British 1st Army Badge

[52nd Airborne]

My fellow posters,

Does anyone know what the British 1st Army Badge looks like?

Over to you!!

[Gerry Chester]

Hi,

I cannot give you a full coloured picture - my records are still locked up in a 20x8 shipping container - but can give you a verbal description, helped by this photograph of Tiger 131:
http://www.nih.ww2site.com/nih/vehic...iger-131-3.jpg

The cross is red on a white shield - the dagger's blade is white, its handle metallic.

[52nd Airborne]

I had been told it was a St Georges Cross and a St Georges Cross with a sword. I wasn't sure which was correct!

Thanks for confirming Gerry!

[sapper]

Just goes to show.....I have an excellent memory, but I was pretty sure it was blue cross on a white background... I must be wrong!

1st Corps was a White arrow or lance head on a red diamond back ground.

8th Corps was a charging white knight on a white horse, jouster! on a red rectagular background.

30 Corps was a black leapng wild boar in a white circle, on a square black background.

12th Corps was three green trees, on a greensward in an eliptical white cartouche on a black rectangular back ground.

Sapper

[Gerry Chester]

Sapper, your memory is better than mine - you are correct it is a blue cross! There is no excuse, I looked at that darn Tiger when it was on display in Tunis.

[sapper]

You surprise me Gerry! After 62 years to be quite honest you may well have been right......I certainly would not swear to it mate!.

What is pleasant about that, is approaching 82 I can still recall with remakable clarity what I was doing at the age of 19.

Although back some years ago now, I had a bit of a struggle with "The grim Reaper" I beat the old devil then.....But what is so odd, is that there are small areas of memory that are completely wiped clean.....Just as though it had been deleted on a computer....try as I may, I cannot get certain patches back, and that is sad....... But considering the extent of the war injuries I sustained.....I wonder how I managed to get this far...

Having said that, my attitude now is "Keep it going Sapper" Though the war injuries are becoming very difficult to deal with now.
Sapper

[Owen]

Is this First Army?
From Welcome To Replicaters.com

[sapper]

Looks like it to me Owen.Though I must say I would not have argued with Gerry. to be fair it is a hell of a long time ago.
Cheers
sapper.

[Gerry Chester]

Originally Posted by Owen D

Is this First Army?

Yes Owen, it is the shoulder badge. The blue is darker than I remember but after sixty years plus!! Anyway, as soon as I can get into the shipping container I will dig out 1st Army's Service of Thanksgiving which has the insignia in colour of all the major units - also I will check when I gain access to NIH's records in Belfast next month.

Cheers, Gerry

[52nd Airborne]

Thanks Owen!

I now know what to look out for!