Is this correct backing ww2 South Stafford?

[HamandJam]

Gents,

Is this correct ww2 South Stafford backing behind badge? I think it is normally orange but could be faded.

Cheers
JB

[Alan O]

It is normally hessian sacking colour rather than orange.

Alan

[2747andy]

The backing, as Alan has already stated should be hessian (sack/sandbag material) which I believe dates back to when one of the antecedent Regiments had to resort to repairing uniforms whilst serving overseas due to shortages (I wonder if there was a Labour Government then, AS WELL!)

Andy

[Luc]

Do you think of orange as it is called the Holland Patch? It's beige/khaki as Alan says.

[Mike H]

Originally Posted by 2747andy

The backing, as Alan has already stated should be hessian (sack/sandbag material) which I believe dates back to when one of the antecedent Regiments had to resort to repairing uniforms whilst serving overseas due to shortages (I wonder if there was a Labour Government then, AS WELL!)

Andy

The South Staffs served in the Windward islands for a number of years,as time went on the uniforms needed to be repaired.So they used patches taken from the sacks used for sugar cane transport.
This was still worn by the amalgamated Staffs regt as a backing to the cap/beret badge and the collar badges.Today it still appears on the uniforms of the Mercian regt as a backing to the glider arm badge.

[Pretani]

I'd heard that it was called the "Holland" patch from the use of Holland cloth (originally a lightweight linen material).

Whilst I've heard the story of patching uniforms from sacking giving rise to the use of the badge backing there is also a secondary, less often told version, that I've heard mentioned.

In this version the Regiment used to wear only their waistcoats in the hot climate of the West Indies rather than use their heavy red jackets. Their waistcoats were made of Holland cloth (as were the linings of their red jackets).

The use of the badge backing (only authorised in 1935) therefore, in this version, can be said to commemorate an early introduction of a khaki uniform.......

[sstaffords]

The honour of wearing the "Holland" patch was originally for the first Battalion The South Staffordshire Regiment. They wore a backing (after 1935) that exceeded the capbadge. The second battalion had a backing that only covered the Staffs knot in the badge. I don't know about the wearing of this patch with the other SStaffs battalions.

[BPBP]

This photograph appears to show the standard regimental cap badge on a red beret. During WW2 the second battalion (airborne) also had a bakelite Stafford Knot beret badge. Has anyone ever seen one of these bakelite beret badges? My father was with 2 South Staffs at Arnhem but his beret badge went missing at some point back in the 1960s and I have been unable to source a replacement.

[Luc]

Here are two examples of the plastic economy South Staffordshire regiment cap badge, the colour seems to range from grey to light brown.

[HamandJam]

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...ictureid=87614

Here is one too.



JB

[airborne]

Here's mine...

[REMEVMBEA1]

While on the subject of the South Staffs does anyone know if there is a reason ( or fable) why on their respective badges it's always the South Staffordshire Regiment but only the North Stafford (no SHIRE ) ?

[fougasse1940]

I think you will find that they were called The Price of Wales's (The North Staffordshire Regiment) (64th/98th), changing to the North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's) in 1921.
The South Staffordshire Regiment is often described as the South Staffords, which I think is a coloquial abbreviation, same as North Staffords?
Why Stafford Vs. Staffordshire on the scroll, I don't know.

Rgds, Thomas.

[REMEVMBEA1]

Originally Posted by fougasse1940

I think you will find that they were called The Price of Wales's (The North Staffordshire Regiment) (64th/98th), changing to the North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's) in 1921.
The South Staffordshire Regiment is often described as the South Staffords, which I think is a coloquial abbreviation, same as North Staffords?
Why Stafford Vs. Staffordshire on the scroll, I don't know.

Rgds, Thomas.

Oddly enough when I was at Whittington Barracks , the depot North and South Staffordshire, doing basic training in the North before transferring to REME they were always known as the South Staffs and North Staffords. Just one of those local oddities I suppose.