Collar grenades RA and RE - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

fairlie63 · #1 12-12-21, 11:18 PM

There are two RA officers' service dress jackets on ebay at the moment, one has two nine-flamed RE officers collar badges and a blue lanyard, the other has one seven-flamed grenade and one nine-flamed grenade.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/25527472...EAAOSwaChhdEpy

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/32493661...EAAOSwpp1htjNw

Do I presume that the officers concerned didn't care less; the tailors didn't know what they were doing; or, these uniforms have been modified by collectors or sellers?

Not interested in buying either but curious as to the detail.

Keith

cbuehler · #2 13-12-21, 12:41 AM

Could be all of the above mentioned reasons. Unless the reverse of the collars are shown that indicate different holes may be a clue, but even that is not a certain indicator.

CB

Artynut · #3 13-12-21, 04:06 PM

I feel that both uniforms have been “messed about” and maybe only useful as a “parts source”. No gunner officer of WW11 vintage would wear RE collars or one from each service on the same uniform. The A.O.P. Wings seem too new. I assume someone has researched the award of DFC to that officer? Are those really gilt buttons on both uniform's. Just a few thoughts. Regards, D.J.

cbuehler · #4 13-12-21, 04:29 PM

I don't agree that an RA officer would not possibly have worn RE collars (or vice versa). While certainly not normal or likely common, in wartime all sorts of expediencies occurred. Without seeing the backs of the buttons, there is no way to tell if they are officer quality or not. Additionally, OR quality buttons were sometimes used on OSD tunics of all services due to supply shortages.
That said, it is very possible these uniforms could have been doctored up, but without handling them in person, hard to determine. I might add that the RAF one is more likely to be fake than the other.

CB

leigh kitchen · #5 13-12-21, 04:31 PM

The wearing of the wrong collar badges mixed or otherwise sounds very unlikely to me.

cbuehler · #6 13-12-21, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leigh kitchen

The wearing of the wrong collar badges mixed or otherwise sounds very unlikely to me.

Yes, unlikely, but not impossible.

CB

54Bty · #7 13-12-21, 05:57 PM

Both the Jackets have RA buttons, one with a Sapper blue lanyard.

Marc

leigh kitchen · #8 13-12-21, 05:59 PM

Seems to me a collector / faker just didn't know of the difference between RA and RE collar badges.

JerryBB · #9 13-12-21, 07:37 PM

First thing to be stripped from a service jacket, or cap, are the badges, buttons later from what I have seen, easy to stick the wrong ones on just for display.

grey_green_acorn · #10 13-12-21, 07:43 PM

The Service Dress uniforms might have used in a film or TV production. This example: Carrington VC 1954 Captain Alison Graham (Noelle Middleton), Major ‘Copper’ Carrington VC (David Niven) and ‘Prisoners Friend’ Major Jim Mitchell (Raymond Huntley).

More on badges in film and TV in my album:

https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...p?albumid=2439

Tim

cbuehler · #11 13-12-21, 11:48 PM

There is this:

https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...ad.php?t=36392

CB

fairlie63 · #12 14-12-21, 11:18 PM

Thanks everybody for the comments.

I didn't think until later that the first SD might have been worn by an officer of an RE searchlight unit that transferred to RA in 1938 and he retained some of the aspects of his RE service. I'll try and look him up in an Army List later.

Regards,
Keith