World War One Chevrons Service Tunic

[Phill Lockett]

Hi Team

For some time I have been thinking about WWI chevrons and what do you look for to define a WWI chevron used on the tunic.

Obviously there would be many examples to cover winter summer etc.., I really want to look at France Belgium region etc...

Can anyone show and describe WWI chevrons.

If they can show front and back, the width of the braid used.

What were they sewn too ie wool, serge wool , felt , melton wool etc...

Also the stitching , can some one show a close up of the stitching used.

I do understand these would or could of been used up to and including WW2.

Cheers

Phill

[Phill Lockett]

Below is why I posted WWI chevrons.

I aquired these as WWII British Army sgt ranks, which Im collecting as virtually every chevron is differant-depending on many factors, stock,construction, when and where made.

The top chevron has been hand sewn onto a thick wool. The briad has what appears to be a paper backing on the reverse.

The bottom chevron , has a lance Corporal chevron hand sewn to a corporal chevron.

The briad has been sewn with an electrical machine as the stitching is even, post WWI

The base is a fine melton wool and more "greenish" colour(is that Canadian?).

Hence the question about WWI chevrons and what do they look like.

cheers

Phill

[norfolk regt man]

Great subject, something I am interested in.

[Phill Lockett]

Hi Norfolk

I'm hoping there will be WWI collectors who have tunics with chevrons and would take close up images and or have WWI chevrons.

I scoured BBF, the net, as yet I could not find any information or known coloured images on tunics, yes there are images of WWI chevrons on a website, that has been sold, but no additional info on why they were regarded as WWI chevrons.

Im positive there would of been stock piles left over from the war and ended up being used during WWII and have just been regarded as WWII chevrons.

Phill

[Phill Lockett]

Here are several images from the net, images arent the best.

Note the light green braid.

Would be interesting to find out the width of the braid.

I measured my WWII chevrons 13mm or 14mm.

Phill

[Phill Lockett]

Here ia another image.

Looks like the brais is embroidered on a thick wool backing

cheers

Phill

[High Wood]

I have some photographs somewhere of a Great War soldier with clearly visible cross stitching on his chevrons, very different from the ones illustrated. I will try and locate it. In the meantime here are a few examples from my collection.

[Phill Lockett]

Thanks for posting HW

Could you take a pic of the reverse, I would like to see the stitching, also can you measure the braid.

The second one you show,I have attached an image from the Australian War Memorial Museum of a WWI chevron very similar, does not say where it ws made. I asummed Australian but???

https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/blog...dges-1914-1918

How do you define a WWI chevron, I would of thought the top one was WWII.

I'm going thru my chevrons and saying "hmmmmm well that looks older that that one!", not really a well educated way of looking at them , however interesting when you start thinking are these really WWII maybe earlier?

Hopefully more people will chime in.

Phill

[cymro]

Originally Posted by High Wood

I have some photographs somewhere of a Great War soldier with clearly visible cross stitching on his chevrons, very different from the ones illustrated. I will try and locate it. In the meantime here are a few examples from my collection.

The cross hatched chevrons were an emergency and temporary fixture during the Great War I believe. They’re very hard to find. Here is a set of sergeants cross hatched stripes on the tunic worn by Sergeant Morgans of the 4th Welsh that's in my collection…

[High Wood]

Originally Posted by cymro

The cross hatched chevrons were an emergency and temporary fixture during the Great War I believe. They’re very hard to find. Here is a set of sergeants cross hatched stripes on the tunic worn by Sergeant Morgans of the 4th Welsh that's in my collection…

That is very similar to the chevron worn by the soldier in my photograph. Unfortunately, I cannot remember which regiment he was in and as my photographs are kept in regimental albums it may take some time to locate it.

[Phill Lockett]

Thanks for showing cymro.

Because of it being a "temporary " fix,and 4th Welsh,could that chevron have be of local Welsh origin?

Also above there is stitching would that have been a formation sign or regimental flash?

All good HW yes please show more images.

cheers

Phill

[cymro]

Originally Posted by Phill Lockett

Thanks for showing cymro.

Because of it being a "temporary " fix,and 4th Welsh,could that chevron have be of local Welsh origin?

Also above there is stitching would that have been a formation sign or regimental flash?


cheers

Phill

Hi Phil,
No, its not a Welsh thinG. They were general issue. I've seen a couple of tunics with them on but thats it. Yes, it was the black triangle of the 4th Welsh that you seen the outline of. The son of Sjt Morgans kindly washed it before handing it over and what was left of them went down the plughole! He wore this tunic at the battle of Megiddo in 1918...
Best
Jon

[cbuehler]

I too have long wondered if there was any way to distinguish WW1 from later chevrons, but came to the conclusion that there is no way. Other than those types which were specific to the time such as the cross hatch in WW1 and the printed of WW2, with regard to the standard or common type, unless one has a chevron with provenance from WW1, just no way. I think trying to judge by thickness or some other construction style cannot firmly fix a time frame.

CB

[Phill Lockett]

Thanks Jon

I had to ask as I dont know how the WWI supply chain of manufacturing and issuing of chevrons.

Hi CB

A good question and answer all in one.

I had never thought about WWI chevrons, the ones I have I use as WWII display with Formations signs etc...

But I had come across an online website and showed/sold WWI chevrons , how could you tell, they looked like the ones I posted!

When I started looking, yes I found the odd ball design chevron used on a WWI tunic, searched on here to see if questions were asked, couldnt find anything. I was surprised I couldnt find or locate a thread.

So my intent is to throw it out there and everyone to at least look at there chevrons and maybe compare known WWII army and RAF chevrons as a guide line and see if they have a hmmm that might be older than WWII feeling??

There must be WWI collectors who have a well educated guess based on years of collecting,handling look and feel.

Who knows maybe some might go back further and we dont know.

cheers

Phill