1st South African Mounted Brigade Signals badge

[Chris Walker]

Dear Friends.

Can any body give me any further information as to the date or period that the attached badge was worn or originally introduced.

In my opinion it is a 1st South African Mounted Brigade Signals badge.

Andrew Dinnes (Traist) has been kind enough to advise me it was probably worn in the German South West African Campaign (Now called Namibia). I also have seen the Military History Journal Vol 6 of 1985 and it appears that is was also worn in the German East Africa Campaign 1914 to 1918. Here it states it was worn by the 1st and 2nd South African Mounted Brigade Signals.

I have no further information so I would be very much obliged if any member of the Forum could assist me with any thing further regarding the attached badge for me to be able to put this badge on my little web site with a write up to go with it.

With my very best wishes and kind regards

Chris Walker
www.signalsbadges.co.uk

[Arthur R]

Chris

I have no definite info about this badge, but I'm inclined to support Andrew's view that it was probably the GSWA campaign. My reasons : (1) the abbreviation is '1 MB' rather than '1 SAMB', and (2) the badge looks like that of the SA Field Post & Telegraph Corps. Those two details point to the Union Defence Forces (which fought in GSWA) rather than to the SA Overseas Expeditionary Forces (which fought in GEA). The SAOEF brigades had 'SA' prefixes to their names, whereas the UDF brigades did not.

The SAFPTC was formed in October 1914 by combining the Natal Telegraph Corps and the Transvaal Signal & Field Telegraph Corps. They resumed their separate existence in December 1919, and were disbanded when the SA Corps of Signals was formed in November 1923.

[Chris Walker]

Dear Arthur.

Thank you very much for coming back and advising me of the situation regarding the straight MB prefix and the prefix using SA in the front.

I agree with you entirely about the Natal and Transvaal Telegraph Corps amalgamating and the formation of the SAFT&PC in July 1914 and this brings me to what I believe is the answer to my question.

Most of my information comes from the South African Military History Society-Journal-The German East Africa Campaign Vol 6 No 6 of December 1985. In this journal article on page three is a photograph of a young Sergeant F E Jackson in the uniform of the Transvaal Light Infantry.

Jackson was eventually promoted to the rank of Captain of Engineers and became the Brigade Signals Officer of the 1st South African Mounted Brigade.

It is most fortunate that Captain Jackson kept a diary of his time he served with General Smuts in the GSWA campaign which ended in July 1915 and the on going German East Africa Campaign 1915-1918.

Now it transpires that the 1st and 2nd Mounted Brigades were mobilised on 5th January 1915 so some seven months before the end of the GWSA Campaign.

My theory is Arthur that the badge I have asked the question about is no more than a SAFT&PC cap badge with the cipher of 1st MB underneath.

There is no SA in the front as you mentioned but the name of the Brigade is in fact the 1st South African Mounted Brigade as is quite clearly pointed out on several occasions in the diary of Captain Jackson RE. MC. and was commanded by Brig-General J L Van-Deventer.

My only other point that I am not 100% sure of was the size of the Signals Unit. However on the web there is a long article called The Soldiers Burden. within this article it gives the names of all the Officer's that served with General Smuts. There are two entries here that mention Captain F E Jackson "Signals Company" In the absence of any further information I have decided to name the badge on my little web site the 1st South African Mounted Brigade Signal Company. Unless I am proved incorrect.

Any comments would be gratefully accepted. I have also advised Andew Dinnes of my thoughts.

Many thanks

Chris Walker
www.signalsbadges.co.uk

[Arthur R]

Dear Chris

I have just read Capt Jackson's diary in the Journal -- an interesting personal glimpse into a rather obscure campaign.

The brigades that fought in GSWA and those that fought in GEA were not the same, though. The 1st Mounted Brigade that served in GSWA was made up of commando units from the Transvaal. The 1st SA Mounted Brigade that served in GEA comprised regiments of the SA Horse, which were SA Overseas Expeditionary Force units.

My guess is that the 1st MB title is more likely to have come from GSWA, but that doesn't mean, though, that Jackson might not have worn it again in GEA.

[Traist]

I agree with Arthur that it most likely GSWA. Regards Andrew