Raiding Forces

[Mike Jackson]

Raiding Forces was an organisation formed on 18 Oct 43 to act as a co-ordinating headquarters for a number of units operational in the Eastern Mediterranean including SBS, LRDG, the Greek Sacred Regt and later, the RSR.
The use of the Raiding Forces sign, two versions of which are illustrated, is believed to have been confined to sign boards and vehicles. One illustration is taken from the annex to an RSR letter on the subject dated Oct 44, the coloured one is taken from a signboard illustrating Middle East formation signs painted in 1945. 3247 was the RSR's unit serial. As far as is known, this sign was not worn on uniform. But I would be very interested in being proved wrong.
RSR and Raiding Forces.23 Oct 44.01.jpg RSR and Raiding Forces.23 Oct 44.02.jpg

[Mike B]

Hello Mike
This sign is very interesting and certainly new to me. I have a little knowledge of Brigadier Turnbull's Raiding Forces Middle East and its co-ordinating roll. It is always good to add to that knowledge. As you say it was linked to many Special Forces units operating in that part of the world: Jellicoe's SBS, LRDG, Greek Sacred Squadron and RSR, all of which you mention. There appear to be obvious similarities with Land Forces Adriatic in this respect (LFA raised 21/6/1944 and disbanded 8/6/1945 - in Bari, Italy). I note Raiding Forces Middle East came into being in April 1943 (according to Len Whittaker), with LFA subsequently being set up to reflect a more ambitious 'prolonged assault/partisan support' capability in that theatre - as usual Len Whittaker is useful in 'Some Talk of Private Armies' (how we miss Len!).
Regards
Mike

[castagain]

Hello Mike,

Your unique photo of the Raiding Forces symbol has stuck in my mind since your original post a few years ago. Recently a small lapel badge resembling a postwar old comrades piece popped up among a group of older Italian insignia offered by a collector/dealer in Sofia. He described it as an older Italian para badge, probably because of the Milano hallmark. It looks nothing like any Italian para insignia that I'm familiar with. But it sure resembles the Raiding Forces symbol in your post. What do you think?

Best regards,
Donovan

[Mike Jackson]

I'm amazed - it is certainly very similar. But there are myriad variations on the "parachute and two wings" theme. Would it be worth running the lapel badge image past those - members of "Chute and Dagger" perhaps - who should be the true experts on obscure airborne related insignia? I'm considering exposing the Raiding Forces sign and unit serial to the world by painting the sign on my 1942, ex-British Army, Ford GPW Jeep ahead of vehicle shows in the summer of 2019.

[Colin S]

This looks like an early lapel badge for the National Association of Parachutists of Italy (AnPDI) - I was given a similar badge (but clutch-back) when I jumped in Italy in 2002, so not Raiding Forces I’m afraid.

As the Editor of Chute and Dagger I’m flattered to hear the description of “Experts on obscure airborne insignia” but in this case it is a pure fluke that I’ve seen this design before!

[Mike Jackson]

Originally Posted by Colin S

This looks like an early lapel badge for the National Association of Parachutists of Italy (AnPDI) - I was given a similar badge (but clutch-back) when I jumped in Italy in 2002, so not Raiding Forces I’m afraid.

As the Editor of Chute and Dagger I’m flattered to hear the description of “Experts on obscure airborne insignia” but in this case it is a pure fluke that I’ve seen this design before!

Well done Colin. That is excellent information. Just out of interest had you ever heard of the badge of Raiding Forces (before I mentioned it, I mean). Mike

[castagain]

Ah, mystery solved, thanks Colin. But the possibilities had me going for a while.... Long live Chute and Dagger, a great resource — I’ve been a US member for many years.

Mike, thanks for your prompt reply, and for sharing the photo of the Raiding Forces sign that started this thread.

Best regards,
Donovan

[Colin S]

I have never heard of any formation patch for Raiding Forces Middle East. I presume they would have been a sub branch of the higher staff HQ in the Middle East and worn its badge, if any, but I don’t know. Certainly none of the raiding units under its command ever wore a formation patch while in the Middle East.

The LFA was a bigger organisation and thus merited a badge of its own.

[rhodesianmilitaria]

Originally Posted by Mike Jackson

Would it be worth running the lapel badge image past those - members of "Chute and Dagger" perhaps - who should be the true experts on obscure airborne related insignia?

Rofl!

[Colin S]

Message deleted

[rolfi]

"An open white parachute with black wings on a blue ground" was the sign of the 4th Airborne Division, a fictitious formation. The decoy division was part of operation "Cascade"and the role was played by 11 Parachute Battalion. After April 1943 it supposedly comprised...

6 (Gurkha) Parachute Brigade
6/6 Gurkhas
160 Parachute Battalion
161 Parachute Battalion
1 SAS Brigade
1 SAS Regiment
Detached SAS Brigade
6 Special Group
7 Airborne Brigade
Greek Squadrons Special Forces
French Parachute Battalion

[Mike Jackson]

Is your source , "Counterfeit Spy" by Sefton Delmer?
The line drawing that started this thread is taken from the documentation covering HQ LFA's attempts (supported by Allied Force Headquarters in a letter "By Command of General Wilson" dated 15 Oct 44. to get all even vaguely SF formations and units in the Central Mediterranean Forces to indicate their subordination to LFA by wearing only the LFA sign and no other. This was a blatant attempt at "empire building"! In the case of the Raiding Forces sign (presumable for vehicles and signboards) it is interesting in that it incorporates the unit serial 3247. A decode of 3247 would give another indication of the designation of the winged parachute sign. In the interim, HQ Raiding Support Regiment (RSR), CMF dated 23 Oct 44 stated, inter alia, that, "The unit transport all bear the Raiding Forces sign (diagram attached) and also LFA sign." This letter was signed by CO RSR and the "diagram attached" is that which headed this thread.

[rolfi]

The source is from the National Archives at Kew, I'll have to dig out the reference. It's not from "The Counterfeit Spy", I've not read it.

RW

[Phill Lockett]

Hi Mike/RW

RW I believe your referencing notational unit 4th Airborne Div and units that were not part of what Mike is referring to.

This is documented in the following:British Units: (Notational)
Reference:
4th Airborne Div:PRO WO 204/1562/83;II/41, 86;IV/58-61;Allied Order of Battle,Med. Theatre on 28 may 1944 in JSC folder 370.2 Mediterranean.

From "The Deceivers" a comprehensive book detailing allied Deception plans and Notational units during WWII.

Phill

[Mike Jackson]

Originally Posted by rolfi

The source is from the National Archives at Kew, I'll have to dig out the reference. It's not from "The Counterfeit Spy", I've not read it.

RW

In that case Sefton Delmer had also been to Kew. He noted most of the 4 AB Div Orbat, but only Bde level and higher.He also noted that it was a notional Twelfth Army formation in Cyrenaica Jan - Jun 44 (Op Zeppelin). It was notionally destined for operations on Crete. It's possible that the Deception Staff used the actual Raiding Forces to flesh out the notional 4 AB Div. Interestingly other notional AB Divs were allocated formation signs (although 2 AB Div notionally wore the standard AB Forces sign. 3 AB Div was notionally in India - its sign a "white winged scimitar". 5 AB Div, notionally in UK, notionally wore a "Single light blue bolt of lightning composed of five zigzags on a dark red square". It was noted that this sign was replaced by the standard AB Forces sign in 1945.