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  #1  
Old 17-04-16, 06:57 AM
Madziro Madziro is offline
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Default 1 SA Div formation signs being worn

A couple of photos showing the 1st Div formation sign being worn in North Africa.
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File Type: jpg Black soldier.jpg (45.8 KB, 43 views)
File Type: jpg 1st Div Major Staff Officer.jpg (51.5 KB, 78 views)
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  #2  
Old 17-04-16, 10:19 AM
milhistry milhistry is offline
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The major appears to be wearing an armlet with a springbok on it. Any idea who it was or what the armlet looked like?
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  #3  
Old 17-04-16, 02:06 PM
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Arthur R Arthur R is offline
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There's a photo in Joel Mervis's book South Africa in World War II which shows the divisional commander, Maj Gen George Brink, wearing an armband with a running springbok on it. My guess would be that it identified the divisional HQ staff. A further guess would be that the armband was orange.
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  #4  
Old 18-04-16, 05:52 AM
Madziro Madziro is offline
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Some time ago I did a little research on SA armbands and discovered some info in the SA Army archives. This prompted me to draw the attached. Apologies for the quality!
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File Type: jpg Arm bands 1.jpg (65.8 KB, 31 views)
File Type: jpg Arm bands 2.jpg (59.5 KB, 29 views)
File Type: jpg Arm bands 3.jpg (54.6 KB, 27 views)
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  #5  
Old 18-04-16, 06:40 AM
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fairlie63 fairlie63 is offline
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Thanks for sharing this Madziro. Quite interesting to see how South Africa, while part of the British Commonwealth forces and conforming in organization, doctrine, etc, still managed to retain its individuality in its insignia and the like.

TSM in plate 3 might actually be Troop Sergeant-Major, OPA is probably Observation Post Assistant (Ack in vernacular of the day) and GPOA is Gun Position Officer's Assistant. Those artillery ones are probably the SA variation of the armlets laid down in Instructions for Practice - Light, Medium and Heavy Artillery, 1924, for those appointments.

Keith
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  #6  
Old 18-04-16, 09:01 AM
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Some armbands been worn. These are all SAMC related.

1. Medical officer doing medicals at recruitment station.

2-4. SAMC Traing at Zonderwater 1941. Enlarged pics shows armbands with S?? and other ending with ??R. Any help with possible ID appreciated.

Steven
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File Type: jpg Armband Medical.jpg (58.9 KB, 19 views)
File Type: jpg SAMC Training Zonderwater 1941.jpg (76.1 KB, 17 views)
File Type: jpg Armband ..R.jpg (42.6 KB, 23 views)
File Type: jpg Armband S...jpg (28.5 KB, 19 views)
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  #7  
Old 19-04-16, 06:44 AM
Madziro Madziro is offline
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Many thanks for the additional info Gents. I have attached the UDF Order that I got the info from for interest.
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File Type: jpg Armlets p1.jpg (52.3 KB, 12 views)
File Type: jpg Armlets p2.jpg (51.5 KB, 11 views)
File Type: jpg Armlets p3.jpg (59.3 KB, 14 views)
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  #8  
Old 19-04-16, 09:36 AM
milhistry milhistry is offline
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I wonder if the medical S is not for sanitation? I note the 1934 regs had a yellow armband for sanitation duties but no mention of a letter.
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  #9  
Old 19-04-16, 09:39 AM
milhistry milhistry is offline
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Major-General George Edwin Brink (a.k.a. "Uncle George") as GOC 1 SA Division.

L: Bushjacket, Khaki Drill with 1 SA Div flash visible.
R: Battledress.
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File Type: jpg Brink Geo E as GOC 1 SA Div.jpg (76.4 KB, 20 views)
File Type: jpg GenGBrink.jpg (86.3 KB, 17 views)
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  #10  
Old 19-04-16, 12:13 PM
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Milmed Milmed is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by milhistry View Post
I wonder if the medical S is not for sanitation? I note the 1934 regs had a yellow armband for sanitation duties but no mention of a letter.
Hi,
Its possible but I think there may be more than an S... S been the first letter, but I cannot make out the other letters. The same for the R. There appears to be two other characters before the R.

S
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  #11  
Old 20-04-16, 09:49 AM
milhistry milhistry is offline
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Could it be something to do with Surgeon perhaps? It would be interesting to know what appointments and duties the 'Establishment' of a hospital would have had back then.
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  #12  
Old 20-04-16, 10:28 AM
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No I dont think so. The chap with the S armband is a seargent and probably the drill instructor (he is holding pace sticks). Looking at Madziro's list, there was an SDO armband (senior disciplinary officer).
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  #13  
Old 30-04-16, 07:10 AM
milhistry milhistry is offline
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Here is a picture of Maj-Gen Brink with armlet. Interestingly the springbok on this one appears to be a leaping springbok rather than just a springbok head. I have however seen a picture of a WW1 1 SA Brigade armlet that was just the springbok head so I wonder if it was 'meant' to be just the head?
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File Type: jpg Geo Brink with Springbok armlet.jpg (64.5 KB, 8 views)
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  #14  
Old 30-04-16, 07:12 AM
milhistry milhistry is offline
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And here is one of some pith helmets being worn that are not the most common variety...
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