British Columbia cloth shoulder title

[High Wood]

Could anyone please tell who would have worn this cloth shoulder title and when. I am presuming that the answer is soldiers of the British Columbia regiment during the Second World War.

Thank you.

[Voltigeur]

HW....I would think 1st World War in this case......BillA or Whizzbang could give you a lot more informations on this.

Jo

[High Wood]

Jo,

thank you. I will be chuffed if it turns out to be Great War.

Simon

[Voltigeur]

Some years ago Clive Law our fellow member and well-known military writer (and famous man-about-town) wrote "Khaki Uniforms of the Canadian Expeditionary Force" in 1997 and in it, he shows (p.10 & 11) some unofficial models of 1st WW cloth shoulder titles and yours seems to fall into this category.......in fact the only Canadian unit to wear cloth titles during the war was the P.P.C.L.I.......

Jo

[Phillip Herring]

According to Joseph Harper's A Source of Pride, Notes and References page 145.
Chapter 7: Shoulder Titles
Note 1.

BRITISH COLUMBIA green on khaki was worn by the 7th Battalion CEF.

I don't know if there was some variation in colour and I am curious if these flashes were worn by depot troops back in Canada

The flashes shown are from my own collection.
Following Harper's information, I would assume that they are for the 7th and 29th Battalions, however, I would like to see photographic evidence to confirm fighting battalions as opposed to depot/recruiting units in Canada.
I am also wondering if these flashes may have been worn in the 1920s. The BCMR were authorized a cloth shoulder flash in 1928.

Phil

[High Wood]

Interesting but mine is definitely blue on khaki as are those in the photographs that you have kindly posted.

[Bill A]

CEF cloth is very difficult to correctly attribute. I corresponded with Joe about them for several years. There is evidence that the "regional" titles like British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Alberta, etc were worn late in the war.
In the fall of 1914 the 7th Bn acquired and wore for a short period of time the British Columbia titles, and the Vancouver title is attributed to the 29th. But, as Phil says, there is a lack of evidence to support the use of the titles.

[High Wood]

Bill,

thank you for the information. Even if they weren't worn in France and Flanders can we say that it is definitely Great War or is there evidence that they were still being worn after the war?

Simon

[Bill A]

Hi Simon, The evidence I have indicates they were for the 7th Bn (1st BC). That unit was a composite battalion made up of volunteers from the province's militia regiments. But at the end of the war the 1st British Columbia Regt was organized to perpetuate the 7th and three militia regiments. That was short lived, and it was re-organized into three regiments in 1924. There is a chance the cloth title was worn in that period, but NDHQ policy for uniforms was that insignia was to be metal badges. It is more likely that the title is the 7th Bn example.

[ddaydodger]

John Cramp enlisted with the 7th Battalion Canadian Infantry in Vancouver on August 1th, 1914, and went over with the first contingent. Cramp died of pneumonia at #14 General Hospital, England, on October 27, 1918.

Photo and text courtesy of: http://oakvilleatwar.opl.on.ca/those_who_served2.php

You can just make out the edge of the cloth title- BRITISH COLUMBIA.

[High Wood]

Superb photograph; thank you for posting.

Simon.

[Phillip Herring]

The lettering on the flash looks very light compared to the flashes shown in the previous posts.

Phil

[High Wood]

I have looked through my collection of Canadian Great War photographs and only one soldier in about 60 photographs is wearing a cloth shoulder title. He is a member of the CAMC serving with the 12th (Canadian) Field Ambulance.

The photograph was taken in England and is dated 1916.

Difficult to read what the title says but it could be "medical".

[Bill A]

Maybe MONTREAL ? The Canadian Army Medical Corps had a title that read CAMC. (Not sure if it had periods in it.)

[High Wood]

Montreal makes a lot more sense. The soldier in the photograph was Pte 32851 John H Gordon. I will check to see if there was a connection with Montreal.