Can anyone identify this Commando insignia please?

[TomCat]

I picked up this jacket from a guy who said it belonged to a soldier recently passed away. He gave me his name and number which I won't post out of respect for his family. Apparently the soldier in question joined up in 1955 and attained the rank of captain. I'm afraid that's all I know.

The SAS wings look like the old 'moth' from Malayan times and it measures 4 1/2 inches across. I've only ever seen photos of them but I'm sure the ones I've seen have a black backing. This may have had that trimmed off, but why?

The unit flash below I've not seen before. Has anyone any ideas about these please? Are they fake?

[Tartan_Terrier]

No idea, but isn't the combat jacket the eighties pattern?

So at least thirty years service, and the formation insignia would be from his last unit?

To leave as a Captain after thirty years would mean that he was promoted from the ranks, probably after reaching at least WO2.

The insignia isn't one I've seen before.

Don't the Commando Brigade have an EW unit called Y-Troop? Mind you he'd have the dagger up as well then, so it's probably not that.

Do you have his OR's number (8 digit)? Or his officer number (6 digit)? If the OR's, could you post the first four or five numbers so the date could be verified?

Cheers
T_T

[Wholley]

Best person to ask would be Sneaky Beaky.
Jump wings are in the wrong place and wrong pattern for a Royal.
Tartan's right.
That Combat Jacket is Eighties design.

[TomCat]

Hi Guys. Thanks for your replies. Yes, the jacket that they're on is a worry as well.

The first 5 numbers of his OR's number are 23179.

I've asked the person from who I obtained the jacket if he knows any more. He seems to be a dealer who sells odds and ends not necessarily militaria so he's not knowledgable on the subject.

He tells me there's a photo of the soldier in question with 3 Para, he hasn't been able to put a date on it and I haven't actually seen it yet. There is also a certificate of Oath of Allegiance which was signed in Lincoln in 1955. There are some photos of soldiers in the jungle wearing olive greens and bush hats without rank or insignia.

So there seems to be quite a bit of background stuff without anything that tells me exactly who and when he served with. I just find it interesting to know more, but I can't square this jacket, which as you say seems to be 1984 pattern dpm material, with the patches which look late 50's early 60's to me.

[Tartan_Terrier]

The number checks out as being issued between June and October 1955.

T_T

[Shoulderholster]

Ignoring the DPM jacket,which means nothing really.
The badge is the 'V' Force from WW2 the wings look more like the Rhodesian version of the SAS wings.
Both look to be "locally" made,which is quite often seen with Far East and Middle East insignia.
Just because they came from his things doesn't mean that he wore them or was part of the unit.
Hope this helps.
SH

[Tab]

2317 was issued about 1954, as I was 2318 and that was in 1955. Also at that time we never wore wings on our smocks nor did we wear our battalion flashes. The only people that wore those smocks during this period were the RMC and the Para's. Looking at it I was wondering if some walter had got hold of it.

[got1]

Tab that "smock" is DPM which came out long after you were in.

Also I may be on the wrong track here but I wonder if the wings have been sown on inside out as they look a bit weird. That would acccount for the strange colour.

[SO19]

Looking at it I was wondering if some walter had got hold of it.

Ditto, I'll say no more.

[TomCat]

Thanks for all your help so far. Plenty of food for thought.

got1, interesting idea. I think we can agree these badges aren't right for this date of jacket so I'll whip them off and have a look at the backing.

T_T, Thank you. That tallys with what I've been told. I think there's a real serviceman here with a real history but someone has delibrately or unwittingly mixed up items from different periods.

Shoulderholster, Thank you. That's very interesting. I'll try to learn more.

My first thought on seeing it was that it was 'wrong'. I picked it up off the guy because I reasoned the jacket is in grade 1 so must be worth at least a fiver if I have to sell it on (I paid £12) and it was the badges I was interested in. Ignoring the jacket they do look authentic.

I've seen photos of other stuff that are said to belong to this soldier and they may well have belonged to him. However I don't know the guy selling the gear, so maybe he's tried to 'sex it up' by stitching the badges onto the jacket.

I've agreed to buy from him the Oath of Allegiance, and a few photos for a fiver so if I find out anymore I'll post it.

If anyone else has information it will be greatfully received.

[Tab]

This a photo I took last year at No1 Parachute Training School at Brieze Norton. You will see a picture of the badges in the glass case, but who ever put this display together mixed up the different countries badges.

[harry hackedoff]

That smock looks like it was put together by someone with nfi.
No fcuking idea.
Wings aren`t Rhodesian SAS, Shoulders
RM do have a Sigs unit called Y-Troop(a bit like F-Troop but fer more attractive and with better manners ) and that isn`t their badge. Those late eighties combats were shite by the way.
They weren`t a patch on the previous version

[Shoulderholster]

Have a buthchers at www.warbooks.com/Graphics/rhodsas.jpg
And Im sticking with the V Force badge,its not a Y just a crap embroidered V .

SH

[Tartan_Terrier]

Have a buthchers at www.warbooks.com/Graphics/rhodsas.jpg
And Im sticking with the V Force badge,its not a Y just a crap embroidered V .

SH

Here is the V-Force cap badge:

http://ccc.per.sg/collect/badges/b15_V-Force.jpg

Quite similar to the cloth patch in design, but I'm still not sure...

Edited to add this:

Found it! Looks like you were right.

http://www.militarybadges.info/images/uk/gb09.jpg

[TomCat]

Hi All. Shoulderholster is absolutely right. I know because I e-mailed a pic to the Burma Star Organisation and they confirmed it does belong to V-Force.

****got1**** You're a star! and I am an idiot. Unbelievably they were sown on back to front. Peter Garratt of the excellent Rhodesian Militaria web site was able to say they are definitely NOT Rhodesian. http://www.rhodesianmilitaria.com/index.php?page=sas

I believe because of their condition and what looks like modern machine stitching that they're repro.

Right, I've got a real Heinz here. I don't believe it's the work of a walt. They'd be better informed through all the books they've read. Whereas they would make mistakes it would probably be more believable. I think it's more likely some lads rifled his dads collection and stuck them on the jacket to make it look more 'trendy'. Students have been doing this since the 60's and from the 80's with the Stone Roses to the present day with the Arctic Monkeys camouflage jackets have been popular fashion items.

So that leaves me a grade 1 combat jacket, 1 repro SAS 'Sabre' wings from which regiment and era is unknown and 1 V-Force flash from Burma. Trust me this has come from a real soldeirs effects. Obviously he couldn't have served with V-Force as he didn't join up until 1955. His father was an officer in the Royal Navy, maybe an uncle?