British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

Recent Books by Forum Members

   

Go Back   British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum > South African Military and Police Insignia > Army

 Other Pages: Galleries, Links etc.
Glossary  Books by Forum Members     Canadian Pre 1914    CEF    CEF Badge Inscriptions   Canadian post 1920     Canadian post 1953     British Cavalry Badges     Makers' Marks    Pipers' Badges  Canadian Cloth Titles  Books  SEARCH
 
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 19-01-22, 12:32 PM
dokotela dokotela is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2022
Posts: 4
Default South African WW2 Flash Query

I would be grateful for help with my grandfather’ flashes.

I know he served with the “Q”SC and drove trucks. I know he served with the Regiment Botha at one stage before they deployed to active service.

Here is a photo of his flashes plus some Botha badges and his Blood Oath flash.

Could anyone ID the brown cloth flashes. I recall him telling me that at least one of them went on his pith helmet.

Many thanks in advance,

Stephen
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 19-01-22, 01:31 PM
Bill A's Avatar
Bill A Bill A is offline
Super Moderator
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Canada
Posts: 11,528
Default

Hello Stephen, welcome to the Forum. Your account is active and open for posts.
Please try posting the image again.
__________________
Res ipsa loquitur
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 19-01-22, 04:23 PM
dokotela dokotela is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2022
Posts: 4
Default Photo

Photo attached
Attached Images
File Type: jpg D68544E2-F3A5-4C87-B62A-6C875BB444E5.jpg (117.6 KB, 44 views)
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 19-01-22, 06:49 PM
Milmed's Avatar
Milmed Milmed is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Africa
Posts: 1,702
Default

The QSC and Botha Regt. badges are correct, but the flashes are for neither of these regiments.

This is the first I have seen of these. The brown flashes were typically worn by 'Native Military Corps' as well as Mechanical Transport but with a diagonal stripe of yellow running across the flash. This may be a variation as you say he was a driver.

The other possibility is that he may have got these from someone and they were not what he wore.

Steven
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 19-01-22, 08:58 PM
dokotela dokotela is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2022
Posts: 4
Default

Thanks Steven,

I’m pretty sure he told me that these were his badges, but memory is fallible and we had this chat 30 odd years ago.

I was looking at this super website earlier today: https://www.mmofsa.org.za/

There is a section on the allocation of service numbers in blocks. Gramps’ number suggests he enlisted in the 5th MT Coy “Q”SC. This was probably in Bloemfontein in 1939 or 40.

How specific were these flashes? Company level, Battalion, or higher. And do the various shapes have any meaning? We’re they worn elsewhere?

My dad has some photos back in Cape Town. He will look them out and let me have copies, these may help.

Thanks,

Stephen
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 8ABE3AAC-77F6-4104-9453-9F6E900C4FA6.jpg (115.2 KB, 13 views)
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 20-01-22, 04:19 AM
Milmed's Avatar
Milmed Milmed is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Africa
Posts: 1,702
Default

I have no doubt these were your grandfathers and nice to see flashes that have not seen the light before.

Sometime in the 1950's, someone put together a chart of flashes worn by UDF forces mostly based on info in the UDF dress regulations, but it appears not all flashes were identified.

MT companies were identified by a dark brown flash with yellow diagonal stripe, but that may only represent one of the MT companies.

Your flash has a roman yellow 'V' which I believe represents the 5th MT Comp where you indicated your grandfather served in from his service number.

The rectangular flash would have been the helmet flash and the triangular ones may have been worn on the jacket sleeves. Photographs would confirm this.

Thanks for sharing your grandfathers insignia.

Steven
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 23-01-22, 04:30 AM
Brian Conyngham's Avatar
Brian Conyngham Brian Conyngham is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Durban South Africa
Posts: 1,238
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by dokotela View Post
I would be grateful for help with my grandfather’ flashes.

I know he served with the “Q”SC and drove trucks. I know he served with the Regiment Botha at one stage before they deployed to active service.

Here is a photo of his flashes plus some Botha badges and his Blood Oath flash.

Could anyone ID the brown cloth flashes. I recall him telling me that at least one of them went on his pith helmet.

Many thanks in advance,

Stephen
Stephen you can get a chap by the name of Dewald Nel to pull your Dads records from the archives for a small researcher's fee, well worth it. Interesting flashes never seen those before?

dewald@nelantiques.co.za

Just a quick correction, our troops did not sign a "Blood Oath", it was just an oath the majority (not all) signed and wore these red/orange tabs as proof that he was prepared to serve outside South African borders.

Regards
Brian
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 23-01-22, 07:39 PM
dokotela dokotela is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2022
Posts: 4
Default

Thanks Brian!
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
cloth flash, pith, south africa, “q”sc

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

mhs link

All times are GMT. The time now is 05:20 AM.


Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.