Presumably the brassard is worn with a shoulder strap looped through, if so I would've thought rank insignia would be worn on the strap.

Possibly to show civilian/police 'rank' when wearing flak jacket/body armour ? :confused:

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I never saw any of them worn in Bosnia during multiple tours across UNPROFOR, IFOR, SFOR and EUFOR either by UK military, UK CivPol with IPTF and certainly not by locally employed interpreters....

Thanks for the help everyone, sounds like they are a real mystery.

Michael

Possibly of interest

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/internat...nwealth-office

https://www.gov.uk/government/organi...ut/recruitment

Thanks Leigh, I'll have a look at those links.

Michael

Not really telling you much that isn't obvious from the design of the badge and wording, but I'm told worn by British Forensic Team members working with the Norwegian Forensec Unit.

One of mine.

Marc

Re. the brassard, I'm told that post the UN IPTF era in BiH British civilian staff were granted military ranks in line with their civilian status and afforded entry to officer's messes.
I'm advised that some "acted like landed gentry and would tell everyone their military rank and would write their 'rank' on their doors, books, etc"

First I've heard of the practise.
So, perhaps the brassard was worn by such personnel granted the status of "Major".

Interesting brassard.

UK civilains were certainly accorded the privleges of 'officer' rank in the early 2000s in BiH and Kosovo but I don't remember any specific rank being given with the exception of the GoC's POLAD (or 'political advisor' - although in reality he was something very different) who was accorded one star status - but behaved impecably. I also don't remember them wearing 'uniform' very much, with the exception of body armour and helmets carried outside the wire, and DPM waterproofs and softee jackets worn during inclement weather - of which there is a fair bit in the Balkans.

I have one of these civilian brassards as well.

I saw an eBay listing for one that said something to the effect that it was worn by civilian contractors to help military personal with new technology equipment that had not been much in use yet, during the Gulf War. The listing further says that these civilians were given the honorary rank of Major to allow them some authority over the military personal they were working with.

I cannot confirm or discount this, but share it as possibly another explanation of the brassard.

Terry

Maybe to show they are working officially for the Crown.

Marc