Advice about what Tank Corps badges are needed

[Shiny]

Morning All,

I’m after a bit of help. I do talks around local schools about Remembrance which end with the kids trying on various pieces of uniform. I’ve made up a naval uniform to represent a relative who was an RN Stoker and another jacket to represent a relative who was an officer in the East Lancs. Now I’d like to set up a jacket of some description to represent another relative who served with the tanks during WW1 but I’m not sure what I need.

He served with the RFA for 10 years pre war and then re-enlisted in 1915 also joining the RFA. In August 1917 he was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps (Heavy Branch) and then sent to the Tank Depot as a Corporal Instructor. He seems to have then served in France for just over 1 month before going back to Bovington.

I know he completed a tank driving course, signalling course and machine gun course and then in July 1918 he was recommended for a commission in the Tank Corps and started officer training. After that his record gets a bit confused as it says he was demob’d in Feb 1919 but commissioned as a 2Lt in Mar 1919.

I have been given a replica tank mask so definitely want to incorporate that into the uniform. I don’t want to spend a fortune as the kids get a bit excited once they start trying things on and things can get damaged or stood on so for the officer I’ve already done I got a modern officers No 2 dress jacket and put the relevant badges on it. I’m thinking of doing the same for this relative but my questions are:

Would he have worn a tank corps officers uniform ?
If not, does anyone know a cheap way to make a WW1 OR’s jacket?
What badges would he have worn?

Thanks for the help,

Michael

[Staffsyeoman]

He can't have transferred to the MGC(H) in August 1917, as by then it was already the Tank Corps. Commissioned into the Tank Corps directly? Then a Tank Corps uniform with Tank Corps badges. There are more than enough repros about.

[Shiny]

Thanks for the help, I don't really know anything about the Tank Corps, I was just going off his service record (attached).

So if I do a Tank Corps officers uniform I presume I need collar dogs, what is the arm badge I keep seeing mentioned would I need one of those and if so which arm does it go one?

Would he have worn the MG trade badge or a signals one or was there one for the driving course?

Thanks a lot,

Michael