'RES' Navy Type Cap Badge?

[Mike]

I have a request for an identification of a navy type badge from a member that is having difficult uploading the image so here it is as relayed to me via email:


"The undated photograph below is of a distant relative, Frank Coleman M.C. MRCS, FDSRCS, who served throughout WW1 in Belgium and France in the RAMC and was awarded the M.C. For Conspicuous Gallantry. The photograph appears to show a blue serge uniform (period 1930 to 1950) with a RN style cap badge but with the letters RES. Can anyone assist with identification please?"

[Hoot]

Originally Posted by Mike

I have a request for an identification of a navy type badge from a member that is having difficult uploading the image so here it is as relayed to me via email:


"The undated photograph below is of a distant relative, Frank Coleman M.C. MRCS, FDSRCS, who served throughout WW1 in Belgium and France in the RAMC and was awarded the M.C. For Conspicuous Gallantry. The photograph appears to show a blue serge uniform (period 1930 to 1950) with a RN style cap badge but with the letters RES. Can anyone assist with identification please?"

With those post-nominal letters to his name I think the letters on the cap badge badge are more likely to be RCS. Something like the Royal College of Surgeons Yacht Club perhaps.

[Postwarden]

The badge is that of the Port of London's River Emergency Service, created to act as an Air Raid Precautions-type force on the Thames. There are a variety
of cap badges for the service.

Jon

[mike_vee]

Deleted - Posted before I saw Jon's reply.

[Hoot]

Originally Posted by Postwarden

The badge is that of the Port of London's River Emergency Service, created to act as an Air Raid Precautions-type force on the Thames. There are a variety
of cap badges for the service.

Jon

My mistake, I didn't realise it was a crown above the letters, I thought it was a crest of some sort. Must do better.

[Postwarden]

ON LONDON’S RIVER

This article appeared in the September 2009 issue of The Formation Sign. The medical background of the officer in the original photo would suggest he served with the RES ambulances

Jon

Amongst the National Service tasks suggested as suitable for both Scouts and Girl Guides was service with the River Emergency Service (RES) of the Port of London Authority (PLA). The RES was created by the PLA in late 1938 to act as a Civil Defence force on the River Thames, maintaining the flow of river traffic and communications on the river, safeguarding shipping, saving life and evacuating casualties. When war broke out 14 fully equipped ambulance ships and 135 small RES vessels were mobilised.

In June 1940 the Admiralty’s newly-created Auxiliary Patrol took over all RES craft except the river ambulances, enrolling the crews into the RN Patrol Service. By summer 1941 the service had been reduced to eight ambulance ships each with a medical team of one doctor, eight nurses and four stretcher bearers who collected casualties on or near the river and transported them to land ambulance points. Although much reduced the RES was not stood down until May 1945.

RES uniform was of naval pattern worn with peaked caps. Women of the RES wore dark blue trousers and shirts with the letters RES in white above the left breast pocket. A curved shoulder title was worn on a blue greatcoat.

Three different patterns of cap badge were worn by the RES. The earliest is a round pattern which was in use in 1939. This was later replaced by two badges modelled on those of RN officers and Petty Officers with ‘R.E.S.’ replacing the fouled anchor. Gold wire and yellow thread examples exist, the latter possibly economy versions. The cap badges were worn by the women of the RES in a peaked ski cap like that issued to ARP ambulance drivers.

The RES had a system of ranks ranging from Chief Section Officer to Section Officers and Masters, but no details of rank badges are known. RES women used a series of twisted cord rank badges on the shoulder but precise details are not available.