Northants/ Southern Command combination- C&T

[badjez]

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/a...e-a96a0168d1ad

The catalogue for C&T Auction next week has this combination listed. It raises questions:

a) I'm struggling to find a Northants Regt listed in Southern Command's ORBAT

b) Why wear an Arm-of-Service strip (denoting the Senior Bde in a Division) if you were a Command unit, and already used a formation sign which would show your Arm?

c) Might the black strip not relate to the Northants Regt at all, but be a RAChDept AoS strip, as worn prior to their adopting a purple strip (ACI 125 of 25.01.41.) ? [Cole notes that Southern Command introduced these designs in July 1940] A Chaplain would better fit into Miscellaneous units...


Can anyone enlighten me please?

[Mike Jackson]

In my view nothing more complicated than a combination that could have been worn by an individual officer, NCO or soldier - parent Regiment Northants - who was posted to some obscure minor all-arms unit in Southern Command such as a Pool of Camouflage Officers or Pool of Linguists. In this case the red strip was not a Senior Inf Bde designator within an Inf Div, but a simple Infantry AoS strip. Mike

[badjez]

Mike,

Thanks. Why does the Army never make things simple?

Stephen.

[Mike Jackson]

Originally Posted by badjez

Mike,

Thanks. Why does the Army never make things simple?

Stephen.

It can make things simple when those things are really important eg "The role of the infantry is to close with the enemy and kill him" or the well known FIDO ( Fxxx it and drive on) ie ignore flank protection or even from another century, "King George commands and we obey, Over the hills and far away"! Mike