Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Jackson
In the case of 1 Aust Army Corps was not the grey backing an integral part of the patch rather than an addition to indicate 2 AIF? I ask since the backing colour was mid green for 2 Aust Army Corps and scarlet for 3 Aust Army Corps. Is the lower patch that of the generic post VJ Day "new service colour patch" for all Aust Corps of Signals units? I'm confused.pom
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The grey background was initially part of the colour patch issued to the original 2nd AIF units and denoted the unit had been raised for active service abroad. In 1942, because AIF reinforcements were sent to any unit that required them, either AIF or Active CMF, there was a big clamour for distinction between AIF personnel and CMF (Militia/Territorial) personnel. The grey background became it, and thus it became a personal distinction rather than a unit distinction (there was also the AUSTRALIA shoulder title but even that was withdrawn, or attempted to be withdrawn, from AIF personnel at one stage).
100% of the members of the original 2nd AIF units wore grey backgrounds from 1942 because only AIF reinforcements could be posted to these units.
For the rest of the army between 0% and 100% of personnel could be wearing grey backgrounds in any one unit. Some units were raised from 1942 onwards from 100% of AIF volunteers, but the unit was still part of the Active CMF. The only concession was that where 75% or more of the members of an Active CMF unit were AIF volunteers, and from 1943, 65% or more of the authorised War Establishment, the unit title was suffixed by the addition of (AIF).
Also when 1 Aust Corps returned home some of it formed First Aust Army, i.e., HQRAA 1 Aust Corps was absorbed into HQ First Aust Army as RAA Staff, G Branch. A new HQRAA 1 Aust Corps was raised in Victoria as a unit of the Active Citizen Military Forces from various individuals posted in. Its colour patch did not originally have a grey background, in fact it was not redesignated HQRAA 1 Aust Corps (AIF) until late in 1942 when 75% or more of its members were AIF volunteers. HQ 1 Aust Corps became HQ First Aust Army, the new HQ 1 Aust Corps was formed by redesignation of HQ Southern Command, a CMF unit.
The AIF/CMF stuff should never have happened in the Second World War and it affected relations between the Regular Army and the CMF for years after the war. For instance most of the unit commanders when the CMF was reformed post WW2 were all ex-AIF. In some cases they refused to accept officers and NCOs in particular from the pre-war and wartime antecedents of the new units because, although those individuals had been AIF volunteers, they had been posted to Active CMF units. In some cases like 2 Aust Fd Regt (AIF) and 4 Aust Fd Regt (AIF), they had fired more rounds on operations than some of the 2nd AIF field regiments, but were still looked down on. A sad process and boiled down simply to poor management at the highest levels.
Now you are more confused, I know.
Yes, the bottom colour patch is the 1944 Arm of Service patch for AIF personnel of Aust Corps of Signals, worn into the early 1950s.
Cheers, Keith