17th british division - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

tarabelle · #1 10-04-21, 08:55 AM

Hey

So a very kind member identified the black cat patch as 17th british division and for malaya. I've looked for some info but havent found any only see 17th gurkha

I'm posting on this thread as I think this is the right one
Can anyone explain this to me as I see 17th indian and 17th gurkha

Thanks

T X
These arent mines

mike_vee · #2 10-04-21, 09:46 AM

Some info from Wiki :

17th Infantry Division (India)

Quote:

It was first formed in 1941, in Ahmednagar in India. It consisted then of the 44th, 45th and 46th Indian Infantry Brigades, and was intended to garrison Iraq. At the end of the year, war with Imperial Japan broke out and the division was split; 44th and 45th Brigades were despatched to Malaya where 45th Brigade fought in the Battle of Muar before both brigades were lost in the Battle of Singapore;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17th_I...vision_(India))

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tarabelle · #3 10-04-21, 09:50 AM

Thank you Mike

The other member mentioned that this one was after the war so I maybe got it wrong and thought it was for the war in Malaysia after the war

T X

mike_vee · #4 10-04-21, 10:28 AM

I have seen a few listings that claim the "Black Cats" were from the 1950's and wonder if the mix up was because the 17th Gurkha Division was involved in the Malayan Emergency ?

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tarabelle · #5 10-04-21, 10:48 AM

That's all I could see to and got a bit confused

irishhorse · #6 10-04-21, 11:00 AM

British Cloth Formation Signs by B.L Morris Part 1.Has the black cat on yellow rectangle. As 17th (British) Division, post war Malaya. In the same book, a similar badge 17th Indian Division. Is decribed as "A black cat on a green square also found in khaki, white or dark blue backgrounds. Similar sign worn by 17th Division in Malaya in the 1950's a black cat on yellow rectangle".

leigh kitchen · #7 10-04-21, 11:05 AM

I think the WWII era 17 Indian Div differed from the post war badge in that the former's cats had eyes, the latter didn't.

mike_vee · #8 10-04-21, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishhorse

British Cloth Formation Signs by B.L Morris Part 1.Has the black cat on yellow rectangle. As 17th (British) Division, post war Malaya. In the same book, a similar badge 17th Indian Division. Is decribed as "A black cat on a green square also found in khaki, white or dark blue backgrounds. Similar sign worn by 17th Division in Malaya in the 1950's a black cat on yellow rectangle".

This is what confuses me

Was there actually a 17th (British) Division in Malaya ? I can find details of the 17th (Gurkha) Division , including the patch they wore but no information about a British Division ?

Sorry if I'm being dumb or am I simply missing something .

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