[Wooffy]

Hi Mike, thanks for this - but I am not at all convinced.

I have seen that thread too (link here) and the statement:

"This 1944 figure is an observer status only, higher ranks insignia would have been seen on both sleeves. If he was a "master spotter", he would have a circular badge with a spitfire on his left sleeve (position not indicated)".

Is not accurate.

The badges were calico printed and square, although there is some evidence that over zealous observers slightly rounded the corners, but they remained predominantly square. He also clearly has the 'Head Observer Badge' on his left breast pocket, which assimilated over to Chief Observer when that rank was established. This is the highest rank that was allowed to wear Master Test badges on their uniforms, officers did not. (Indeed the only badge officially permitted for wear on the sleeve of an officers uniform was the Seaborne shoulder badge). So that bit is also inaccurate.

As a slight digression from the original thread - The Blandford book has other inaccuracies too - it states that seaborne observers wore a "...rectangular dark blue cloth badge with the letters RN in light blue on the upper left sleeve at elbow height". This is not true. Seaborne Observers were issued with RN Armbands using Red Letters on a Blue Cloth background with either white or black elastic straps. After use for a very short period of time (prior to D-Day) many found that they would not stay in place with the elastic only. Consequently there is evidence of them being cut up and simply sewn on the uniform sleeve instead. This also accounts for the irregular positioning of the RN badges in the sleeve when worn in this way and the variance in shape and indeed size of the blue badge itself. It has some inaccuracies in the dates it quotes - the Observer Corps was established in 1925 not 1918 (I think they are confusing that with the formation of the Metropolitan Observation Service in 1916 but that is a guess).

The hunt for answers (and a real example of this badge) goes on !!