Royal Engineers Tunneling Companies BEF

[Bill A]

What formation sign, if any, did the Tunnelling Companies Royal Engineers wear in the British Expeditionary Force, 1914-1918?

[fairlie63]

Bill, was it not a red 'T' superimposed on a dark blue equilateral triangle. It was definitely their vehicle sign from at least 1918 but I seem to remember a photograph of it in wear in the defunct Regiment magazine, Royal Engineers edition. Buried downstairs somewhere but I shall look for it.
Keith

[fairlie63]

Confirm the post above, Regiment, Issue 13, page 34, photo of a corporal, identified as circa 1915, with a light coloured triangle (they say blue) worn at the top of the shoulder with a dark coloured 'T' worn separately below. They also have a coloured diagram of the vehicle sign.

According to the various works on Australian army vehicle markings the T on triangle vehicle sign came into use circa June 1918. Prior to this the vehicle sign for RE units other than field companies and squadrons, and Army Troops Companies, was simply a dark blue triangle.

Keith

[engr9266]

Originally Posted by fairlie63

Bill, was it not a red 'T' superimposed on a dark blue equilateral triangle. It was definitely their vehicle sign from at least 1918 but I seem to remember a photograph of it in wear in the defunct Regiment magazine, Royal Engineers edition. Buried downstairs somewhere but I shall look for it.
Keith

I have seen this patch but was not sure about it. I also have seen the following patch

Jerry.

[manchesters]

Originally Posted by engr9266

I have seen this patch but was not sure about it. I also have seen the following patch

Jerry.

Thats a commonly found Canadian Patch.
I think its Tradesman

regards

[Bill A]

Thanks Keith. I think that the sign may have differed for different companies? As a follow up, the Canadian Engineer Tunnelling Coys had the "T" device but in different configurations. Eg, one was a dark T sewn on a red rectangle, (or the rectangle was voided in a T shape with black material sewn on behind), another coy had a red T, and a third a much smaller red T. Speculation, did each dominion have a different colour? Blue for Australian tunnellers, red for Canadian?
Jerry, the patch you have shown is as Simon says (), a trades patch. In the Canadian army it represented Group C trades. (Depending on the point in time this was either a set group of trades or at another time it was the skill level in one trade.)

[engr9266]

QUOTE-Jerry, the patch you have shown is as Simon says (), a trades patch. In the Canadian army it represented Group C trades. (Depending on the point in time this was either a set group of trades or at another time it was the skill level in one trade.) UNQUOTE

Bill thanks for pointing that out. I will remove it from my engineer wants list.
Jerry.
__________________

[Bill A]

Hi Jerry, that may be a bit hasty, as some RCE fellows wore the T series patches to represent their trades. There were three grades, "T", "T" with wreath, "T" with wreath and Tudor crown.

[fairlie63]

Our tunnelling companies wore a purple T. After the Mining Battalion (1-6 Tunnelling Companies) was disbanded the three remaining companies wore a brass numeral 1, 2 or 3 on the 'T' as appropriate.

[Bill A]

Thanks Keith, that puts that supposition in the bin.
We seem to have the dominions covered, does someone have an answer for the British army tunnelling coy's?

[fairlie63]

Hi Bill, my reference in post #2 and the first sentence of post #3 is to the patch worn by the British tunnelling engineers. The vehicle sign was approved for the British but was also used by the Australians, just providing a time frame in second sentence of post #3.

I think the New Zealanders also had a tunnelling company, could be wrong.

Keith

[Bill A]

Thanks Keith, my misunderstanding. The CE Tunnelling Coys were Army Troops, not Canadian Corps. They were under the control of the imperial commands, so it would make sense that there was some consistency in the use of the "T".

[engr9266]

Originally Posted by Bill A

Hi Jerry, that may be a bit hasty, as some RCE fellows wore the T series patches to represent their trades. There were three grades, "T", "T" with wreath, "T" with wreath and Tudor crown.

I thought this was RE tunnellers arm badge or so I was told so not fit in with my RE bits.
Jerry.

[Bill A]

Bump.
Keith has provided some solid background on the use of the T device for Tunnelling Coys during the First WW. Do any experts on British badges/formation signs have additional information?