Help with Helmet Flash - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

Brian Conyngham · #1 19-03-15, 03:55 PM

Hi Guys

I recently acquired this mint pair of ...what I feel are WW2 era South African polo helmet cloth flashes.

Can anyone please identify them, they are very well made.

Regards
Brian

Arthur R · #2 19-03-15, 05:31 PM

According to Curson, they were the flashes of the Railways & Harbours Brigade HQ, worn 1918-24. However, the colours are not in the same order as he describes them : according to him, green should be at the top, and the blue portion of the inset Engineer flash should also be uppermost. If you turn yours upside down, the green will be at the top, but the blue will not.

Milmed · #3 20-03-15, 05:27 AM

Hi Brian,
I have written about these before on the forum, http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...ad.php?t=40106

These are in fact RHB but postwar and shoulder sleeve flashes. The first I have seen them worn was by the RHB honour guard for the Royal Tour of 1947. I think they were worn for a short period c1946/47 through 1951 when the RHB was disbanded. The colours of course show the dual role of the post war RHB of Infantry and Engineers. I believe Curson got this one wrong as these were not helmet flashes.

Steven

Brian Conyngham · #4 20-03-15, 06:35 AM

Thanks guys for the help

Interesting info, thanks for the help.

Steven is it not possible that they were worn on the Polo Helment, but when they were done away with, the flashes were then moved to the upper arm positions?

I will insert them in my Railway section.

Regards
Brian

Milmed · #5 20-03-15, 08:27 AM

Brian,
I have never seen these on a polo before. Remember the dual role of RHB as infantry and engineering was from 1946. If you scrounge around on the forum you will see I posted a polo helmet with RHB flashes as worn 1923 through the war years. The colour of the flash then was black/yellow/green horizontal stripes.

Steven