Quote:
Originally Posted by Mtnman
Might I ask, is it known as fact that these were not worn before 1940?
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Yes. Its purpose was to identify those who volunteered for service "anywhere in Africa", from March 1940 onwards. As the volunteer had to sign an oath, volunteering became known as "taking the red oath".
Once the African campaigns ended in 1943, volunteers were recruited for service "anywhere in the world", and this became known as "taking the blue oath" because it was believed that they would be issued with a blue flash. However, they also got the orange-red flash.
IIRC, the official name of the flash was something like "Mobile Field Force emblem".