ILH/6 SAAC Regiment
 

Dear all,
I have recently become the custodian of a WW2 SA North Africa/Italy medal group which I would like to display with some of correct representative badges.

Imperial Light Horse July 1932 to July 1941 so that’s fairly straightforward. From July 1941 until July 1943 he is 6th South African Armoured Car Regiment so during this period would he have worn the South African Tank Corps badge and would he have worn the 7th Armoured Division Jerboa shoulder flash?
July 1943 through to the end of the war 1st ILH. Would this be back to the ILH cap badge?

Also he was a WOII (CSM) by the end of the war so would he wear the standard crown surrounded by the laurel wreath?

Many thanks,
Paul

Re the rank badge : CSMs wore the plain crown. The RQMS wore the crown in the wreath.

Corps badge and would he have worn the 7th Armoured Division Jerboa shoulder flash?


Many thanks,
Paul[/QUOTE]

Paul from what I understand, only the 4th SA Armoured Car Regiment was entitled to wear the circular Red and White Jerboa shoulder flash.

It was more of a Battle Award than just a unit patch.

Brian

Thanks Arthur and Brian,
From what I have read the 4th SAAC Regiment and the 6th SAAC Regiment amalgamated in October 1942 becoming 4th/6th South African Armoured Car Regiment hence wondering about the Jeroba and whether my man would have been entitled to wear it?

Which cap badge would he have been wearing at this time ILH or Tank Corps?

Regards,
Paul

Hi Paul

Difficult question, I would suspect the SA Tank Corps but I have seen period pictures where a variety of badges were worn around this period. This was before the formation of the 6th SA Armoured Div for service in Italy where more strict conditions appear to have been implemented as to head dress insignia. Even with this, with reinforcements joining various regiments there were still different badges worn. Seen a group picture of NMR chaps in Italy wearing NMR and SA Tank Corps badges in the picture.

Brian

Thanks Brian,

Now to try and find ILH and SA Tank Corps badges in the UK. Not the easiest of things to do so I will just have to be patient.

Paul

In the eighties and nineties a lot of badges left South Africa for these shores simply because of the far greater value here in terms of money, so I would just keep your eye open and you will, I am sure, find what you are looking for in due course.

Hi

I concur with Frank, seen many SA badges pop up on auctions in the UK. Just keep perusing a few badge sites/auctions.

Great thing is I have not seen any copies besides bronze WW2 Sand cast (Egypt) and some lead versions (Made in SA) the latter due to brass shortages.

Brian

Thanks gents, I just need to be patient. I have seen several on SA dealers sites. I have heard though that the postal service can be unreliable but I have no personal experience so would not know.