What Have I Bought? (61st Division Formation Sign-What is Significance of Strips?)

[Paddy]

Hello All

I have been away this week and popped into a small collectables/curio type shop in the village I was staying in. They had a shelf of cloth badges and I bought the one pictured below as it looked right and was cheap. I believe it is 61st Division but do not know the significance of the green and red strips. Can someone please enlighten me. I will be moving this badge on as it is not something I collect (it was just a shame to leave it on the shelf) so if anyone is interested then please feel free to contact me.

Many thanks in advance

Paddy

[cbuehler]

You have a very nice ww2 "combination" formation sign for the 61st Division, worn on the battle dress blouse in pairs.
The red stripes indicated the brigade and battalion and the green stripe most likely a regimental distinction which I don't know, possibly a rifle regiment.
I am sure the real cloth collectors will elaborate on this.

CB

[Paddy]

CB

Many thanks for your comments, I have also received a pm that says it may be the 182nd brigade of 61st division.

Paddy

[Postwarden]

Your combination is a nice example of the badges adopted by 61st Division.

The strips below the sign were known as arm of service strips as they distinguished infantry from Gunners, RASC from Engineers etc. In this case red identifies infantry. Like several divisions the 61st wore more than one strip to indicate which of its three infantry brigades the wearer served in.

In this case two bars indicate the middle of the 61st's three brigades which was the 183rd Infantry Brigade. The green strip is a regimental flash which in this case indicates the Worcestershire Regiment, whose 10th Battalion served in 183rd Bde.

Some other 61st Division examples are shown.

Hope that helps.

Jon

[Paul Spellman]

If it was 182nd Brigade it would only have one strip, I don’t know the significance of second split red one but I’d probably go with it being to 184th Bde and 2nd Buckinghamshire Bn Ox & Bucks LI because of the inclusion of the green strip
Paul

I would say Jon’s answer above which was posted a similar time is more likely to be correct

[Paddy]

Jon & Paul

Many thanks for your comments and the information/description (and very nice pictures).

Paddy