Iraq Levies cloth arm badges

[michael1]

This photo shows Iraq Levies arriving London 1946 presumably for Victory parade. The ‘E’ in lozenge has been suggested as indicating an English speaker, does anyone know colours of this badge and significance and colour of the bar above it which appears to be white on a darker backing. Lastly would the stripes in top fold of pugri be in RAF colours, if not what colour would they be? Any info gratefully received thanks.

[gary1666]

Hi, I believe there are 2 types of English speaking badge, the circle example which indicated an ability to hold a basic conversation and a 'a blue diamond shaped badge with a white border and white E' for those who were fairly fluent ( from John Mills Badges on Battledress, a superb book if you wish to buy it).
Dont know sorry about the bar above, Gary

[michael1]

Many thanks for your reply Gary. Yes I know the books, they are a labour of love

[Padre]

I doubt the folds at the top of the puggaree would be in RAF colours. For one thing the RAF colours are dark blue, light blue and maroon, and I can see only two there. Also, as the RAF wore a silk flash to the left side of the bush hat, pith hat, sun helmet and tropical sun helmet its most likely the same would apply to the RAF Levies/ Iraqi Levies.

I think its the Regimental colour, although I've yet to find what that its.

[Tinhat]

I found this here https://militarybadgecollection.com/...f-iraq-etc.htm

Slouch hats were worn with a khaki pugree which had a coloured top fold and a correspondingly coloured feather plume
2nd Bn – Red
3rd Bn – White
4th Bn – Black
Depot – Yellow
MG – Blue

It’s not clear in the cropped photo you posted but in the full photo you can see the feather plume on the hats, would point to white or yellow. I would make sense that the patch aligns with this is colour.

Here a good link to the detachment that took part in the victory parade in August 1946 http://assyrianlevies.info/victory-parade.html

[michael1]

Thank you to the last 2 gents who replied. I agree RAF colours seem unlikely, as you say there are 2 colours here, I suspect they are red and white, the plume in the photo is clearly white so perhaps the top pugri fold matched the plume earlier but most pics do not show colour folds on pugris of the Levies, I think this 2 colour line was a later development