Printed Anti Aircraft Corps Formation Signs

[Rob Miller]

A recent buy of a 1st AA Corps printed formation badge, there was a 2nd as well but the price was a little high for me.

ebay 315233046449

I have seen several embroidered 1st badges but never a printed example, this may be a fake of course but I'm wondering if one of the Calico pattern books has been broken up, I missed my chance to get a copy of Jon Mills book so could someone check to see if these were in there from any of the pattern books shown.

Thanks Rob

[54Bty]

I have never seen a printed version of this badge. The colours do not look right and it is in remarkable condition for a badge produced around 1938.

Marc

[Rob Miller]

Thank you for the reply Marc, I thought the Calico pattern books were later, probably just before the Anti Aircraft Corps and Divisional badges were discontinued?

Rob

[54Bty]

Slight error on my part.

The Anti Aircraft Corps was formed in July 1938, (no aurthorised badge but rumoured it was the Bird and arrow in red on a white background) it was redesignated in October 1938 as 1st Anti Aircraft Corps, becoming Anti Aircraft Command in March 1939.

The I Anti Aircraft Corps was formed in November 1940, and disbanded in September 1942. Along with II AA Corps and III AA Corps.

I hope that helps, however I have still not seen a prined version of your badge.

Marc

[mike_vee]

FromIWM :

One source claims that this is the second pattern, the first pattern being red bird and arrow on a white ground, red and white traditionally being Corps command colours. The version may well have related to the time when this was 'The Anti-Aircraft Corps', that is, before the other Corps were formed in April 1939.

Found a photo on-line but link to listing didn't work.

.

[Artynut]

Mike_vee, what is the badge in your attachment? As it appears to be embroidered on a light khaki colour. Is it a variation? Given the fact that mine is pictured under artificial light, I believe it to be a genuine example. I’ve shown both front and rear to illustrate the faded front.

[Rob Miller]

Thank you all for the replies

As I said in my original post I have seen several original embroidered examples and I'm guite sure they are the type used during the period 1940-42.

But the much talked about Calico printers pattern books that turned up a few years ago contained printed badges that I had never seen in used condition and some were possibly prototyped but never put into production.

Fortunately as I understand it Jon Mills was able to record the contents of these pattern books in a book before they could be broken up (I don't know if they have been), unfortunatly I didn't buy a copy of his book, so my original post was and still is in the hope that someone here had and could take a look.

Rob

[leigh kitchen]

I'm not sure if images from the Calico book are shown on a thread and in an album on this forum, but they appeared in an edition of "The Formation Sign".
A similar book came to light around the same time, I have images from both stored away somewhere but I'm not in a position to seek them out for a while.

[leigh kitchen]

Reference here to edition 276 of "The Formation Sign" containing images from the Calico book.

https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...ghlight=Calico

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Artynut

Mike_vee, what is the badge in your attachment? As it appears to be embroidered on a light khaki colour. Is it a variation? Given the fact that mine is pictured under artificial light, I believe it to be a genuine example. I’ve shown both front and rear to illustrate the faded front.

I read the IWM description of a "red bird and arrow on a white ground" and that image popped up when I did a google search.

I honestly don't know if it is on light khaki or dirty white !

.

[Rob Miller]

This is the more contested 2nd Corps badge from the same seller.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/315233046...p2471758.m4704

[Postwarden]

An interesting discussion. Given the dates of the existence of the two AA Corps when materials were plentiful, logically there would have been no need for cheaper printed badges.

For my book I scanned a large number of variations of badges and I have looked back at the scans of the AA Corps badges. I found no examples of 1AA Corps printed badges but did find examples with blue backgrounds and one with a grey ground.

I did find two printed AA Corps badges as shown, one auctioned by C&T in 2017, the other found in a regimental museum. Both look genuine but do not resemble the version sold.

The owner of the Calico samples which appeared on The Antiques Roadshow was adamant that they would not be broken up but I don't know what happened to the other two examples of signs used in The Formation Sign.

Jon

[Rob Miller]

Thank you for the reply Jon, that does answer my question.

It could be that for the 3 Corps, 1st was only issued embroidereed, 2nd embroidered and printed, 3rd printed only?

The two that sold on ebay could both be fakes, the fact that the 2nd was nearer to an original meant more people were fooled and the price was higher?, they both have evidence of being attached in an album with a rear sticky element so I don't think they are new.

I wonder how big an Anti Aircraft Corps was, presumably a headquarters with enough staff to oversea the Divisions it contained?

Rob