Unidentified tank crew Burma.

[High Wood]

At first glance there are very few clues as to which cavalry regiment these three troopers belong to, however, on closer inspection there are some clear indicators.

Two of the three have 14th Army formation signs visible on their right shoulders, one has an unreadable slip on shoulder title which has 3 or 4 initials, i.e. R.A.C. or 3 D.G. and two show partly obscured or out of focus badges on their black berets.

Could anyone please hazard a guess as to which unit they are serving with?

[High Wood]

This may be the correct way up with the leather band on the beret facing downwards.

I am leaning towards 3rd Carabiniers but may be completely wrong.

[leigh kitchen]

Prior to reading your second post I was thinking Carabiniers.

[Robthereiver]

I agree they are 3rd Carb's I think.

[High Wood]

Equally, the point at the top right side of the badge could be one of the two swords of the 25th Dragoons cap badge.

[Robthereiver]

25D? its a possibility I suppose.

However, the shape of the badge indicates a broadness that the 25D badge does not have, and I think the POW's plumes are there, so best guess, I know were I'd put my sixpence................3rd Carb's.

Cheers
Rob

[grey_green_acorn]

Highly polished blackened 37 pattern webbing was a tradition in 3DG.

Tim

[High Wood]

Originally Posted by Robthereiver

25D? its a possibility I suppose.

However, the shape of the badge indicates a broadness that the 25D badge does not have, and I think the POW's plumes are there, so best guess, I know were I'd put my sixpence................3rd Carb's.

Cheers
Rob

I am sure that you are right but I am trying to close down other possibilities.

There is clearly a "sharp pointy bit" at the top right of the badge and both the 3rd Carabiniers and the 25th Dragoons have similar features on their respective badges, (as do several other cavalry regiments).

The problem that I have is that the photograph came with half a dozen others that don't indicate 3rd Carabiniers, i.e. a Sherman tank and a Churchill tank, though others were clearly taken in India or Burma.

[High Wood]

Originally Posted by grey_green_acorn

Highly polished blackened 37 pattern webbing was a tradition in 3DG.

Tim

Many thanks, that is very helpful.

[High Wood]

Does anyone know when Brigades and Divisions stopped wearing their own formation signs in India and Burma and wore 14th Army F.S. instead?

I am guessing after hostilities ended in 1945 as surely nearly every allied soldier in Burma would have been in the 14th Army until the 12th Army was formed to administer Burma allowing the 14th could move on to Malaya.

14th Army F.S. was probably worn at G.H.Q. India before Burma was liberated, but I am not sure that it was widely worn in Burma until the recapture of Rangoon.

[High Wood]

Here is another XIVth Army (3rd Indian Armoured Division) photograph but no insignia is visible as none is being worn. The number 41 or 47 on the mudguard may help to identify the unit.

[engr9266]

The angle of the 2nd number would indicate it is a 7.
Jerry

[3dg]

3rd Carabiniers.
My Dad is ex 3DG and he said it straight away, as mentioned, the blacked belts. Also you can just make out G on the shoulder titles, and the shape of the badge.
A nice photo.

Chris

[fairlie63]

Under normal circumstances at that time the serial 47 on a horizontally divided red over blue square would indicate the light anti-aircraft regiment RA of an infantry division.

Post-war, i.e., from about 1949, 47 was used on a black background by the armoured division battle school.

I can't vouch for use of these in India theatre, there were often anomalies and it looks like the top portion of the sign is masked out or overpainted.

In Australia 47 on black was the armoured division armoured car regiment during 1942-44. What was the armoured car regiment of 31 Indian Armoured Division, it might have used 47 on a green over blue square divided horizontally (on the basis that Aust generally followed British vehicle marking practices for armd divs during 1942-43).

Keith

[High Wood]

Thank you very much to all who have contributed to this thread. I will post some more of the photographs.