Seeking proper trade name for WWII Canadian Radio Technician

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by Neil Ashley

This is the bible on British Army Trade and Proficency Badges and as you can see very expensive but you can normally find them for about half of this if you watch out on e-bay or the British Military Badge Forum.

Since the eBay listing will evaporate as soon as someone buys the lot I will remove the URL and put the details in instead:

Title - "British Army Proficiency Badges"
Authors - Langley, David and Edwards, Denis.
ISBN - 9780950942704
(Hardcover and signed by D. Edwards.)

and note that it has a "Buy it now" price of £202.80 - Yikes!

(There's an unsigned copy in Australia for a mere £78.88 + 14.88 shipping, which is softcover, new, and has a 2005 supplement included.)

What I've ordered is:

Title: British Army Cloth Insignia 1940 to the Present an illustrated reference guide for collectors.

Author: Davis, Brian L

Which is B&W illustrations but a snip at a mere £10 (+£4 for postage).

The problem with the trade badges in both world wars was that there were many unoffical badges / colour combinations in use the purpose of some is not now known. The Canadian Army also had some of its own badges not used by us including Telegraph Pole and Valve (or Light bulb).

I have one of the biggest trade badge collection in the UK if anyone want to see what signals related badges I have.

Well, someone must have documented it all somewhere I'll have a look through the various books I've got at some point and see what turns up.

(This doesn't answer the original poster's question about Canadian badges, but it might be a starting point - and I will admit to wondering what some of the "circle with lightning bolts" patches were for, especially as they appear with on variety of coloured (black, khaki and (presumably RAF) blue) base fabrics.)

Best regards,
Chris.

[Neil Ashley]

If you live in Australia that is a very good price for the book and I was not aware that it was ever produced in hard back.

For the Canadian Army Badges specicially you can also get 'Skill at Arms' A History of Canadian Army Trade Badges & Parachute Wings by Thomas J Bennett
ISBN 1-894255-52-6

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by Chris Suslowicz

What I've ordered is:

Title: British Army Cloth Insignia 1940 to the Present an illustrated reference guide for collectors.

Author: Davis, Brian L

Which is B&W illustrations but a snip at a mere £10 (+£4 for postage).

This has now arrived and is not particularly helpful - all the badges are shown in monochrome and there's minimal detail given (it's basically a catalogue of the author's collection).

Though it does appear to claim the "circle with six lightning bolts" = Wireless/Radio Mechanic.

Further rummaging and image searches show the circle in red, yellow, blue or white and the lightning bolts in white. I'm not sure I believe this as meaning anything other than "a lot of the ones for sale are modern reproductions or guesswork", or the original badges were produced 'in theatre' or at unit level using available materials, and not issued centrally.

The IWM library has a copy of the expensive book, so I might try and get access to that when I'm in London next.

So far, there seem to have been:

"Telegraph Pole" badge = Lineman (Canada only?)
"Valve/Lamp with lightning bolts" = Wireless Mechanic? (Canada only?)
"Circle/Ring with lightning bolts" = Wireless Mechanic (British?)

"Hand holding lightning bolts" = Wireless Operator?
"Gauntlet holding lightning bolts" = AFV Wireless operator? (Armoured Corps?)

The pre-WW2 Signals trades were:

Electrician-Fitters
Instrument Mechanics
Operators (Signals)
Linemen
Despatch Riders
Draughtsmen (Signals)

Also the General Army Trades:

Blacksmiths
Carpenters & Joiners
Clerks
Farriers
Saddlers and harness makers

further on there's a not about training failed tradesmen as:

Drivers
Drivers I.C. (I assume that's "Internal Combustion.)

(All the above from "Royal Corps of Signals - Corps Memoranda 1934".)

Best regards,
Chris.

[Daniel Roy]

Thank you Chris for this information.

Rgards

Daniel

[Neil Ashley]

The signals badges in my trade badge collection.

[Daniel Roy]

Hello Neil,

Very nice collection. Thanks for sharing.

Best regards

Daniel