25th Tank Brigade printed sign

[loupie1961]

To all the experts: when was this pattern of printed sign of the 25th Tank Brigade adopted? I guess when the Brigade was reverted to its original tank role after being Armoured RE? Thank you in advance, gents!

[loupie1961]

no answers? 1947 or something?It looks like the 25th Army Tank Brigade was disbanded in 1945, but could have been reverted to its original role before being disbanded? Or has it been reformed at some point? It has come with a lot of mainly postwar signs...

[lettman]

There's a printed version of the sign in Jon Mills' books, item 2676 (vol.1). However, the black diablo looks slightly different.

[loupie1961]

Originally Posted by lettman

There's a printed version of the sign in Jon Mills' books, item 2676 (vol.1). However, the black diablo looks slightly different.

Maybe Jon or Fearnaught could be of some help, here?

[Postwarden]

The extract below from Badges on Battle Dress shows that I was unable to completely solve this puzzle, my best guess underlined. The numbers refer to the badge illustrations in the book.

Jon

In October 1944 the 8th Army’s Chief Engineer proposed expanding 1st Assault Regiment into an assault brigade to be ready for service by 1st February 1945. On 5th January HQ 25th Tank Brigade became HQ ‘B’ Assault Brigade, RAC/RE, a new formation modelled on 79th Armoured Division, its 51st Royal Tanks equipped with Crab flail tanks and Crocodile flamethrowers, its ‘A’ and ‘B’ Assault Regiments, RE manning ARKs, AVREs and Sherman dozers, supported by ‘C’ Armoured Park Squadron, RE. The sign recorded for the Brigade was described as two black equilateral triangles on a red and blue shield (2671), the versions backed with the colours of the Royal Armoured Corps (2674 to 2676) possibly worn for a short period by the RAC element of the newly-formed brigade. When redesignated 25th Armoured Engineer Brigade, Royal Engineers on 1st April 1945 its regiments were 51st Royal Tanks and 1st and 2nd Armoured Engineer Regiments, the 1st formerly 1st Assault Regiment, RAC/RE, the 2nd formed from the divisional engineers of the disbanded 1st Armoured Division. A new Brigade sign placed the black diabolo and maple leaf on a strip of Royal Engineer colours (2672 & 2673). Its specialist armour redundant the Brigade was disbanded in the autumn of 1945.

[loupie1961]

Thank you Jon, extremely interesting theory!