Hi Mike, his 'flash' is the colour patch of the Australian Mechanical Transport Service, light grey/scarlet/light grey, worn in the UK and Egypt. Had me stumped too when I saw it, I immediately started looking at British Tank Corps flashes assuming he was attached to them. He was detached to Bovington to train as tank crew according to his service record.
Originally the tank arm badge was for WOs of the Australian Instructional Corps and NCOs above the rank of L/Sgt of the Australian Tank Corps. In 1934 the wording became a bit more ambiguous, allowing it to be worn by NCOs above L/Sgt serving in or attached to the Tank Corps - I think this might have been to provide for the Sgts of the attached Tank Section AASC(P). Given Australian mechanization practices at the time all mechanical vehicles were on charge to the AASC(P).
Then in 1936 all ranks of the Australian Tank Corps were allowed to wear a silk embroidered arm badge provided it was not supplied at public expense. No doubt the unit probably obtained a supply of these from the UK and they would be identical to those in use by RTR.
Keith
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