What might have been...
 

When designations were being considered for combat titles, it was suggested that the title for the Headquarters and Signals of the SSF read SSF HQ & SIGS. Unfortunately reality impacted, and the abbreviation was found to be too long to fit the epaulette tab. Instead, the abbreviation was revised to read HQ & SIGS.

Hi Bill

Who suggested that? SSF was always googo-gagga over getting "SSF" on everything. Good Brigade esprit de corps there in the 80s.
I often chuckle at what some unit call other units, particularly in the Reserve, based mainly on their naming designations written or slip-on.

Gugga Huggas
Links and Stinks
Storebought and Dumbass
Sally Horse
etc
:)

There was a real lack of issue Arid Cadpat slip-ons for our roto in '07,
Wheelers in NB was pumping out individual tapes any way you wanted it. You could get a "Ryl Can Regt" s/o tapes if you wanted. I got mine proper a sewed them to an issue arid s/o but then heard the Wheeler thread wasn't "tactical" and showed up better on II gear. I checked it out and sure enough they did image brighter. Only wore em on KAF. ;)

I heard once that shoulder titles were test printed in the 70s for the Canadian University Naval Training Students!!:rolleyes:

regards
Darrell

SSF HQ and SIGS was suggested when combat titles were being acquired in the 1977. The request came from the SSF, but there was a limit on the number of characters to be used on combat titles. It was set at 8 characters, but the proposed title had 10 characters which would not fit on either of the authorized widths for combat titles. The argument for the shorter title was supported by the fact that the HQ and SIGS titles would be worn in combination with the SSF patches.
(LAC documents are just becoming available for the time period.)

Hi Bill

I wasnt aware there was a letter limit. Good to know that, thanks.

regards
Darrell