Whilst nosing through the War Diary for 30 Norfolk(WO166/12638)I found the following comment dated 06.04.43. "76 Div inform Bn that vehicle markings will continue to be 2 Corps District Sign (white cat on Cambridge blue background, and number 871 on background of red over brown divided horizontally". I hope this might be of some use to someone. Stephen.
Thanks, Stephen. Red/Brown is an unusual combination. Do you know what role the battalion were in at the time?
Dick Taylor's tome on Warpaint, Vol 3, says that red over brown indicated Home Defence Units which would seem suitable. However, I have not come across a white cat on a Cambridge blue square for 2 Corps, or any District. Where was 2 Corps District? Chris
Cole has 2 Corps District as two blue [Essex] seaxes with yellow hilts on a black shield with a yellow border. All his captions imply a lot of changes within the 'districts' which may be a combination of administrative areas and areas overseen by home defence formations that chopped and changed through the war.
I bow to your knowledge, Idler. I only have Howard Cole's first two books (Heraldry in War and Badges on Battledress) and neither mention that (or 2 Corps district). And the only seaxes are on the bottom half of a shield and on a red background! Chris
