Cloth Division Sign

[Bantam]

Hi All,
Can anyone tell me if The 1st Battalion The Welch Regiment would have worn Divisional patches during the battle of Crete in 1941.
The Battalion suffered 600 killed and 400 P.O.W.I would like to make up a frame consisting of badges,medals and other ephemera that was bequeathed to me by a veteran P.O.W. of Stalag V111 B Lamsdorf and would like to include the cloth patches if they existed.
Regards.
Bantam

[Peter Brydon]

Bantam,

I have" Divisions of the British Army 1939 -45 "by Malcolm Bellis ( who lives about 500 yards from me ).

It should be possible to identify the Brigade and Division that you are looking for but there appears to be a gap in the information for 1941 for this battalion.

I will have another look when I have some more time and will try and give you the information you are after

Peter

[Bantam]

Thanks Peter.I have tried looking it up on internet and my books without success I felt sure that someone on this forum would have the answer.
Regards,
Bantam

[erracht]

In May 1941 the 1st Bn Welch Regt was part of 14 Infantry Brigade. 14 Bde formed part of CREFORCE for the defense of Crete; prior to this it would have been under command GHQ MEF. As to formation signs worn during this period, I would think it unlikely, as the use of formation signs did not become widespread until about 1942 (if I recall correctly). If I were to hazard a guess at cloth insignia being worn, I would imagine it would have been limited to badges of rank/appointment and the epaulette slip-on unit titles.

Dean

[Peter Brydon]

Bantam,
I think Deans post explains why the answer to your query could not be found in the book I have (which deals only with Divisions ) and is the answer to why I could not find the 1st Bn Welch Regt listed in 1941.
P.B.

[Bantam]

Hi erracht and 8thfoot,
Thanks very much for your input.I tried looking up the divisional sign in Howard Cole's "Book Formation Badges of World War Two" and there is no recorded of it.
It seems odd to me that there was not a Divisional Sign considering that they were in use during WW1.Did The 14 Infantry Division cease with the fall of Crete ?As I have stated I have never been involved in Divisional Signs before so again this forum as opened another dimension to my militaria learning.
Regards,
Bantam

[erracht]

Hi Bantam,

Forgot to mention that I got the information out of Joslen's "Orders of Battle, Second World War". The 14th Brigade (not Division) that 1st Welch were in did not cease to exist after Crete. It was reformed and brought back to strength (as were 1st Welch) and wound up being redesignated 14th AirLanding Brigade, part of the 44th Indian Airborne Division (although 1st Welch were posted elsewhere by this time).

Regards,
Dean

[Bantam]

Hi erracht,
Brilliant.I really appreciated your help.
Thanks.
Bantam

[lettman]

1 Welch had been part of 8 Division up to early 1940 and would join 6 Division (which changed its designation to 70 Division) for the defence of Tobruk later in 1941. However, even assuming that divisional signs were being worn as early as 1940-41, 1st Welch was almost certainly too far 'between jobs' to have been wearing any in Crete.

[Bantam]

lettman,
Thanks for your contribution to my request.
Regards
Bantam