Cloth Shoulder Titles, How to periodize?

[irish]

When it comes to cloth shoulder scrolls I have always struggled to determine vintage. Printed types in my mind are usually categorized as WW2, while there might be exceptions to this rule, at this time I am unaware of what they might be.

Embroidered titles are more difficult for me. Posted ares examples with several different types of embroidered manufacture. What can the front or reverse tell one of the period of manufacture? Are there any rules of thumb in determining age? One indicator would be what units were active and serving in a certain time period. The Hereford L.I. being a post war piece.

Please excuse the paper remnants on some of the titles.

All input is appreciated.
Best
Jack

[Luc]

It is often difficult to put a date on a cloth badge. On wartime fabrics you will find natural fibres only (wool, cotton, felt and silk); synthetic material clearly means post-war production.

Change of designation is the best way to tell: the REME light aid detachments were created from the RAOC in 1942; ACC and CMP were granted the royal prefix shortly after the war. Recconnaissance Corps was disbanded in 1946.

In other cases, titles on a woven backing are often early war and later the (cheaper ?) felt backing was used. Compare Prinses Irene badge and Reconnaissance Corps. My impression is that private purchase and unofficial insignia are mostly made on wool.

Some fabrics are typical for local foreign fabrication, like the Italian made pegasus and the rayon and Brabant weave REME Nederland.

In all other cases, the angle of the stitching is a rough indication of period of manufacture: wartime badges mostly display a direction //// on vertical parts of the lettering, and \\\\ on post-war insignia.

[oc14]

Sorry but ACC were never granted the Royal prefix

PL

[Luc]

You are absolutely correct Paul, I should have said they anticipated it when the RACC titles were manufactured.