Hi all, I am trying to find out what the insignia/badge is, that is being worn by my father & others on their l/h breast pocket in the pictures below. As yet I have not been able to enlarge them to get a clearer view, so any help anyone can give would be much appreciated.
Badger2, My first thought was that it might be a form of the Combined Operations badge but the first close up pic you have posted seems to rule that out. It certainly appears to be some sort of Airborne badge with wings and vertical stripes below, but it doesen't look like any badge I have seen, especially worn from left breast pocket. From the pics it appears to be middle/far east service but no obvious clues from belts etc. The guy in 3rd pic and on the left in 4th Pic is obviously wearing para wings and I wonder if it is some Airborne medical detachment (with the woman prehaps being a nurse?). That's as far as my observations/knowledge goes. If you have details of your Father's service record and can post them it might help. MikeL
MikeL, Thanks for the reply, the 'guy' you are pointing out is my father, he was a para. I am currently trying to research his service record with help from a professional military researcher. As we don't have his service number it is not easy! I know he was with the British Military Mission, attached to the Greek 1st Brigade at some point , I suspect that this badge might have some reference to that but can't be certain. I certainly don't believe it to be anything to do with a medical detachment. Have also posted below what I understand to be part of his service history from what my brother & I can remember from things we heard as we were growing up & later, as adults, it makes quite interesting reading. My fathers parents moved to Greece from the UK when my father was about 6/7 years old, he grew up speaking English & fluent Greek, (I'm fairly sure this must have influenced his postings during the war)? When war broke out he wanted to enlist in the RAF but they kept him waiting too long, so he enlisted in the British army in Greece, probably Athens. I know that when Greece fell he went to Crete, along with most other personnel. I believe he may have acted as an interpreter for the Australian & NZ forces. He was captured but managed to escape with a New Zealand officer, they crossed Crete & took a small boat & headed South, eventually the boat sank & they were in the water for several days before being spotted by a Sunderland flying boat & picked up, they were then hospitalised in either Alexandria or Cairo. It was at this time that my father volunteered for the fledgling parachute regiment & was sent to RAF Ringway, Manchester, for training. As far as I'm aware, he wasn't involved in the Arnhem attacks, I understand that he was off 'doing something else' & when he returned his unit had already left for Arnhem. I know he was with the British Military Mission attached to the Greek 1st Brigade at some point, certainly in Feb- Apr '42 (have address + dated photos sent to him by his mother), possibly in N Africa & that he was in Italy later in the war, (more dated photos). I believe he also may have been assisting the freedom fighters in Greece at some point, he used to tell a story of parachuting into Greece & landing on his uncles house! He was then taken by one of the resistance to a meeting, where this resistance fighter drew a pistol & shot & killed the other person, saying he was a double agent!! (Have just read an account online re a Nigel Clive, he was an intelligence officer with the SIS). See paragraph below: 'In the summer of 1943 he returned to Cairo, where with help from the British ambassador to Egypt, Sir Kinahan Cornwallis, he was transferred to the Yugoslav office of SIS, but never succeeded in being parachuted into the Yugoslavian mountains to join Bill (later Sir William) Deakin at Tito's headquarters. A move to the Greek section of SIS was more fruitful, and in December 1943 he replaced Costa Lawrence as British liaison officer in Epirus, in a nerve-racking and difficult post as Lawrence had just been shot dead' That might purely be coincidental & probably is but none the less, quite interesting. As he had enlisted in Greece he had also to be in Greece apparently to be de-mobbed. His family had been evacuated to a British evacuee camp in India, when Greece fell. I also understand that the Greek government awarded him a medal but I have read other stories that said British troops weren't allowed to accept them? Anyhow I am following another enquiry re that one!!!
Was he in Greece? It looks part like a greek type badge. I only ask as I have a picture of a Para unit marching through a Greek town on a parade after liberating the town. Andy
Not sure if relevant but 7th Camerons were converted to a para battalion in August 1942, becoming the 5th (Scottish) Parachute battalion. They served North Africa, Italy, South of France, ending up in Greece. Have some photos of their time in Greece, some rather gruesome.
It looks vaguely like a Greek flag. I had similar thoughts but the Greek flag has the bars horizontally. Although I agree that it could be Greek, but could not find anything remotely like it when I trawled the internet. Regards Tom
I'm convinced it's related to him being with the BMM, attached to the Greek Ist brigade but would like something positive to confirm it.
Badger, I have the following information: British Military Mission to Greece: Red and gold crown and white and blue shield striped below a white cross '+'. I was informed about this metal formation sign on a fob many years ago although I had never come across one. There is also a cloth version embroidered on felt: Gold wire grown on red above a blue shield divided horizontally a white cross at the top and four white vertical bars below all on khaki. Hope this helps. Regards Arthur
British Troops Greece. Nice embroidered example for the British Military Mission Greece © All rights reserved Geoff Newman Militaria
Good work chaps. Rob, could you remember to add a link where the image came from. http://www.gnmilitaria.co.uk/shop/photos/10206.jpg
British Troops Greece. Nice embroidered example for the British Military Mission Greece © All rights reserved Geoff Newman Militaria http://www.google.com/images?q=tbn:8lkvir-v9SaWWM::www.tofocus.info/images/flags/greece-flag.gif&h=94&w=141&usg=__ZtKGtoCFaLr_b_2_kRAMpbQ3qAM= Greek Flag turned 90 degrees to make the emblem. Regards Tom
