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#1
09-04-16, 02:55 AM
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Medics
A few medic related questions.
1. What are the official names of the SAMS/SAMHS uniform colours? 2. Can anyone confirm that Air Force medics and MOs wore the SAMC cap badge before they became part of the SAMS? 3. What did Naval medics wear? Was there anything besides the Sick Berth Attendant badge for ratings? Did officers have scarlet between the rank lace RN-style? 4. I have seen WW1 SAMC cap badges and even have one in the collection but have never seen collar badges. Were they worn? I had two relatives in the SAMC in WW1 and would be most interested to see any photographs from that period. 
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#2
09-04-16, 05:25 AM
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Hi Milhistory,
You have stumbled in on my collecting field, so will try to answer your questions as best as I can. 1. Will need to get back to on this as I will have to dig out my notes. 2. I have been told that the medics in the airforce wore airforce blue-grey uniforms with SAMC badges, but have never seen photographic evidence of this. What I have seen is medics/MO at an airforce medal parade c.1960's but wearing army uniforms with SAMC badges. Likewise the SAMNS serving at air force sickbay's also wore army uniform. 3. The Navy medics, MO, and nurses wore naval uniforms. Winter blacks, summer whites and working dress blues. They had there own set of insignia. Sick berth attendants wore the red cross badge and from 1972 these included stars and or lions based on there ranking. There were also qualified Male Nurses who held rank of CPO and WO and had the letters M (Male Nurse) and V (Verpleer) on either side of the red cross. Will attach pictures to show clearly what I mean. MO wore the SAMC Doctors Caduceus on a red background and red cloth between lace. Dentists the same but with orange cloth. Qualified female nurses were officers (unlike there male counterpart) and wore ruby colour facings between lace. This of course all changed with the issue of new SAMS uniform c.1982/83 4. WWI medics and MO in Europe and East Africa wore the standard issue springbok badge as a cap badge during WWI. Medics wore Shoulder titles with SAMC and red cross arm badges. c.1916 collar badges were adopted with a double scroll reading 'South African Medical Corps' above 'Zuid Afrikaanse Mediese Dienst'. Officers uniform and badges were private purchase, so variations exist here. There collar badges were larger (similar to RAMC officers) and either had the double scroll or a single scroll reading 'South African Medical Corps'. Some officers also wore the SAMC shoulder title. Back in the union and post war officers wore the large collar badge as a cap badge. Medics got new Cap and Collar badges c. 1923 reading SAMC and ZAMD on the scroll. Cap and collars same size but distinguished via size of lugs. Cap badges having longer lugs. c. 1926 the ZAMD was replaced with SAMD and worn to c.1959 when the enameld badges were issued. SAMC was changed to SAMS in 1972 and reflected on the badges. SAMS became an autonomous unit of SADF in 1979 and new uniform adopted 1982/83. I will attach pictures later today. Regards Steven
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#3
09-04-16, 06:01 AM
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I am in the process of completing my book regarding some aspects of South Africans in WW1and I have added a chapter on the South African medical services in France and in Richmond. I have photos which show both the "goat" and the SAMC cap badge been worn with the collar badges.
The book covers the S.A.M.R., Colonial forces, early S.A.P. and Baileys Sharpshooters and will be published in the UK. It is called "From the dust of Africa to the mud of Flanders - A celebration in South African militaria."
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#4
09-04-16, 02:06 PM
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Some further information.
1. The uniform colour refernce only mentions Mastic Brown and Sable Brown for the two tone SAMS (SAMHS) uniform currently worn. I believe the lighter tunic is in mastic and the darker trousers in sable. 2. Spent the morning at the local air force museum. They have changed some of the exhibits since I was last there and have the uniform and photo of a Doctor in the Air Force c. 1970's. He is wearing Air Force grey blue with SAMS badges, so this appears to confirm the wearing of SAMS insignia in the SAAF. Pictures attached. 4. Some WWI pictures attached. An early one of one of the SAMC companies at Tweseldown Camp. Note only red crosses, 'Goat' cap badge and shoulder titles worn. I believe the collar badges were made and issued prior to the move to France. Photograph in France at 1 SA Gen Hosp. Group of officers showing two sizes of collar badges. Medic showing all insignia as worn in Europe. I need to re-scan badges and will post these later once done.
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#6
09-04-16, 08:35 PM
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#7
10-04-16, 04:56 AM
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Hi Andrew,
Yes, I have included badges, uniforms and other items from the collection. Many items such as the post card photos discussed above have not been seen or published before. The book will be approximately 500 pages with chapters on the 1913 to 1922 strikes, battle of Sandfontein, trade and proficiency badges, recruiting efforts, detailed biographies of each sharpshooter, sharpshooter roles and functions and their weapons, uniforms and equipment. I will do the launch at the museum in Johannesburg in August but I am returning to South Sudan with the first Vice President soon so my planning hedges around that Regards, Will
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#8
10-04-16, 06:24 AM
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Standard general service belt buckle 'Dieu et mon droit' surrounding lion over KC. Buttons also standard UDF pattern - Union coat of arms. Officers however do have a unique medical button - as for RAMC officers but with 'South African Medical Corps' replacing "Royal Army Medical Corps". These are unique to the WWI period. Post war the double scroll officers button was worn. Steven
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#9
10-04-16, 05:36 PM
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Pics of WWI SAMC badges in the collection.
There are two officer patterns. Single scroll both by Jennens & Co. Both collar badges. Larger standard RAMC size for OSD. The other was probably for mess dress, but I have seen these been worn on OSD as well. Second pattern with double scroll is the more regular pattern. These have short lugs for OSD jackets. These I have seen worn on the OSD cap as well but only in pictures taken back in the Union. The bokkie or "Goat in the porthole" was cap badge worn in Europe and East Africa. The other board is for other ranks. Note the collar badges are of a smaller size, typical of RAMC other ranks collar badges worn pre WWI. BEWARE: there are many fakes of the double scroll badge. Some of pretty reasent production with sliders. And a second pattern of very poor definition with poorly attached copper wire lugs that in my opinion were produced in the 1970's. I say that as all the books on SA Badges pre 1970 dont show this version, but later publications show it. It is very prevelant on local auction sites and is only in cap (i.e. large size) and comes in gilding metal or coated to look like an OSD badge. Steven
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#10
11-04-16, 03:46 PM
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Cheers, Alex
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#11
11-04-16, 05:44 PM
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