Dieppe patchs

[servicepub]

Here is Major Bult-Francis. Note the Combined Ops formation patch and the beautiful officer's cap badge.



I believe that this is Lt-Col Andrews and would be grateful for confirmation. (This officer has now been identified as Lt-Col John Begg. See below for more information)



This is an unknown officer and an ID would be great.



I do not normally watermark my images but I would not wish to see these all over the internet.

[WJ Miller]

Nice photos Clive, were these rare colour pics sourced from the LAC or private sources?

Strange that the VIII Recce Major is wearing a Khaki beret and not a Black one?

[Little black devil]

Hi,
Really nice pictures.
The Lt-Col of the Calgary Regiment is not Col Andrews.
Andrews died on the beach and I saw a picture of this officer at Dieppe on 1944 or 1945 during a ceremonie.
Nice he-goat patch. Is someone got a picture of this patch in his collection? I got pictures of tankist of the Calgary Regiment boarding back to a ship with the he-goat patch.

Thank you

[Old Smelly]

Originally Posted by WJ Miller

Strange that the VIII Recce Major is wearing a Khaki beret and not a Black one?

Fairly sure that Recce were originally authorised to wear the khaki beret, changed to black in 1944
Lee

[Little black devil]

Could it be possible to have the picture of the Calgary Rgmt for our book?
Regards
Fred

[Bill A]

Hi Lee, Good point, but the VIII Recce were always in the Canadian Armoured Corps. Khaki berets were not introduced into the Canadian army until sometime in 1943, which dates the portrait to at least that date.

Here are the orders regarding the mobilization and designation of the unit:

Serial 581 14th (Active) Canadian Hussars
Authorized: GO 40/41 - Effective 26 Jan 41, Allocated to the Canadian Armoured Corps as:
Serial No. 581 - 14th (Active) Canadian Hussars, C.A.C. under GO 41/41 - Effective 26 Jan 41
Serial 581 14th (Active) Canadian Hussars, C.A.C.
Authorized: GO 41/41 - Effective 26 Jan 41, Redesignated: GO 79/41 - Effective 11 Feb 41
Redesignated: Serial No. 581 - 8th Reconnaissance Battalion (14th Canadian Hussars), C.A.C. -
GO 79/41 - Effective 11 Feb 41
Serial 581 8th Reconnaissance Battalion (14th Canadian Hussars), C.A.C.
Authorized: GO 79/41 - Effective 11 Feb 41, Converted & Redesignated: GO 455/42 - Effective 8 Jun 42
Converted & Redesignated: Serial No. 581 - 8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars),
C.A.C. - GO 455/42 - Effective 8 Jun 42
Serial 581 8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars), C.A.C.
Authorized: GO 455/42 - Effective 8 Jun 42, Redesignated: CARO 6100 - Effective 3 Oct 45
Redesignated: Serial No. 581 - 8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars),
R.C. Armd. C. - CARO 6100 - Effective 3 Oct 45
Serial 581 8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars), R.C. Armd. C.
Authorized: CARO 6100 - Effective 3 Oct 45, Disbanded: GO 85/46 - Effective 15 Dec 45

[Bill A]

Clive I don't have a specific id for the Calgary Regt (Tank) Major, but the 1 CATB "goat" was removed and replaced by the 1 CATB diamond late in 1942 or early 1943. With the DSO and First World War service medals it should be possible to track him down.

[Little black devil]

Maybe the Calgary Regiment officer was a Major during the Dieppe Raid and was promoted to Lt-Col after the Raid because of the death of Lt-Col Andrews.
What do you think?

[Michael Dorosh]

I have a service dress worn by a Calgary Highlanders piper circa 1941-42, with geometric flashes (red triangle over blue rectangle). Don't know if this would be of much value to your book other than illustrating the formation/unit patch of the Highlanders, but would be willing to photograph it for inclusion in the book. You can email me at madorosh@shaw.ca

The regimental museum and archives has some good images of the unit in training - you can contact them at museum@calgaryhighlanders.com - the current curators are Captain Peter Boyle and Denny Russell. I presume you're familiar with the level or participation of the unit at Dieppe (one staff officer killed on the beach, 21 men from the mortar platoon offshore never landed, two mentioned in despatches).

Good luck with your book.

[Wyn vdSchee]

The Calgary Regiment (Tank) officer in Clive's photo is Lt Col John Begg, who assumed command of the Regiment from Lt Col Andrews. Begg was the 2 i/c during and prior to the Dieppe raid, and was a veteran of the First World War.

