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  #16  
Old 08-02-16, 11:03 PM
SAS1 SAS1 is offline
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I would have thought a proper navy title would be in gold wire for officers and perhaps red for lower ranks. Whichever, the light blue on dark be example shown is an air force title. I have several examples and have seen numerous in uniforms.
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  #17  
Old 17-09-18, 12:20 AM
steve.333 steve.333 is offline
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Default Another Rhodesia flash

Something else to add to the mix ...
These are photos of my father, presumably during WW2.
I always thought he served with the merchant navy, but reading this thread makes me think he was possibly a RN volunteer. He was born in 24, so probably signed up 42 at the earliest.

The Rhodesia badge looks very similar to the one under discussion. Hard to tell exactly, but I would say that the collar edging was of the composite type rather than individually sewn stripes. Also interesting is the butterfly-like badge lower on the right sleeve - could that have been a personalized touch? The cap has an HMS insignia but also another decorative badge of some kind, which is different from the uniform discussed earlier in his thread.

Any comments or ideas would be great
Steve
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  #18  
Old 22-09-18, 09:45 PM
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Guzzman Guzzman is offline
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Hi Steve

If that's your Dad in the pictures he was definately serving in the Royal Navy!

The 'butterfly-like' badge you describe on his right arm is his 'trade' badge, denoting which branch of the Navy he served in. He was in communications, as this is the Telegraphists badge. It consists of a pair of wings crossed by a lightning flash (see image below). All trade badges, regardless of what branch a seaman served in, were worn on the right arm.

What you describe as a decorative badge on his cap is actually the bow which tied the cap tally (ribbon) onto the cap. Officially the bow should have been worn above the left ear but during the war it became fashionable for ratings to wear the bow above the left eye! Although in contravention of regulations this was tolerated at the time.

I hope this makes things a bit clearer for you.

Pete
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  #19  
Old 23-09-18, 05:04 PM
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Dan M Dan M is offline
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DSteve,

You gotta love those seven pleats in the trousers and the reverse creases in the seams!

Cheers,
Dan.
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  #20  
Old 23-09-18, 05:15 PM
Nozzer Nozzer is offline
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Steve,

That's a very neat "tiddly bow", probably one of the best I have seen. Notice also that he wears the ribbon very low on the cap over the raised rim which was common practice at the time by junior rates and continued for some time.

A few examples of "HMS" tallies in my album

https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...p?albumid=3516

Andy
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  #21  
Old 23-09-18, 09:37 PM
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Hi Nozzer

Have to agree about the bow! One of the best I've seen in a long time!

Pete
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  #22  
Old 19-11-18, 05:34 AM
steve.333 steve.333 is offline
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Hi All - many thanks for the replies and apologies that it took so long to reply - I have been travelling for a while. Great information - you all really know your stuff!

So we can conclude that he was a telegrapher in the Royal Navy and that he took some care with his uniform, keeping it as trendy as regulations allowed! Possibly a product of having a lot of time with not much to do ... the family story has it that his ship was operating in the Indian Ocean when the Japanese entered the war. So they were posted in Ceylon for the remainder of the war.

There's a good shot here of the trouser pleats/folds (not my father, an unknown sailor off the internet)



Really happy that you could identify the telegraphers badge.

Now to try and find the name of the ship.

Many thanks again
Steve

Last edited by steve.333; 19-11-18 at 11:19 PM. Reason: clarification
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