Postwar Formation Insignia

1950s

At the start of the 1950s, two Canadian brigade groups were created for service overseas.  The 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade served in Korea as part of the Commonwealth Division.  The 27th Canadian Infantry Brigade served with NATO forces in West Germany.

25th Brigade - Korea

The 25th Brigade wore a red shield, with yellow maple leaf surrounded by a white laurel wreath (similar to that found in the United Nations flag).  Issued in embroidery on a melton background, private purchase versions were commonly found as well, purchased in Japan and made of higher quality materials such as metal wire instead of thread.  These uniforms were usually worn on battledress by troops coming home to Canada from Asia.

This brigade patch was seen worn on both sleeves, and sometimes worn alone on the right sleeve.  After joining the Commonwealth Division, Canadian troops in Korea wore the formation patch of that division on the left sleeve, retaining the Canadian brigade patch on the left.

Although not a Canadian formation patch, two types of Commonwealth patches were worn by Canadians serving in the Far East.  Those in the 25th Brigade wore the Commonwealth Division shield, usually on the left arm. The Commonwealth Division shield, during the war, bore a King's Crown, but occupation troops serving in Korea after the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II wore Queen's Crowns.  The "official" backing colour to the shield was UN Blue, but like French Grey, the exact shade used in practice varied from badge to badge.

A variety of patches from the collection of Bill Alexander.  At lower left is a printed badge with a King's Crown, at lower middle is a silk badge printed with the Queen's Crown.

Troops not serving directly in the Commonwealth Division instead wore the square Commonwealth Forces patch.  The examples below are from the collection of Bill Alexander; badges at left have a Queen's Crown, in middle and at right a King's Crown.

NATO Taskings

After the Korean war, and the disbandment of the 25th Brigade, the red shield continued to be used by Canadian soldiers as national identification while on various UN duties around the world up into the 1970s.  Later versions are done from modern materials and have an embroidered edge to them.   Examples at right from the collection of Bill Alexander.

27th Brigade

The 27th Brigade was made up of three battalions, each drawing its companies from several reserve regiments across Canada.   Brigade headquarters and support troops  wore a plain grey patch, while the three battalions were drawn from either line infantry, Rifle or Highland regiments in Canada, and were a symbol designating these affiliations: a bayonet (line infantry), bugle horn (Rifles) or Scottish thistle (Highland). These patches were worn on the right sleeve of battledress, bush dress and service dress.  The photo below, however, shows the badge worn on the left sleeve of at least one officer.

The Duke of Edinburgh is welcomed at the entrance of the Men's Canteen by Lt. Col. G.M.C. Sprung, MC,
Officer Commanding of the 1st Canadian Infantry Battalion.
Photo courtesy Ed Storey

First Canadian Division

1960s-80s

Force Mobile Command

Command Badges were also introduced, as the armed forces were reorganized into Commands.  The Army became known as Force Mobile Command and wore a maple leaf with four arrows protruding from it; at first, this badge was worn on both sleeves of the battledress, and was later redesigned as a metal badge worn on the right breast pocket of the CF Jacket and later DEU Jackets.

Canadian Mechanized Brigade Groups

The reorganization of the Canadian Army into the Canadian Forces, and the redesignation of various Canadian Mechanized Brigade Groups, brought with it new insignia.  These patches were worn on the new CF Green uniform (and later, on the DEU jackets).   Subdued versions of these insignia were also introduced for the short-lived Garrison Dress Jacket.

1 CMBG Based in Calgary		Examples from Bill Alexander Click to enlarge
2 CMBG		Examples from Bill Alexander Click to enlarge
4 CMBG Based in West Germany.  This badge has the NATO four pointed star superimposed over the Canadian maple leaf.		Examples from Bill Alexander Click to enlarge
5 CMBG Made up of French-speaking units.		Examples from Bill Alexander Click to enlarge

Special Service Force

In 1977, the Canadian Airborne Regiment joined part of a new organization called the Special Service Force (SSF), a brigade-sized formation created to provide a small, highly mobile, general-purpose force that could be inserted quickly into any national or international theatre of operations. The role of the Special Service Force (SSF) had not changed significantly by 1992-3, when, according to DND, its role was "to provide general-purpose, combat-ready land forces in accordance with assigned tasks."

