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  #1  
Old 22-05-19, 02:47 PM
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Default Civil Defence Rescue Dogs 1944

During the flying bomb campaign of 1944 the London Civil Defence Rescue Service employed rescue dogs to search for casualties in bombed buildings.

The photo shows the Royal Family inspecting the dogs and their handlers, the latter wearing a cloth arm badge with an Alsatian/German Shepherd's head in profile. It is believed that the handlers also wore a brass cap badge with the dog's head on it.

A long shot as the handlers were few but does anyone have either of these badges sitting in their unidentified box?
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File Type: jpg Rescue Dogs 1.jpg (60.9 KB, 118 views)
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  #2  
Old 22-05-19, 10:30 PM
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I notice that, on the sleeve patch of the handler on the left, the dog faces forward and the dog on that of the handler on the right faces to the rear. I presume that they must have been worn in pairs so someone has blundered.
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  #3  
Old 23-05-19, 09:06 AM
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Well done. Have to admit I had missed that. Have never seen a shot of the other arm so maybe they were made in facing pairs but only worn on one arm.

Jon
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  #4  
Old 24-05-19, 07:25 AM
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doh!...now I have to look out for a "DH"-marked helmet!! :-)


Great info (both) - thank you

Perhaps it's like the current "US Marching Flag"...the dog ALWAYS has to be looking forward?.. so there were two patches....classic Brit war-time excess......
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  #5  
Old 08-01-21, 03:58 PM
Spitace41 Spitace41 is offline
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Hi all. Hope you don't mind me adding to this thread but I have been looking into Civil Defence dogs and have come across a pic online of another angle of this event showing the cap badge (albeit blurred). Photo shows Mrs. Margaret Griffin, BEM and her dog Irma who was awarded the Dicken medal for helping to find people buried in the Blitz. Two other dogs owned by Mrs. Griffin were similarly employed (Psyche and Storm).

Hopefully this is of interest and if anyone knows of examples of these badges or related items for sale I would like to hear from you.
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  #6  
Old 08-01-21, 04:37 PM
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Anything with puppies is excellent. Have to suspect that patch is not an easy one to come by!!! Also wonder what the title on the sleeve might be.

Terry
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  #7  
Old 08-01-21, 05:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Home Guard View Post
Anything with puppies is excellent. Have to suspect that patch is not an easy one to come by!!! Also wonder what the title on the sleeve might be.

Terry
The Title looks to my eye to read Animal Rescue , just a thought

Gerard
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  #8  
Old 08-01-21, 06:16 PM
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To my eyes it looks like "LIGHT RESCUE", would that make sense?

Graham
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  #9  
Old 08-01-21, 06:27 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chacal View Post
To my eyes it looks like "LIGHT RESCUE", would that make sense?

Graham
Hi Graham, good shout , had a better look now on me mobile and can see RESCUE for sure but not now animal as I first thought but like you can see LIGHT , well at least the L & T.

Gerard
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  #10  
Old 08-01-21, 06:27 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chacal View Post
To my eyes it looks like "LIGHT RESCUE", would that make sense?

Graham
Shoulder titles worded "LIGHT RESCUE" did exist and I would say you've nailed it.
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Old 08-01-21, 09:06 PM
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We move closer!!! Any ideas about what the cap badge might be?

Terry
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  #12  
Old 08-01-21, 09:19 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Postwarden View Post
During the flying bomb campaign of 1944 the London Civil Defence Rescue Service employed rescue dogs to search for casualties in bombed buildings.

The photo shows the Royal Family inspecting the dogs and their handlers, the latter wearing a cloth arm badge with an Alsatian/German Shepherd's head in profile. It is believed that the handlers also wore a brass cap badge with the dog's head on it.

A long shot as the handlers were few but does anyone have either of these badges sitting in their unidentified box?
oh this is brilliant , many thanks
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  #13  
Old 08-01-21, 09:21 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoot View Post
I notice that, on the sleeve patch of the handler on the left, the dog faces forward and the dog on that of the handler on the right faces to the rear. I presume that they must have been worn in pairs so someone has blundered.
Any chance the difference is ones for male and ones for female ? highly unlikely but just thinking out loud
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Old 08-01-21, 09:22 PM
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I mean male and female handlers - not male and female dogs .... sorry , im drinking
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  #15  
Old 08-01-21, 09:24 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gb64 View Post
The Title looks to my eye to read Animal Rescue , just a thought

Gerard
I think i can see ` Rescue` too ?
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