Possibly an A.G.R.A. patch?

[loupie1961]

Just introduced myself as a newbie, and now to work! I have recently purchased a WWII battledress badged to a RA captain attached to the US 5th Army. I suspect the badge on the left arm you see in the pic is related to the 6th or 7th A.G.R.A. (or, as you'll see later, 2nd A.G.R.A.), since these two Army Groups, Royal Artillery were attached to the 5th U.S. Army. The BD sports an Africa Star Ribbon with the "1" serial for First Army, though, and unluckily 6th A.G.R.A. was part of 30th Corps (therefore 8th Army) before it became part of 5th U.S. Army, whereas 7th A.G.R.A. was part of 9th Army, 3rd Corps (successively Persia and Iraq Command, or PAI Force). Now I wasn't able to find an order of battle of the 5th Army confirming that 6th or 7th AGRA were employed in the ranks, BUT I've found evidence that both in 1943 and 1945 10th British Corps was attached to the 5th Army. To the British 10th Corps was attached 2nd A.G.R.A., that had previously fought in Tunisia as part of the 1st Army. That leaves us with another problem: why should a unit attached to 10th British Corps and - theoretically - NOT directly to the 5th U.S. Army, should have had the insignia of the 5th Army, and not of the Corps it belonged to? Could we have to do with a liason officer between 10th Corps 2nd AGRA and 5th U.S. Army? But the main question is: is there any info about the insignia of WWII Army groups, RA? Thank you in advance for your time and help!

[tynesideirish]

Hi what you've got there is a best parade dress formation badge for a member of Land Forces Adriatic. A Swimming Pegasus. An adhoc grouping of Assyrian, East African, British and US raiding forces. Pity it's in such a state. Quite rare and impressive.1944-45. Theatre Adriatic as the name implies.

Regards Mike

[54Bty]

The badge you have illustrated is for 'Land Forces Adriatic' which operated in Yugoslavia and in Albania, its base was in Bari in Italy, suporting Tito's forces. It depicts the winged horse Pegasus swimming, symbolic of the Aiborne and amphibious activities of the Force. It was disbanded in June 1945.
The follwoing AGRA's had a WWII formation badge; 1 AGRA 1942-1947 (Cannon barrel on a red and blue shield), 2 AGRA 1942-1946 (1st Armys badge) and 6 AGRA 1943-1945 (sixth sign of the Zodiac).

Mike can type quicker than me.

[loupie1961]

Thank you so much Mike and 54 Bty! As a matter of fact, I should have checked in Peter Taylor's Allied Special Forces Insignia, but I must state that the printed samples of the badge he shows do not really remind of the worsted bullion (possibly made in Italy with silver thread) patch in my possession, not even the shape of the swimming pegasus... I guess the whole BD has now a much higher value... since I managed to identify the insignia, thanks to your help!
All the very best, L.

[loupie1961]

By the way: any further reading suggestions about Land Forces Adriatic, apart form Allied Special Forces insignia?