1st Reserve Brigade-coloured backings

[lancashirefusilier]

Hello all
Attached is a picture of a 1st Reserve Brigade cap badge with a deep blue felt/wool backing.Other examples around have different coloured backings.
Originally in 1940 eight battalions were raised and stationed at different towns throughout South Africa.
Does the backing colour identify a particular battalion?
Cheers
Dave

[Milmed]

Hi Dave,
Been going through some old posts and thought a response to your post is justified. I unfortunately dont have a definitive answer for you, but I have also found 1st Reserve Brigade with different colour backings. My thoughts run along the lines of the colours of the military districts and this may be the answer (Cape=red, Transvaal=green, Natal=blue and OFS=orange)

Regards
Steven

[Brian Conyngham]

Dave

I also have one like this with a Blue Backing, just like yours.

Brian

[Milmed]

Hi Dave and Brian,
I have finally found an answer to your question. The blue colour under the 1st Reserve Brigade indicates Bde.HQ.
I recently found an article on the First Reserve Brigade bublished in May 1946 edition of the Nongqai and i quote:

"The brigade badge, in two sizes for headdress and collar, was especially designed by H.E. Winder, Esq., of Johannesburg and made at the Royal Mint, Pretoria. It consisted of a Springbok's head facing left in a wreath of protea with the words 'First' above 'Reserve' Brigade at the bottom.
The third Battalion had a distinctive design of badge, with crossed claymores as a base on the headdress.
This battalion had a pipe band and the second had a bugle band.
The 4th and 5th had red shoulder titles, and the 2nd, 5th and 6th (P.O.W.) Battalions, helmet flashes, green with a red stripe, red over blue with a '5' in the red half, and an emerald diamond with a '6' in gold, respectively.
The flash colours under the headdress badge and , in some cases, under the collar badges as well, were as follows: Bde. H.Q. blue, 1st Bn. green, 2nd. red, until march 1941, when it was replaced by yellow over green, 3rd Mackenzie Tartan, 4th green, 5th yellow, 6th emerald, 7th plum, 8th dark blue and light blue."

I had one of the red shoulder titles years ago but unfortunately passed it on. It was a arched title of khaki cloth with words 'Reserve Brigade' in red worsted letters.... if my memory serves me

The 2nd battalion was based in Cape Town and later took on the title "Cape Peninsula Rifles". They also adopted the old CPR shoulder titles of the original Cape Peninsula Rifles. I have also seen the use of the UDF general service badge been worn when stocks of the Reserve Brigade badge were limited.

Hope this clarifies a long standing question.
Regards
Steven

[Brian Conyngham]

Steven

Just this week acquired a "Bok in a Porthole" with a very faded Blue felt insert, suspect from WW1 era?

Brian

[Traist]

[QUOTE=Milmed;311038].
The third Battalion had a distinctive design of badge, with crossed claymores as a base on the headdress.

Hi, has anybody got a picture of this badge? Regards Andrew

[milhistry]

IIRC this was the "Natal Scottish". Badge not quite as described though. It had a saltire ie cross of St Andrew rather than crossed claymores with a single claymore upon it and the letters NS.

[Brian Conyngham]

Originally Posted by milhistry

IIRC this was the "Natal Scottish". Badge not quite as described though. It had a saltire ie cross of St Andrew rather than crossed claymores with a single claymore upon it and the letters NS.

Natal Scottish 100% was 2nd Reserve Battalion.

[Traist]

So who were the 3rd?

[Traist]

Battalions as follows:
1 Transvaal(formerly 1SSB)
2 Cape (later CPR)
3 Natal Scottish
4 Witwatersrand
5 Eastern Province
6 Transvaal for POW duties
7 OFS and Kimberley
8 Transvaal for POW duties
In 1943 9-12 were formed some serving in North Africa.