Camerons of Ottawa titles

[lettman]

Two variations: with and without the full-stops.

[jim a]

Thanks for posting your images of Canadian cloth... It's good for reference to see fronts and backs of the variations.... Jim

[Bill A]

Hi lettman. The top example in your image is the starchback pattern, not authorized but frequently found on tunics. It is dated to circa late spring or summer of 1945. The Camerons of Ottawa were on the order of battle as both the 3 Canadian Infantry Division, (AF) and later the 3 Canadian Infantry Division, Canadian Army Occupation Force. These deployments impacted the titles worn by the CH of O.
The Camerons were subject to an experiment with felt titles. When they arrived in the UK, they had not acquired a coloured title. A tender was put out, and the firm of Louis Falk provided a run of titles. The titles are almost the same as the starch back pattern but have black cotton backing. They proved unsatisfactory. They were not as durable as the melton pattern. These were the MG pattern.
The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa had several designation changes during the war and went back and forth between titles that included the M.G. and without the M.G. Many variations can be found. In 1943 the infantry division MG battalions were converted to support battalions. This change required that the unit drop the MG from the titles. The re-organizations continued. In February 1944, the support battalions were changed back to MG battalions and once again added the MG designation to their titles. Acquisition of titles was slow in keeping up with all the changes, and at D-Day the unit was wearing both the no MG pattern and MG patterns. The MG pattern was authorized again late in 1944, and there was another MG issue of printed titles. At the end of the war a single line embroidered CAMERON HIGHLANDERS of OTTAWA was issued. Some titles appear to have had the MG portion cut off.
The CAOF requested permission to use embroidered titles instead of the printed pattern, and adopted embroidered patterns were approved. The bottom title in your image is a Canadian made example and appears to be the pattern made around the end of the war. The record is not clear, but some titles for the CAOF were made in Canada and sent overseas. The second pattern was worn until the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa adopted the pattern with Canada instead of MG in 1949.

[lettman]

Great, Bill -- many thanks yet again for the sort of information I just can't find anywhere else.