Auxiliary Services

[Doug N]

Early in WW2, four volunteer civilian organizations were selected to provide services to Canadian personnel. The organizations were the Knights of Columbus, the Young Mens Christian Association, the Salvation Army, & the Canadian Legion. Their efforts were co-ordinated by an Auxiliary Services group at C.M.H.Q.

Their work was aimed at maintaining the comfort & morale of the servicemen. The organizations provided canteens, movies, sports events, live theater, & the like.

The badges worn by the Salvation Army, K of C, & YMCA are illustrated in Daniele Mazeas' excellent reference book. The badge of the Canadian Legion War Services is not. I have been lucky enough to stumble across a few over the years & will share them here.

The badge is smallish, at 1 1/2" tall - about the same size as the Saskatoon Light Infantry for comparison. Two of my four examples are maker marked LUDLOW LONDON. All have fully struck up reverses. Three have lugs, one example has a horizontal broach pin.

[Bill A]

To add to the cap badges, here is a selection of patches and an armband worn by the BESL Canadian Legion. Note that the cloth patch was worn both on the battledress and on civilian clothes. Various patterns of the crest exist.

[Dwayne H]

..........one of a Canadian War Services Italy brassard and a 1st div jacket badged to the YMCA that is from the war museum.

Dwayne

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