Response from a former SAS member
Friends,
The pink wing story keeps fascinating me. I posed a question to a former SAS member and received the attached answer.
Cheers,
Johan
“Interesting question about the pink SAS wings! I’m afraid that to the best of my knowledge I cannot confirm the fact that the pink centre wings are from the early desert days in Egypt or that the colour is caused by fading. I have seen wings with the pink colour on an officers jacket the officer in question had not joined the SAS until early 1944 which would make it unlikely that he would have been issued with wings made in Egypt or Italy. Equally I have seen wings that do not have the pink colour on them that were issued in the Italian theatre.
My own thoughts are that some batches were made like this for some unknown reason or other. I have seen several sets of wings that belonged to members of the Rhodesian LRDG and as far as I can remember none of them have that pink or faded colour in them which you might have expected bearing in mind they spent much of their war in warmer climes for the majority of the time.
It also needs to be borne in mind that the wings were not officially recognised so I doubt that anyone outside the SAS would have known exactly what pattern they should confirm to which means that individuals may have had batches made up by different tailors at different times.
Not a lot of use I know but it’s the best I can come up with”.
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