Royal Artillery Formation Badges

[54Bty]

Formation badges of the 9th Anti Aircraft Division, formed in October 1940 and dsibanded in September 1942.

A black cat with a red diving plane in the centre entwined by the cats tail forming the number nine outlined in red, all on a light blue background.

A black catwith a red diving plane in the centre entwined by the cats tail forming the number nine outlined in red, all on a khaki background.

Some of the badges have been trimed from the original square background to the outer edge of the cat.

[54Bty]

10th Anti Aircraft Division formation badge. Formed in November 1940 and disbanded in September 1942.

A black Lion's head outlined in white above a black and white Torse all on a khaki background.

If anyone has an embroidered or silk version I would be pleased to see it.

[54Bty]

11th Anti Aircraft Division, formation badge. Formed in November 1940 and disbanded in September 1942.

A black Eagle detailed in yellow with a red arrow through its chest all on a khaki background.

[54Bty]

12th Anti Aircraft Division, formation badges. Formed in November 1940 and disbanded in September 1942.

A black and white double six domino on a red (horizontal) diamond.

"Thats all folks", on the AA Divisions anyway, unless I get others.

[dragonz18]

What was the major change that occured in September 1942 that necessitated the disbanding of these Regts.?
A large scale re-organisation?

Magnificent badges !!

Cheers !
Steve

[54Bty]

Regiments were not disbanded, it was the Divisional HQ, therefore the Division was disbanded.

In September 1942 the Regiments in the AA Divisions were formed into AA Groups numberd 1 to 7 with 8 and 9 added in November 1944. These AA Groups did not (as far as I know) have their own badges, they were all to wear the formation badge of AA Command.

The black on red drawn bow and arrow taken from the 'Gordon' family crest which was displayed at Glenthorn the HQ of AA Command, which was formed in March 1939.

The Royal Regiment of Artillery was (is) a very large complicated organisation, it gets worse on the 1st of April 1947, but that is another story.

[54Bty]

The three AA Corps were formed in November 1940 and like the AA Divisions disbanded in September 1942.

I AA Corps. A bird with an arrow through the body in red on a blue background.

II AA Corps. An armoured arm and hand holding a Daggercon a Torse all in silver grey (blue) on a red background.

III AA Corps. Three crescents in red on a white vertical bar in the centre of a red square. [This image is of a badge in the collection of the late Norman E.H. Litchfield. Therefore I still require one.]

[54Bty]

Anti Aircraft and Coast Defence Central Mediterranean Forces, formation badge.

Two white letters A overlapped in the centre of a red over blue square.

[Peter Brydon]

54Bty,
Superb thread and most interesting, please keep the illustrations coming
P.B.

[Peter Brydon]

54Bty,
You may be interested in the pictures of a post WW2 service dress and battledress of an officer of the former 6th Kings ( Liverpool Rifles ) which I acquired some time ago.Unfortunatly both uniforms were very badly mothed,but luckily the div signs and shoulder titles generally unaffected. The arm badge of the Liverpool Rifles on the battledress being worn below that of A.A. command.
P.B.

[dragonz18]

54Bty,
have always assumed that the single arched bow version was WW2 & the double arched version was post WW2. Is this a correct assumption ?? Is there a pattern change date here?
Have a hand woven & machine woven version of the 1st pattern.

Cheers !
Steve

[54Bty]

38th (The King's Regiment) Search Light Regiment Royal Artillery (TA).

Formed in 1939 from the 38th (The King's Regiment) Anti Aircraft Battalion Royal Engineers, which was formed in 1936 from the 6th (Rifle) Battalion The King's Regiment (Liverpool). Converted to 635th Regiment RA in January 1945.


573rd Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment RA (The King's Regiment) (TA).

Formed in 1947, and amalgamated in 1955. The badge continued to be worn on the left sleeve by; Q (King’s) Battery 1955-1956, then R (King’s) Battery 1956-1961, then HQ (King’s) Battery of the 287th Medium Regiment RA (TA), reduced in 1967.

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Unfortunately I thought that the text of my images would appear in the URL window, but, they do not.

The AA Command badges changed in 1945, but, I do not have an exact date or even the month. One of those things I still have to work on.

[Peter Brydon]

54 Bty,
I have a number of examples of the arm badge ( and of the Liverpool Rifles cloth title- Lichfield fig 172). The ones I have from an officers service dress tunic seems to be of slightly better quality than the others.
P.B.

[tynesideirish]

67 Searchlight Regiment RA.
133 Battery RA.
HQ BTY 457 Regiment RA.
Malta Mobile Units RA.

[Peter Brydon]

Attached are scans of the signs of 96th AGRA which took me years to find,they obviously represent the Liver Buildings. The formation included the Liverpool Irish and Liverpool Welsh ( 626 and 653 HAA Regiments R.A.)

I have the Service tunic of Sir Gerald McClellan CBE TD JP DL the last C.O. of 626 HAA Regt it has anodised Liverpool Irish buttons and I bought it from a dealer in the U.S.

Sir Gerald told me that he had disposed of all his uniforms through a friend of his son and I oftern wonder what happened to his battledress ( which might have had the 96th AGRA div signs on it ) and his Caubeen.

P.B.
P.S. Can any one give any hints for taking photos of items behind glass in frames