Badging a WW2 RE Jacket - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

Shiny · #1 05-10-19, 04:05 PM

Hi All,

I'm trying to badge up a battle dress blouse as per a relative's service and am looking for a bit of help.

I know he was in 712 General Construction Company for most of the war and was evacuated from La Panne.

I have got a pair of red cloth Royal Engineer shoulder titles and I know he had 4 years service chevrons. Are the red cloth shoulder titles correct or should I have brass or slip on's?

I'm also at a loss about what div badges to get, can anyone help with that?

Thanks a lot,

Michael

Postwarden · #2 08-10-19, 03:54 PM

Michael,

Much will depend on the period for which you want to badge the BD. If you have cloth titles it must be after 1943, the year they were officially introduced.

You would then need to establish where and with which formation the unit served and it should then be possible to establish which formation badges are appropriate. Brass titles are not usually found on wartime BD and for any date after Sept 1940 you would also need a pair of RE arm of service strips.

Happy to answer any further questions.

Jon

Shiny · #3 08-10-19, 04:45 PM

Thanks very much Jon,

In that case I think as I have the titles already I'll go for the end of the war, that way I can put his 4 year service chevrons on as well.

I'll try and find out which formation the unit was part of and go from there.

Michael

Postwarden · #4 08-10-19, 05:59 PM

The National Archives only seems to hold two war diaries for 712 General Construction Company, the frst with the BEF from March to June 1940, the other from July 1940 to December 1941. This suggests that the Company may have been re-roled or renamed, or possibly disbanded.

Do you have a copy of your father's service record? It should list all his units.

Jon

Shiny · #5 08-10-19, 06:13 PM

Hi Jon,

I do and his pay book. He appears to have been with them all the way through the war until his discharge in 1945.

I'll put a copy of his postings on here when I get home in a few hours.

Another funny is that he was a Lance Sergeant but I hadn't heard of them in the engineers.

Michael

Shiny · #6 08-10-19, 09:57 PM

Hi Jon,

Hopefully this will help.

Michael