REME trade badges

[Burton]

Hi folks,
I've a new battledress acquisition, so once again I have questions. Its a May 1945 dated BD to a REME sergeant supposedly 6th airborne, but some badges are missing. Above the chevrons are some lug holes on both sleeves. I thought NCOs were prohibited from wearing hammer & tongs there after 1944 (except possibly for staff sergeant artificers? - but there isn't room for crowns as well). Is it possible that the hammer & tongs are what is missing or is my chap a staff sergeant and it's crowns that are missing? Did the regulations change perhaps after the war to allow it again?
Thanks in advance,
Burton

[Burton]

I should add that he is reported to have continued in 6th Airborne REME to Palestine, so I guess this isn't a dressed up going-home at the war's end BD.

[manchesters]

Burton,

I know of no such 1944 prohibition and am sure it is the armourers badge that is missing.

regards

[High Wood]

Do you by any chance have a name for the original owner as he should be on the GSM: Palestine medal roll? If so, it should give a clue as to his correct rank.

[grumpy]

Where did the idea of prohibition come from please?

[Burton]

Davis' - British Army Uniforms & Insignia states : ACI 1236 Sept, 1944 "Soldiers of the rank of Serjeant and above were not entitled to wear skill-at-arms or tradesmen's badges"

I'm not sure if the REME ignored this for some reason though. Also, it occurs to me that he may have been promoted from Corporal and lost the right to wear the hammer & tongs badges!

I'm trying to find the chaps name, if I get it I'll pursue the Palestine option thanks :-)

[Burton]

Also, I've seen group photos of 1st airborne REME in July 1944 where there is a proliferation of artificers badges, whereas a 1945 photo has almost none.

[grumpy]

Originally Posted by Burton

Davis' - British Army Uniforms & Insignia states : ACI 1236 Sept, 1944 "Soldiers of the rank of Serjeant and above were not entitled to wear skill-at-arms or tradesmen's badges"

I'm not sure if the REME ignored this for some reason though. Also, it occurs to me that he may have been promoted from Corporal and lost the right to wear the hammer & tongs badges!

I'm trying to find the chaps name, if I get it I'll pursue the Palestine option thanks :-)

Thank you.

[Burton]

No problem Grumpy. The book is supposed to be the definitive guide to these things, but it is startling how often the regs seem to have been ignored!

[Burton]

So am I misinterpreting this regulation, because there was certainly a metal lugged badge on each arm of the BD?

[Burton]

I think I've cracked it. I've found knap marks showing corporal's chevrons. So the missing lugged badges (and a trade badge on lower left arm) date from when he was a corporal, and were removed on promotion to sergeant. Shame really, I bet it was a really sharp looking battledress!

[54Bty]

Most Hammer & Tongs badges have the lugs at an angle 10 o'clock - 4 o'clock, and crowns are either 12 o'clock - 6 o'clock or 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock.

Marc

[Burton]

Ah! Interesting. The holes are at 3 & 9. Thanks 54Bty!

[Burton]

I got his name and found his record on the Palestine medal roll. He was a Lance Corporal then, so the lugged badges were probably the hammer & tongs (unless at the end of his career he was promoted to Staff Sergeant).