Unknown badge. WW2 RA mixed anti aircraft unit

[kodey]

Hi all. I have attached a photo of a mixed royal artillery unit from WW2. They are most likely a heavy anti aircraft unit given the gun in the background.
All the people (that you can tell) are wearing a circular badge near the top of both arms. It's kind of difficult to see so I can't tell what it is. Does anyone know what it could be? Or pointers of where to start to indentify it? I assume it's a regimental or division badge but I'm struggling to find a good resource to look it up.

Thanks,
Kodey

[54Bty]

Possibly: 58th (Middlesex) SL Regt RA TA.

https://ra39-45.co.uk/units/searchli...-regiment-rata

[kodey]

Yeah, that certainly looks like it could be it, them you. Looking at other badges in that website, it's the only one that looks close. I thought they were more likely ACK ACK than searchlight from the gun but searchlights were often near the guns and if you can get the gun in the back of your photo, why wouldn't you, even if it's not 'your gun'. Thank you again!

[Postwarden]

Can't help with the badge but as most of the soldiers are wearing GS caps and collars and ties I would suggest this is a post WW2 Mixed AA Regiment.

Jon

[kodey]

Originally Posted by Postwarden

Can't help with the badge but as most of the soldiers are wearing GS caps and collars and ties I would suggest this is a post WW2 Mixed AA Regiment.

Jon

I had noticed the ties but I thought women were taken out of the mixed units fairly quickly once the war ended so if it is post war, I don't think it's by much. The GS cap was introduced 1943 so after then certainly.
I didn't think men routinely wore ties till they were in 49 pattern BD which is not what they are wearing here so I thought maybe they put them on just to look smarter for their photo? Certainly by 49 there would not have been ATS as they were combined with WRAC that year.

[54Bty]

Originally Posted by Postwarden

Can't help with the badge but as most of the soldiers are wearing GS caps and collars and ties I would suggest this is a post WW2 Mixed AA Regiment.

Jon

Which is what 58 became.

Marc

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by 54Bty

Which is what 58 became.

Marc

58 (MIDDLESEX) SEARCHLIGHT REGIMENT RA (TA)

....converted in November 1944 to 58 Garrison Regiment RA and then to 611 Infantry Regiment RA in February 1945.

..... re-constituted as 593 (Middlesex) (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA (TA) in January 1947.

....later changed to 593 (Harrow) HAA Regiment.

March 1955 - 593 HAA Regiment was placed in suspended animation, and completely disbanded in July that year.[


NOTE : During 1941, the regiment adopted as its arm badge a blue Cornflower embroidered on a khaki disc. The regiment and its successors continued to wear the badge until disbandment in 1955.

.

[Home Guard]

Awesome thread!!!!

Terry

[Mike B]

Originally Posted by 54Bty

Possibly: 58th (Middlesex) SL Regt RA TA.

https://ra39-45.co.uk/units/searchli...-regiment-rata

Excellent Site Marc - thanks for highlighting

[Mike B]

Originally Posted by mike_vee

58 (MIDDLESEX) SEARCHLIGHT REGIMENT RA (TA)

....converted in November 1944 to 58 Garrison Regiment RA and then to 611 Infantry Regiment RA in February 1945.

..... re-constituted as 593 (Middlesex) (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA (TA) in January 1947.

....later changed to 593 (Harrow) HAA Regiment.

March 1955 - 593 HAA Regiment was placed in suspended animation, and completely disbanded in July that year.[


NOTE : During 1941, the regiment adopted as its arm badge a blue Cornflower embroidered on a khaki disc. The regiment and its successors continued to wear the badge until disbandment in 1955.

.

Good research again Mike ...

[kodey]

Amazing, thanks all.

[kodey]

So I did a proper scan of the photo today and with that, when I zoom in, it definitely looks like the cornflower so definitely solved. Thanks for the help guys

[54Bty]

The badge.
Marc