The brigade's insignia was a winged dagger, similar to that worn by the British Special Air Service.  Patches were made for the CF uniform (including bullion versions) and in subdued colours for the Garrison Jacket and Jump Smock, as well as in combat green.  A browner version of the combat patch of seemingly American construction has been spotted by Bill Alexander, but the provenance is questionable. 

Artifacts and images courtesy Bill Alexander

Ace Mobile Force

The ACE Mobile Force was created in 1960 as a small multinational force which could be sent at short notice to any threatened part of Allied Command Europe. Its role was to demonstrate the solidarity of NATO its ability and determination to resist all forms of aggression against any of its members.   Exercises designed to train and test the force were held each year in Northern and Southern Europe. The AMF was deployed for the first time in a crisis role in January 1991, when its air component was sent to south-east Turkey during the Gulf War, as a visible demonstration of NATO's collective solidarity in the face of a potential threat to Allied territory. The land component of the force, consisting of a brigade sized formation of about 5,000 men, was composed of units assigned to it by eight NATO nations.

Above and below - these badges from the collection of Bill Alexander show the two sizes (large and small) and types (dress and subdued) of AMF badges.  These are American manufactured; it is not believed a Canadian version was ever produced.

1990s

In the 1990s, the reserve forces in Canada were reorganized from being grouped into Militia Areas into Brigades, and consequently, brigade patches were issued for wear on the DEU.  These brigades became active in 1997.

Land Force Central Area	31 Canadian Brigade Group (London)	32 Canadian Brigade Group (Toronto)	33 Canadian Brigade Group (Ottawa)
Land Force Western Area
	38 Canadian Brigade Group (Saskatchewan-Manitoba)	39 Canadian Brigade Group (British Columbia)	41 Canadian Brigade Group (Alberta)

The FMC badge was also finally replaced, as the land component of the armed forces was once again christened the Army.  A white shield with a red maple leaf and crossed swords, reminiscent of early Army insignia, was adopted as a metal pocket badge.

Various United Nations and NATO Taskings

Over the last half of the 20th Century, Canadian soldiers participated in almost every major United Nations peacekeeping mission; while each tasking had its own insignia, the most common badge was the UN blue circle with the UN insignia (a white globe).  While not formation patches in the usual sense, a sampling (from the collection of Bill Alexander) is given here, showing the variety - and also the degree of continuity - of badges, from UNEF in the mid 1950s to the end of the 20th Century and UNPROFOR.

	CLICK TO ENLARGE

Individual missions with both the UN and NATO have resulted in the creation of a wide array of badges - both official and semi-official.

Multinational Force and Observers MFO Photo MFO Force Commander Major General Robert G Meating at left, wearing the MFO formation patch, presenting a New Zealand Private the Multinational Force Silver Driving Award. A white badge (symbolizing peace) with the orange suggesting the bright coloured jump suits that civilian observers in the MFO wore.  These civilian observers operated as part of the US Sinai Field Mission in 1976, tasked with monitoring two major passages through the Sinai Peninsula between Egypt and Israel.   In 1982, the multi-national MFO incorporated this Sinai Field Mission.  The UN had refused to provide a peacekeeping mission to the area as officially the two nations were at peace.  Canadian troops have served on the MFO since inception, mostly from logistics trades; between 1986 and 1988 Canada provided a four-ship helicopter squadron of UH-1s to the mission. The mission's four goals are: Operation of checkpoints, reconnaissance patrols and observation posts along the international boundary. Periodic verification of the implementation of the provisions of the Annex to the Treaty of Peace, to be carried out not less than twice a month unless otherwise agreed to by the parties. Additional verifications within 48 hours after receipt of a request from either party. Ensuring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Tiran. Examples from Bill Alexander - at top Canadian pattern, below international manufacture

Cambodian Mine Action Center UNTAC Can contingent	IFOR
Examples from Bill Alexander

Land Force Command

Force Mobile Command was redesignated Land Force Command in the 1990s, and the distinctive FMC badge as worn on the right breast pocket of the DEU jacket was replaced with the LFC badge as shown below, in enameled metal with three pushpins on the back.  It was worn in the same position as the FMC badge.

Steve Forth Collection