1st Armoured Division

[fearnaught]

Hi, in the 2nd edition, 1947, Cole shows the curly tail rhino as being worn in Italy 1943-1944. It's fun going back over some of this old stuff. I'm still looking for a curly tail so probably colours my view of rarity. Mike

[fearnaught]

Hi, in the 2nd edition, 1947, Cole shows the curly tail rhino as being worn in Italy 1943-1944. It's fun going back over some of this old stuff. I'm still looking for a curly tail so probably colours my view of rarity. Mike

[loupie1961]

New acquisition, a cloth 1st Armoured Division badge on a slip on epaulette. This rhino is facing right like the one on the other slip-on, but from the look of the epaulette tubular slip on, should have it been worn with the wider end of the slip on on the bottom, the rhino would have been turned upside down. Are there any evidences of badges with rhinos facing left? Thank you in advance for your kind help!

[Mike Jackson]

A Rifleman of 2/10 GR, Senio River, Italy, spring 1945. The "Pregnant Pig" still in evidence.
img020.jpg

[Mike Jackson]

And again - this time 10 H, 2 Armd Bde, 1 Armd Div and a captured Opel Blitz truck:
Opel Blitz 10 H 2 Armd Bde.jpg

[Old Smelly]

.....pages from "Heraldry in War" showing the designs of the 1st Armoured Division and stating that after WW2 the 6th Armoured Division was subsequently renumbered and became 1st Armoured Division and the original standing rhino was reintroduced as the Divisional sign!

A while back I was speaking to a veteran at Bovington and he told me an amusing tale. When 6th Armoured was renumbered and told to rebadge with the Rhino many of them were not happy. He, along with several others, was detailed to paint the new div sign on the units vehicles. However, they chose to leave the original sign in place but put the new one slightly above so that the thumb on the gautlet was poking up the rhinos rear end. The look of schoolboy glee on his face as he recounted the tale was priceless.
Lee

[soldier1]

Originally Posted by grey_green_acorn

A version of the rhino lived on when it was re-introduced as the formation sign of the 6th Armoured Brigade in BAOR. The Brigade (as 6th Infantry Brigade) moved back to Germany after a brief stay in the UK and was restructured as the 6th Armoured Brigade based in the Korbecke - Soest - Werl - Iserlohn area and occupying barracks formerly the home of 4th Canadian Mechanised Brigade Group. I was posted to the Brigade in 1972 and (being a badge collector) was asked by the Brigade Major to produce a sign based on the former 1st Armoured Division rhino. I copied a "standing" rhino from "Heraldry in War" by Howard Cole and in a white oval on a blue background it was taken into use for letterheads, plaques and building signs etc. It was not made up as a cloth formation badge because at that time, with the introduction of disruptive pattern material (dpm camouflage) combat kit, formation badges were not to be worn. Subsequently a version appeared in 1991 (see picture) as a printed badge and may have been worn by 11 MSG a REME unit during Gulf War 1. On the reorganisation of BAOR/British Forces Germany the surviving 1(UK) Armoured Division chose the more warlike charging rhino as its formation badge!

I hope I can fill in a little bit of history here gga. I was the Cdn exchange offr in HQ 1st Armoured Div 82-85 in Verden. When I arrived the Div patch was just a triangle; nothing inside. The then Div Comd, Brian Kenny, Late QRIH, who went on to be DSACUR, made representation , I assume to COMD 1 BR CORPS to MOD UK to 'bring back the old 1st Armoured DIV patch' complete with the charging rhino'. The plaque authorized was/is the middle one in your post. The tail was straight not curly. This happened in mid 83 just before Sir David Thorne, Late The Royal Anglians ,fresh from the Falklands became Div Comd.
As you so rightly say, it was not worn on uniforms at that time.
Don't know if this this adds anything to the history of 1 Armoured Div HQ other than on old soldier remembering but for what it's worth.......

Cheers Al

[Mike Jackson]

From a period that seems devoid of records of formation signs (as the process of down-sizing the British Army continued) -
1 Armd Div.jpg

[loupie1961]

Originally Posted by Mike Jackson

From a period that seems devoid of records of formation signs (as the process of down-sizing the British Army continued) -
Attachment 46673

is therefore the charging rhino rather a post war feature?

[Mike Jackson]

Originally Posted by loupie1961

is therefore the charging rhino rather a post war feature?

This version would seem to be a post-War design, but the curly tailed variant was certainly worn in Italy in 1944. To add to the confusion on rhinos, the static version was worn 1944-1945 by 2 Armd Bde after 1 Armd Div was broken up. More photographic evidence is needed!

[grey_green_acorn]

Originally Posted by soldier1

I hope I can fill in a little bit of history here gga. I was the Cdn exchange offr in HQ 1st Armoured Div 82-85 in Verden. When I arrived the Div patch was just a triangle; nothing inside. The then Div Comd, Brian Kenny, Late QRIH, who went on to be DSACUR, made representation , I assume to COMD 1 BR CORPS to MOD UK to 'bring back the old 1st Armoured DIV patch' complete with the charging rhino'. The plaque authorized was/is the middle one in your post. The tail was straight not curly. This happened in mid 83 just before Sir David Thorne, Late The Royal Anglians ,fresh from the Falklands became Div Comd.
As you so rightly say, it was not worn on uniforms at that time.
Don't know if this this adds anything to the history of 1 Armoured Div HQ other than on old soldier remembering but for what it's worth.......

Cheers Al

Soldier1,thanks. The QRIH were in 6 Armoured Brigade in my time 1972-74 and Brian Kenny was the CO. I remember on one Brigade exercise the Brigadier was "umpired out" as a casualty and Lt Col Kenny became brigade commander.

Tim

[sketchley kid]

The charging Rhino was post war....1947...issued before 2nd.AB 4thRTR,6th.RTR, Queens Bays, 9th. Lancers (May 47) left for Palestine.
(9th.QRL went first to Palestine) the other three regiments never got past Egypt as the Mandate was finishing in 48.
Div sign worn on right epaulette only.
2nd.AB. broke up in September 47 at Quassassin.

[sketchley kid]

The 'charging Rhino' was also worn by Life Guards in Palestine up to 48 and the 'static' rhino was resurected in Llbya about 56 .

[fearnaught]

Hi, someone asked for info about the rhino but I couldn't find the thread so have added these images to this thread. Hope it helps, Mike

[Mike Jackson]

That is a truly remarkable find - a brilliant contemporary pice. Many thanks for posting it.
Mike
PS. Should have added that 50 indicates the Bays, senior regiment in 2 Armd Bde - and the card is dated the eve of their departure to the Middle East. Remarkable that they obtained the Royal signatures too.