parachute corps
 

I haven't seen to many parachute corps badges yet. Here is my one and only badge for this corps. Maybe we could see a few more. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../badges083.jpg

Canadian Parachute Corps Officer cap badge
 

Hello,
Here is a Canadian Parachute Corps officer cap badge I was fortunate to get some years ago in Quebec. The plate is made of brass and stamped at the base "Scully Montreal" but canopy and scroll are made of blackened silver I think. I got it with papers, documents and picture of the officer who wore this cap badge. His rank and name was Captain Roland Prairie MC-C de GF-CD (C de GF means Croix de Guerre Française). I know he was previously a first Lieutenant in the RCA (I have a picture of him in Service Dress) but I found out he was latter qualified as paratrooper on 29 May 1944 at Shilo Camp Manitoba. But he is not listed as 1st Cdn Para Bn officer nor known by the 1st Cdn Para Bn veterans association. I wonder in which unit he won his Military Cross and French Croix de Guerre? I could not find his MC citation... I would love to hear from anyone information about this Canadian officer!
Cheers.
J-F

Badges and medal research.
 

J-F, I think your enquiry about Captain Roland Prairie MC-C de GF-CD may be better posted on the British Medals Forum.
Strangely quiet on this thread. I thought that there would be much more discussion, especially with all the repros that are made of the 1 Canadian Parachute Battalion badges?

Canadian Parachute Corps Other Ranks cap badges
 

Thanks Bill for your suggestion I'll do it.
I agree with you this thread is stangely quiet for a variety of cap badges which have probably the most of reproductions and "bugs" of all the Canadian cap badges!
I add this couple of original brass metal cap badges for the Canadian Parachute Corps Other Ranks. I think they are the only original types for these cap badges.
Two different fixing patterns, one has the most commun fixing by wire lugs, the other has two plates cut and drilled. I am not sure but I heard of they had been made by the same factory located near Shillo Camp in Manitoba? Does it exact? According to the book "Into the Maelstrom" they would have been made late in 1944 and 1945. I wonder why they made in first the "plastic" pattern? Very few Canadian cap badges were made in plastic...
Cooper was so scarce in Canada during the war?:confused:
Cheers.
J-F

Somehow I missed this post.
Your badges are nice authenic examples of the Canadian Parachute Battalion badges.
J-F, To partially answer your question about the plastic (NOT BAKELITE for those that use the term), it was considered an "ecomomy issue". Brass, nickel, and copper (among many other metals) were considered a strategic materials for a period of time during WW2. There was an attempt to make badges in other ways, and plastic was the cheapest. The issue was not so much scarcity, as need. Brass was required for other products, as was nickel and copper.
I believe the manufacturer was in the Toronto area?

Jim, are you sure yours is a genuine badge? I understand the voids next to the canopy signifies it is a replica.

Luc, Sharp eyes. According to Joyce, Into the Malestrom 2007, the only authentic other ranks brass cap badge is unvoided.

Luc.... yes I'm sure it's an original.... you do have sharp eyes... but not sharp enough... what you thought was a void is actually a poor picture on my part using a poor backround... because of the flash? angle ? backround color? it seems there is a void but I've reshot it on a solid backround to show there is no void.... anyways... thanks for increasing my heartrate by about 100 bpm... jim http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...IMG_9407-1.jpg

Okay... That is a good example of the 1 Can Para or's badge. Hope the heart rate is back to normal Jim. :)

Here is my contribution to this topic. I am one of the minority of collectors who feel the 1st Canadian Parachute Corps is over-rated. I hope I don't offend anyone here by that remark, but in my opinion... seems to me there are more para collectors then there were members of the corps. Give me a regular line Regiment any day.


The way I obtained this badge, has to be the greatest deal I ever got.
About 10 years ago, I attended a gun show in Rochester New York. I wanted to see what the American shows were all about, but thats another story.

As I was looking around, totally dumbfounded by all the weaponry, I came across a table where the guy had some badges and other insignia. Most of it was American stuff and I was not interested in buying any of that. I asked the fellow at the table if he had any Canadian insignia. He showed me a little box of stuff tossed together. Most of the insignia was run of the mill stuff, Infantry badges and the like.

I picked up this 1st Canadian Parachute Corps badge and the lad says, Two-fifty, and its yours. My reply was something like how about two. We agreed on two twenty-five. As I was digging in my pocket, and fumbling for my cash, the lad saw I had a five in my hand and proceeded to get me change for a five dollar bill. I came to realize he meant Two Dollars and twenty-five cents where as I was talking two and twenty-five dollars.

I think overall I did pretty good with this one.

Great story... everyone needs a deal like that once in awhile and when it's a great badge it's all the better...

No, I think I need a new laptop at work. :D When I went over the thread at home the picture looked ok.

Luc.... I really wouldn't be in a big hurry to tell your boss you need a new computer screen so you can study badges more carefully while at work...Jim

Luc,
I would. I worked at IBM for 2.5 years and had problems with the screen
resolution - I didn't mention badges of course - I mentioned schematics and drawings etc : and, they paid for eye test and new glasses...

Jim, I think my boss already knows. :D

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n...h_untitled.jpg