Can anyone identify the badge on this uniform

This is a picture of my latemother in law. As was common she did not talk about her time in the war so my wife literally knows nothing about her mothers service. The attached picture is frustration as the angle does not help identify the badge. Any help would be massively appreciated as I have tried and failed so many places already0

Apologies as I should have mentioned the picture is dated 22 August 1944

 

Looks to me like the Ubique , flaming bomb badge of the RA or RE.

 

Hi Thank you very much for your swift response. Now having looked at the Ubique it makes some sense as I could never understand the lowest part of the badge. Do you know what women in this role would be doing?

 

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.

Google is your friend…..

The question “what were women’s duties in WW2 RA units” throws up a number of results.

The AI overview says -


“During World War II, women in Royal Artillery (RA) units primarily served in anti-aircraft (AA) roles, including searchlight and gunnery positions, freeing up men for combat duty. The 93rd Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery, was an all-female unit formed in 1942 to operate searchlights, which were crucial for detecting and tracking enemy aircraft. Other roles included operating height and range finders and other duties related to gunnery.
Detailed Breakdown of Women's Duties in RA Units:

• Searchlight Operation:
  The 93rd Searchlight Regiment was specifically tasked with operating powerful searchlights to illuminate the night sky, enabling anti-aircraft guns to target enemy aircraft.
• Height and Range Finding:
  Women were also responsible for operating the height and range finding equipment used to determine the precise location of enemy aircraft, crucial for aiming anti-aircraft guns.
• Gunnery Support:
  While not directly operating the guns, women played a vital role in supporting gunnery operations by providing accurate target information and assisting with ammunition handling.
• Other Roles:
  Beyond these specific roles, women also performed various other support duties within RA units, including administration, logistics, and maintenance, contributing to the overall efficiency of the units.
• Wartime Context:
  These roles were critical for the war effort, as they allowed the Royal Artillery to effectively defend against aerial attacks by the Luftwaffe, particularly during the Battle of Britain”
  
  There were also mixed male & female RA AA units. AI gives -
• 
  
• “During World War II, the British Royal Artillery formed "Mixed" regiments, integrating women from the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) with male soldiers. These units, designated as "Mixed" (M), were primarily responsible for anti-aircraft (AA) defense, including Heavy Anti-Aircraft (HAA) and Searchlight regiments.
  Key aspects of Mixed RA units:
  • ATS Involvement:
    The ATS provided a significant portion of the personnel for these units, handling roles like spotting, range-finding, plotting, and operating radar and communication systems.
  • AA Defense:
    Mixed units were crucial in defending Britain against aerial attacks, particularly during the Blitz and the V-1 flying bomb attacks.
  • Specialized Roles:
    While not directly firing the guns, women in the ATS played vital roles in the complex processes of targeting and engaging enemy aircraft.
  • Evolving Roles:
    As technology advanced, particularly with the automation of certain gun functions, the line between roles blurred, and ATS members took on more technical responsibilities.
  • Examples:
    The 132nd (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment is a notable example, defending London and later Brussels against V-1s. Other examples include the 155th and 183rd (Mixed) HAA Regiments.”
  
  Steve

 

Hi David,

We could look at this from a different angle i.e. could it be a sweet heart broach? Did her fiancé/husband serve in the Royal Artillery?

Just a thought.

Regards,

Bruneval

 

It's the correct location for the cap badge of the parent unit to which an A.T.S. servicewoman was attached and R.A. is very likely.

Lanyard looks to be standard A.T.S. colours.

 

There are too many threads here on the ATS / A.T.S. most relate to individuals. An online search with: "A.T.S." + "royal artillery" site:ww2talk.com id'd approx. 300 threads.

The most famous member of the ATS was the late Queen Elizabeth II, who was a driver. Some died ins ervice, e.g. AA batteries @ Antwerp.

It would help if you added your subject's full name, DoB and Service Number (assuming you have them). It can help the sleuths here do research and sometimes they have already appeared here.

 

I am still struggling to identify the badge on my late mother in law's uniform. However I have now focussed in a bit on it and whilst still not clear the outline is much clearer. Hopefully from this someone may have and idea

 

See our answers above.

 

To be honest, the only definitive answer will come from applying for her service records. If she applied for her medals (probably War Medal and Defence Medal unless she went overseas) then it may be available on line and you will see where she last served.

 

Hello David,

If you are willing to post your mother-in-law's name/maiden name and service number (if you know it) that would help.with the searching side and be a step on and may help corroborate the badge identification possibilities.

With those details TNA Kew Discovery can be checked to see if service records are held there (as per Rich's suggestion previous post).

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

 

Get a copy of military records of service