to be?

I've just googled - an ARRSE thread, gawd help me.

The same man as per the photo in post 1.

https://www.arrse.co.uk/community/th...thread.273036/

Edit - and a post on the GWF.

https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/...rossed-rifles/

"as per ACIs"!

Graham Stewart has a superb ACI collection. If he says it is so, it is so.

Never say never.

Lesson learned number 19005634 and counting.

Thank you Leigh.

Grenade above
 

I believe a G/M grenade was was worn above Sgt's stripes in the Royal Engineers to substantiate rank, could this grenade worn to substantiate the wearer being the best shot in the unit?

A thought, but many odd items were worn which were strictly not regulation.

Rob

I used to have, about 30 - 35 years ago, a brass grenade over rifles pinned to a card board.
They had no provenance or backing plate, I'd just married the badges and parked them there as "Rifle Grenadier".
Annoyingly I have no idea where I would've read of the existence of that badge arrangement.

Parhaps those of you who know Graham could ask him to show the ACI, I for one would be very interested in seeing it in full.

regards

I haven’t seen Graham post in ages. The last time I spoke to him he was still working on an aviation maintenance contract in the Middle East.

Thanks very much for your help with this.

Looks like it cleared that up, wouldn't mind seeing the ACI if anyone can get sight of it.

Thanks again, Bill