Looking for opinions on RCA battledress

[Infanteer]

I picked up this battledress blouse because it is a good size, excellent condition and the value of all the separate parts (ie: insignia, battledress, beret) would be more than I paid for the group. It also came with a nice 45 dated beret with RCA cap badge that is definitely period applied. So, to get to the point, I am looking for opinions on whether or not this might possibly be an original badged tunic or not. The tunic is stamped March 1945 and the 2nd Corps disbanded in June of the same year. The other "oddity" is that there is a general service patch applied to the left sleeve which would have been removed when the soldier deployed overseas. The badges are applied with period correct type of thread but the combination of the tunic's date and GS badge doesn't seem correct to me. Would a soldier in Canada ever wear the 2nd Corps insignia? I'm thinking not. Is this possibly an original badged tunic or should I strip the badges and add them to my collection?

[Voltigeur]

Hi Infanteer, the corps patch on this battledress for a wartime Sergeant of artillery (unit ???) in the Atlantic Command*. IMO the fact that the badges on this BD are machine sewn makes it original and unaltered, the GS badge is correct for someone serving in Canada and a volunteer for overseas service (hoping I'm right about this).I don't see anything wrong with a BD dated March 1945 as this Sgt may have received this tunic when he left the army.
I'm sure some other member will add some more informations to this post.

Cheers
Jo
*Pacific Command had a green diamond.
Second Canadian Corps was dark blue diamond.

[Michael Reintjes]

Yes Jo is right..Its an Atlantic command domestic unit BD not 2nd Corps. Domestic BD's tend to be a bit of a billboard with alot of insignia and I think this one looks great to me. Nice pickup!

[Infanteer]

Wow, Bill A just corrected my error in identifying the Atlantic command badge on another forum I posted on. I thought the Atlantic command badge was more of a grey color. I haven't come across many BD badged with domestic formation badges hence my mistake. Well, this is why forums are so useful as I was tempted to strip the tunic... thankfully I used caution and sought other opinions.

Thanks guys!

[Bill A]

Hi Steve, Conventional wisdom has it that the "gray" of the Atlantic Command patch was supposed to be symbolic of the waters of the North Atlantic, and the green of the Pacific Command patch was to represent that ocean. Why green I don't know.
Re your comments on the colour of the badges, the Atlantic Command patches vary in colour but are more of a french gray than blue. 2 Cdn Corps badges vary in colour as well and are medium blue to dark blue in colour.
Unfortunately, "home service" tunics have not sparked much collector interest, but they should be preserved. There was a huge active force at home, which made significant contributions to winning the war. Often the home service fellows were over age or not high enough categories to make it overseas, but they still served, and made possible the eventual victory.

[Voltigeur]

Bill, perhaps the green of Pacific Command was for the green forests of British Columbia......
Jo

[Bill A]

Hi Jo, The reference named the ocean, and the formation was the Pacific Command, so it sounds like the reference was to the body of water. Pacific Command included the territory from Manitoba westwards. If it was parallel to the Atlantic Command, it stands to reason that the reference is to the body of water.

[Voltigeur]

Duly noted Bill,thanks.
Jo

[Infanteer]

Thanks for that informative response Bill.

[servicepub]

I question the reference that states that the Atlantic and Pacific Command patches represented the bodies of water. The use of French Grey and dark Green continued the traditional use of colours, i.e., Red, Blue, French Grey, Green and Maroon (actually Garnet). These colours were selected during the First World War and no thought was given to their proximate shades to the two oceans flanking Canada. As the 1st and 2nd Canadian Corps were already using the Red and Blue that left French Grey and Green next in line. Granted the Commands were not Corps but in the tidy minds of the minions at NDHQ the shape of the patch was sufficient to warrant the use of the traditional colours.
As pointed out in "Distinguishing Patches" the colours were constantly repeated and always in the same sequence. As examples note the Tank (layter Armoured) Brigades which used Red, Blue and French Grey. Agasin, note the use of all five colours (plus Black to represent Armour) used in the Pacific Force patch. Not only are they all used but the sequence is also respected.

[Bill A]

Thanks Clive. That completely escaped me, and I was aware of the repeated use of the colours in the Corps (overseas) and the armoured brigades. It is one of those collector's BS things that has floated around, and now stands corrected.

[rkcampbell]

I'm assuming this tunic may have been part of the Halifax ddefence complex of artillery sites? They are the sister sites to the Victoria-Esquimalt Defences where I work.

[Bill A]

Hi Bob, That is one possibility, but there were many RCA units and deployments in Atlantic Command. With the generic RCA title, it is difficult to determine his exact deployment.

[geezer#199]

I don't know if this helps at all with the original question as to whether or not the battle dress is original or not. I do recall my father in law who was with the RCA during WW 2 stating that the first thing they did, once the war was over, they turned in their uniform in Europe and traveled by ship to Halifax. Upon returning to Canada, they were reissued with a uniform, as they were not officially discharged. The Battle Dress that I have attached is dated 1944 and its complete with his rank, 17 RCA on the Epaulette, division patch, service stripes(?) and Canada on the shoulder. They were sure quick in getting him all dressed out before they took the train back to their destinations before being discharged.

The date inside, it is not all that clear is 1944.

Jack

[edstorey]

If he turned in his uniform in Europe, then what did he wear on the ship back to Canada?