[Michael Dorosh]

Originally Posted by Bill A

Hi Lee, Good point, but the VIII Recce were always in the Canadian Armoured Corps. Khaki berets were not introduced into the Canadian army until sometime in 1943, which dates the portrait to at least that date.

Here are the orders regarding the mobilization and designation of the unit:

Serial 581 14th (Active) Canadian Hussars
Authorized: GO 40/41 - Effective 26 Jan 41, Allocated to the Canadian Armoured Corps as:
Serial No. 581 - 14th (Active) Canadian Hussars, C.A.C. under GO 41/41 - Effective 26 Jan 41
Serial 581 14th (Active) Canadian Hussars, C.A.C.
Authorized: GO 41/41 - Effective 26 Jan 41, Redesignated: GO 79/41 - Effective 11 Feb 41
Redesignated: Serial No. 581 - 8th Reconnaissance Battalion (14th Canadian Hussars), C.A.C. -
GO 79/41 - Effective 11 Feb 41
Serial 581 8th Reconnaissance Battalion (14th Canadian Hussars), C.A.C.
Authorized: GO 79/41 - Effective 11 Feb 41, Converted & Redesignated: GO 455/42 - Effective 8 Jun 42
Converted & Redesignated: Serial No. 581 - 8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars),
C.A.C. - GO 455/42 - Effective 8 Jun 42
Serial 581 8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars), C.A.C.
Authorized: GO 455/42 - Effective 8 Jun 42, Redesignated: CARO 6100 - Effective 3 Oct 45
Redesignated: Serial No. 581 - 8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars),
R.C. Armd. C. - CARO 6100 - Effective 3 Oct 45
Serial 581 8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars), R.C. Armd. C.
Authorized: CARO 6100 - Effective 3 Oct 45, Disbanded: GO 85/46 - Effective 15 Dec 45

In addition to the CAROs, if one looks down at his shoulders, the rank badges are clearly trimmed in yellow, the arm of service colour for the Canadian Armoured Corps.

Officers had to purchase their uniforms and were given some latitude in acquiring new items when transferring from one unit to another. It may be this officer is a recent remuster or transfer? A different coloured headdress seems unusual but stranger things happened. As an example, when J. Fred Scott left the 15th Light Horse to command The Calgary Highlanders, I believe it took a while for him to put aside the cavalry breeches in favour of the kilt. Overseas, fellows transferred between units with a frequency I find kind of astonishing. It apparently worked for them.

I have photos of a Highland officer who toured Europe at the end of the war; he photographed himself in both glengarry and balmoral, but there is one very odd photo of himself in a khaki beret. Not the usual headdress for a Highlander.

I am surmising he was at a leave centre at the time, and was issued it while his regular uniform was being cleaned and pressed.

That may be the case here? One never knows the circumstances in which a photo was taken. It may account for the lack of regimental badges on the battledress and the khaki beret. Or even the fact he had time to pose for a colour photograph in a studio.

[servicepub]

Originally Posted by Wyn vdSchee

The Calgary Regiment (Tank) officer in Clive's photo is Lt Col John Begg, who assumed command of the Regiment from Lt Col Andrews. Begg was the 2 i/c during and prior to the Dieppe raid, and was a veteran of the First World War.

From "Courage & Service" CD;
BEGG, John, Major (now Lieutenant-Colonel), ED - Distinguished Service Order - Armour (14 Canadian Army Tank Regiment, The Calgary Regiment, Tank) - awarded as per Canada Gazette dated 10 October 1942; confirmed by CARO/3580 dated 2 September 1943, "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the combined attack on Dieppe."

This Officer, who was second in command of the 14 Canadian Army Tank Regiment, was on LCT 10 during the attack on Dieppe, 19 August 1942. This craft came under a barrage of heavy shell and machine gun fire from shore positions. At great personal risk and with complete disregard for his own safety he succeeded in having two of the three tanks on board land safely. Lieutenant-Colonel Begg directed the landing of these tanks under a frontal fire so intense that many members of the landing party and crew were killed or seriously injured, the craft itself being almost completely destroyed. He was at all time an inspiration of coolness and courage to those remaining alive on his craft. When the Commanding Officer of the regiment was reported missing, Lieutenant-Colonel Begg assumed command.

[Wyn vdSchee]

Thanks Clive for filling in the details. He was considered too old for command by the time the Regiment was ready to move to Italy in 1943.
Wyn

[servicepub]

Fred,
Did you get the small sample images I sent? If you want larger size files please let me know.
Clive

[servicepub]

Fred,

I assume that your lack of reply means that you do not want hi-resolution copies of the photos?

Clive