Canadian wing. Help me out here please

[Eddie Parks]

Hi guys

Can someone take a look at:
http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...ead.php?t=1633
and let me know what the Canadian wing is? Please.

And any thoughts on the so-called SAS wing too!

Eddie

[Bill A]

Hi Eddie, Voltiguer answered that string?

[Eddie Parks]

OK

Perhaps I just don't understand

So ...

White maple leaf is for serving paratroopers

red is for qualified jumpers not serving in airborne?

Is that right?

eddie

[Bill A]

Hi Eddie, yes that is my understanding as well.

[54Bty]

Eddie, Just to confuse you even more there is a small red Maple Leaf that can be pinned through the white one on the cloth wing. Therefore the wings do not have to be changed on leaving an airborne unit.

[tynesideirish]

Eddie, The SAS wing is what is known as a Slops wing. As in Slop Jockey.

IF it was genuine: It is a proper issued tropical wing but I've never seen photographic evidence of it being worn.

Nowadays these wings if worn would be found on the chest (Yes chest) of a member of the Catering Branch RLC (Which was until recently the Army Catering Corps) in their whites.
I can't imagine a time when a chef passes SAS selection only to remain behind the hotplate! But I couldn't swear on it. You'll mostly see it in the normal British Parachutist Wing variety, as most Chefs serving the Parachute Regt and Airborne Forces like to be one of the lads and a high proportion strive to pass P-Coy.

[servicepub]

Originally Posted by 54Bty

Eddie, Just to confuse you even more there is a small red Maple Leaf that can be pinned through the white one on the cloth wing. Therefore the wings do not have to be changed on leaving an airborne unit.

Not quiite. The red leaf is the common wing and is awarded to avery member of the Canadian Forces who successfully graduates from the CF Basic Parachutist Course. Back in the mid-70s a white leaf was introduced for wear by any serving or former member who had served in a 'jump' position. This included instructors at the para school, riggers, Sky Hawks demonstration team, Mobile Strike Companies (from the 1960s), etc..

At one point the CO of the Cdn Airborne Regiment unofficially changed the rules by making the white leaf dependant upon graduating from the Airborne Indoctrination Course. Needless to say, members of the school, the Sky Hawks, etc... ignored this but the members of the Cdn Ab Regt have, over the years, taken this requirement so much to heart that they firmly believe that this is the only legitimate way to earn the white leaf.

Once the white leaf is earned it is never reverted back to the red so the quote above is incorrect. There was, however, at the very beginning a silver maple leaf device (the exact same as was used on the undress ribbon of the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal) that could be applied over the embroidered red leaf.

[Bill A]

Clive, Was the silver maple leaf addition only practiced with the CF jump wings, or was it used before unification?

[54Bty]

Sorry everyone I got it the wrong way round, here is the one I have. This has a single pin and clutch fastener.

Should never type from memory.

[servicepub]

Originally Posted by Bill A

Clive, Was the silver maple leaf addition only practiced with the CF jump wings, or was it used before unification?

From memory - the white leaf policy came in in 1974-75 so no white leaf was ever added to the pre-unification wings.

[servicepub]

Originally Posted by 54Bty

Sorry everyone I got it the wrong way round, here is the one I have. This has a single pin and clutch fastener.

Nice. I have only seen the early silver maple leaf which has the two-prong attachment and which was previously used on the CVSM ribbon. I was not aware of this cluth-pin attachment variant. Obviously it took the CF a while to produce a dedicated white leaf badge.

[Phillip Herring]

My input here is based on what I saw in Petawawa circa 1989-1994.
The white/silver leaf was worn by all qualified parachutists who were in a "jump" position. This included members of the Canadian Airborne Regiment and members of sub-units such as E Battery 2 RCHA, Airborne Recce Troop RCD, Medical Evacuation Company 2 Field Ambulance as well as designated personnel in 2 CER, SSF HQ and Signals, 2 Service Battalion (designated Traffic Technicians) and some staff officers in the Special Service Force Headquarters.