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#1
16-07-19, 06:25 PM
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Women's Royal Army Corps - Ammunition Technician
I have just read an assertion on line that no individual in the Women’s Royal Army Corps (WRAC) ever qualified as an Ammunition Technician prior to 1992 when all WRAC personnel were integrated into other regiments and corps.
The 'A in Flames' badge (Edwards and Langley 118A) was introduced in 1950 for Ammunition Technician / Assistant Ammunition Examiner. The 'A in Flames' badge exists in WRAC colours of green on beech brown presumably designed for wear on WRAC Lovat No2 dress worn from the early 1960s. There is also a gold wire on beech brown version for WRAC No1 dress. It is possible that WRAC personnel were employed as Assistant Ammunition Examiners - hence the badges were produced. My questions for the Forum are: Can anyone confirm the WRAC Assistant Ammunition Examiner theory? Were there (ever) any WRAC qualified Ammunition Technicians? Any photographic evidence of the 'A in Flames' badge in wear by WRAC? Tim
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"Manui dat cognitio vires - Knowledge gives strength to the arm" "Better to know it but not need it than to need it and not know it!" "Have more than thou showest, speak less than thou knowest." Last edited by grey_green_acorn; 16-07-19 at 09:33 PM. 
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#2
16-07-19, 06:51 PM
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WRAC AT
I used to work in an office with about 3 or 4 ATOs in the 90'/00's.
I asked about WRAC ATs and ATOs and was told "there's about half a dozen". One of the more mischievious added "it makes it more interesting picking up the pieces after an incident" (they had a rather outrageous sense of humour - one once made a remote control banger out of a fart machine one of the grads brought in). There was definitely a WRAC AT badge in the frame of AE, AT and ATO badges in the mess bar at Kineton School. There was also a book with photos of every ATOs course, so I presume the same thing exists for AT's. Bear in mind said photos were very sensitive as some operators had a price put on their heads by the Provos, so photos weren't encouraged. I've also been told that at least one AT wore a "camouflage AT badge" of green on beech brown during an OP TELIC/HERRICK (Iraq/Afghan tour) that he'd "found in stores". AE Ammunition Examiner AT Ammunition Technician ATO Ammunition Technical Officer WRAC Womens Royal Army Corps
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#3
16-07-19, 07:03 PM
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Ian,
Many thanks. Oddly the original assertion came from CAD Kineton (and a former Ammunition Technician). The story of the WRAC colours badge being worn on dpm combat dress by a male AT was also provided. Post 1992 there are of course female RLC EOD operators. Tim
__________________
"Manui dat cognitio vires - Knowledge gives strength to the arm" "Better to know it but not need it than to need it and not know it!" "Have more than thou showest, speak less than thou knowest."
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#4
16-07-19, 08:34 PM
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Female ATs & ATOs
Indeed,
RIP Capt Lisa Head RLC, my brother's ATO, died of wounds as a result of an incident on HERRICK 13/14 in 2011. As one of the other ATOs said "sometimes the dragon wins". Ian H
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#5
17-07-19, 10:14 AM
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In the original CCN and COSA the badge is listed as Ammunition Inspection Staff.
Marc
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I am still looking for British Army cloth Formation, Regimental, Battalion, Company and other Unit sleeve badges, from 1980 onwards.
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#6
17-07-19, 12:34 PM
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Answers as below:
Quote:
There was for a short while in the early 90's a Basic TA EOD Operator wearing a flaming V badge., now worn by Reserve Ammunition Speclists. The Beech Brown AAE badge has an NSN and was an authorised badge. The Beech Brown Badge was worn by male AT's on Combats as a sort of subdued badge on occasion. The Bullion Badge was as far as I know a private purchase item. Last edited by Mike_2817; 19-07-19 at 08:35 PM.
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#7
18-07-19, 08:38 AM
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Mike,
Thanks for the detailed response. Tim
__________________
"Manui dat cognitio vires - Knowledge gives strength to the arm" "Better to know it but not need it than to need it and not know it!" "Have more than thou showest, speak less than thou knowest."
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#8
18-07-19, 11:32 AM
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WRAC Ammunition Inspection Staff (Letter A in a flaming grenade)
Gold on beech brown introduced in 1952 for wear on No. 1 and No. 3 Dress, Catalogue number CP 3288 later moved to CB 6703. Green on beech brown (1960 pattern) CB 4532 later NSN 8455-99-974-2047. **************** The 1995 EOD (V) badge had (has) a letter V, in place of the letter A. Marc
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I am still looking for British Army cloth Formation, Regimental, Battalion, Company and other Unit sleeve badges, from 1980 onwards. Last edited by 54Bty; 09-02-22 at 05:33 PM.
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#9
18-07-19, 09:06 PM
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Marc,
Many thanks, we seem to have the facts, just need some photo evidence of badges in wear. Tim
__________________
"Manui dat cognitio vires - Knowledge gives strength to the arm" "Better to know it but not need it than to need it and not know it!" "Have more than thou showest, speak less than thou knowest."
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#10
19-07-19, 08:41 PM
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Quote:
The Letter E on my last post was a typo, of course it was a V WRAC Assistant Ammunition Technician badge in Green on Beech Brown. Whilst the badges did (and do) exist and listed in COSA, their issue was a very short lived experiment carried out only at CAD Kineton in the early 60's.
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#11
19-07-19, 10:00 PM
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Mike,
Thanks, you triggered my memory from 1965 when I spent a few days at CAD Kineton with a small group from Merseyside ACF and CCF units. We got a guided tour and I remember seeing WRAC girls working in the ammunition inspection and packing area. Perhaps they had qualified for and wore the badge! Tim
__________________
"Manui dat cognitio vires - Knowledge gives strength to the arm" "Better to know it but not need it than to need it and not know it!" "Have more than thou showest, speak less than thou knowest."
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#12
29-07-19, 11:50 AM
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Quote:
Please excuse my ignorance but can someone explain what the variations mean for this badge? As Tim said, the A in flames was for an Ammunition Technician / Assistant Ammunition Examiner, I presume from a later comment this is someone who checks and packages ammunition, but I have seen this badge without any letter in the middle and now in this thread with a V in the middle. Can someone please educate me? Thanks a lot, Michael
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