Royal West Kents

[Mike Jackson]

On their otherwise unbadged BD blouses, some of this group are wearing a flash on their epaulettes that I've never seen before. It's curious that none of the group are wearing Ordnance issue slip-on titles RWK or any other insignia apart from a cap badge. I have a note that 1 RWK had a steel helmet flash - a blue/white/blue rectangle. Could these flashes be in those colours?
Royal-West-Kent-group.jpg

[Tankie2RTR]

there not Royal west kents the horse and scroll underneath are different. looks more like the Kings Regiment

1 RWK Helmet flash is not blue/ white / blue its blue/light blue/Blue.

And 1 RWKs Regimental flash is a inverted dark blue triangle . From what photo evidence ive found it was worn on the BD for a short time when they were part of the BEF and one of few Regiments to adopt insignia. They were part of 4 Div during the war. The IWM has acouple of pictures of the battalion during the phoney war period and also acouple post Dunkirk when they are not wearing the flash.

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205204902

[Mike Jackson]

You are quite right. So, if King's Regt, the flash will be red/blue/red - but still unusual format and size. PB will know!

[Peter Brydon]

I dont know.

A picture of a piece of regimental ribbon used as a arm flash is attached, it could well be that something similar but a slightly different design is being worn here.

I do have some notes on " Regimental Shoulder Badges of the Kings "which were prepared by a well known military historian which does mention flashes worn by various battalions and which were cut from regimental ribbon but they were all worn on the arm (s)

I have not come across insignia quite like this worn on the shoulder before, ( and it is fascinating ), I wonder if Postwarden has come across this in his research ?

P.B.

[Mike Jackson]

Could there be an association with 152 Regt RAC (King's) - the conversion of 11 King's? I believe they wore the RAC beret badge but will have wanted to retain some item of insignia to mark their roots in the King's Regt. Perhaps those photographed were at an early stage of being retrained to be Troopers RAC in early 1942?

[Peter Brydon]

Mike,
Yes, might be similar idea to the shoulder strap device adopted by 40th (The Kings ) RTR.

P.B.

[grenadierguardsman]

Nice photo, looks like they`ve just joined up. Brand new uniform.

[Postwarden]

Having looked closely at the photo can I suggest that the Kings' soldiers in the photo are wearing the standard slip-on titles and what you can see which appears to be an unusual sort of ribbon is in fact the two cloth loops that backed the slip-on title to retain it on the shoulder strap. Many of these were of light coloured cloth as per the attached scan and they were often a poor fit to the strap which is why some regiments stitched them down.

Postwarden

[Old Smelly]

I would like to think it was a coloured flash but I'm not convinced, I'm thinking that it could be a slip on title, the earlier BD had fatter epaulettes. I recreated this effect on an original early BD to show what I mean. A cut from the original pic in the middle with my mock up first in colour and third in b/w
Lee

[Mike Jackson]

Postwarden, Lee,
Brilliant bit of analysis gentlemen! For me it was a classic example of seeing what I wanted to see - not applying common sense. But it's a remarkable optical illusion. Thank you both. Mike

[Old Smelly]

Postwarden, I think you must have been typing your reply as I was loading my pics....great minds think alike

Originally Posted by Mike Jackson

For me it was a classic example of seeing what I wanted to see - not applying common sense.

Mike, I've done it myself, looked at a photo time and time again trying to figure it out and finallly the penny drops
Lee