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National Insignia
Starting out as an adjunct of British forces in
South Africa, Canadian troops have worn distinguishing badges identifying their
nationality throughout the Century; even despite the issue of specifically
"Canadian" uniforms throughout the century.
National insignia was often used throughout the
latter half of the century to differentiate between troops actually serving on operations,
and troops stationed at home, from the selective use of the CANADA title at the start of
World War Two, to the continuing practice into the 21st Century of red and white flags
being worn exclusively by those whose duties involved serving operationally outside
Canada.
South Africa
Canadian troops in South Africa at the turn of
the 20th Century identified themselves with a maple leaf badge on their headdress.
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Contemporary
colour photo (scan courtesy of Ed Storey) of a Second World War officer undergoing Battle
Drill Training. The "worsted" Canada title, in buff thread on khaki drab
cloth, is clearly visible stitched underneath the shoulder seam. |
First World War
| Canadian troops of the CEF wore
several styles of metal shoulder title; the most common was a curved solid bar with CANADA
embossed on it; these badges were originally provided in "red metal" - an alloy
with a distinctly pinkish hue approximately the colour of a new Canadian penny.
Later issues were in brass and other metals. These titles were worn on both shoulder
straps of the Service Dress Jacket. |
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| Other examples of CANADA titles
were also worn; another common variant was the word CANADA curved downward, with a bar on
top and bottom. Certain units
wore corps titles, such as the Canadian Field Artillery (CFA) and did not thus wear CANADA
badges.
Many CEF infantry battalions had
unit-specific titles made, many of which incorporated the word CANADA. These are
illustrated elsewhere on this site.
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Second World War
The Second World War saw an
increase in the number of uniforms a soldier was likely to be issued with and expected to
wear. At the outbreak of war, unit specific metal shoulder titles were worn on
Service Dress by most corps and services. With the introduction of Battle Dress,
unit-specific insignia was officially not retained, though many units did wear their metal
unit titles. Worsted (slip on) regimental titles were eventually issued, some of
which had the word CANADA embroidered on them.
A special worsted CANADA badge
was also introduced. In September 1939, it was ordered that only troops of the First
Canadian Division were to wear them. They were to be sewn 1-1/2 inches from the
shoulder seam, and only members of the Canadian Active Service Force (CASF) were to wear
them. Troops returning from overseas were permitted to retain them, but no other
troops in Canada were permitted to have them on their uniforms. |
There were many
variations on these badges, especially once they began to be produced in England in
addition to Canadian sources. In general, they were produced on khaki cloth (and
later, printed on canvas) in buff or white thread, on either a rectangular, or upwards
curving background.
In January 1940, the badges were
ordered worn on greatcoats in addition to Battle Dress.
In late 1941, all personnel
enlisting for General Service were permitted to wear these CANADA badges, no matter where
they were serving, to distinguish them from conscripts. Service Dress and Khaki
Drill Jackets came to have these badges also, with versions in buff thread on khaki drill
cloth being produced. |
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In late 1942, authority to
wear the worsted "CANADA" badge was granted to all ranks of both the Active Army
and the Reserve Army in Canada and abroad.
Those units wearing embroidered regimental or corps titles whose name included
"CANADA" or "CANADIAN" in the title were not required to wear CANADA
badges in addition. |
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| A
selection of CANADA badges; clockwise from top right are a British-manufactured CANADA
title (note the white thread and the wide weave of the embroidery); Canadian produced
CANADA title in buff; printed canvas CANADA title; and two other samples of buff-on-khaki
CANADA titles showing variations in backing size/shape. |
At the start of the War, Officers wore the worsted "CANADA"
badge also, but were permitted to wear metal CANADA titles (or unit titles) on
greatcoats. In early 1940, metal shoulder titles were banned from greatcoats. |
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In late 1941, orders were promulgated
stating that on SD and KD Jackets, a brass "CANADA" title in 3/8 inch letters,
barred top and bottom and having an extreme width of 1 1/2 inches, was to be worn by
Officers instead of unit titles at the base of each shoulder strap. Officers of Rifle
Regiments were officially permitted to blacken these badges. Warrant Officers I
Class (who were generally bound by officer's dress regulations) wore worsted CANADA badges
on BD, SD and KD, as well as the greatcoat. |
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Embroidered CANADA badges were also introduced for wear on SD Jacket
shoulder straps, being gold wire embroidery on a drab background, with Rifle Regiment
officers permitted to wear a similar CANADA badge in silver embroidery on a black
background. Many variations of these badges existed, and were sometimes worn on the
sleeve instead (and in Guards regiments, this method of wear was regulation, due to the
large size of rank insignia they were on the shoulder strap).
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Some officers continued to wear unit or
corps insignia rather than the CANADA titles on Service Dress and Khaki Drill in defiance
of these orders. The 1st Battalion of the Canadian Scottish Regiment made a point
of retaining their prized Oak Leaf shoulder titles in lieu of the CANADA badge. |
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Canadian Forces Combat Dress
On the Canadian Forces Combat Uniform issued
from the 1960s, nationality was indicated in two manners; the first was a CANADA title,
either worn on slip ons on shoulder straps, or else sewn to the top of both sleeves.
Soldiers serving operationally wore a red and
white Canadian flag, usually on the left sleeve, though also commonly seen on brassards.
In the 1990s, a subdued version of the Canadian
flag was introduced for wear on the Combat Uniform. Under a blue flashlight beam,
the green flag appeared red and white.
These flags were worn on the left upper sleeve of combat
shirts, jackets and the parka. The CANADA title ceased to be worn on sleeves, but
continued to be worn on slip-ons in lieu of unit or branch titles, (for example, by troops
in training not yet assigned to a unit or branch.) |
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| Canadian Forces Uniform The CF Uniform introduced upon Unification lacked shoulder straps, and
national identification on the jacket was made by a narrow title on both sleeves in yellow
embroidery on a CF green wool background.
In shirt sleeve order, these wool titles were sewn to CF
green slip-ons; some slip-ons also had the CANADA embroidered directly onto them.
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Canadian Forces Work Dress
National identification on the work dress jacket, or lagoon green and linden green shirts
in summer dress, was done by means of the wool title described above, sewn to a slip on.
Some slips ons had the CANADA embroidered directly onto them, in subdued yellow.
A version of the slip on with embroidered rank insignia for non-commissioned
members was also issued.
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| Canadian Forces Distinctive Environmental
Uniform (DEU) On both the green and the
short-lived tan DEU Jacket, a yellow embroidered CANADA badge on a CF green wool backing
was worn on both sleeves, just below the shoulder seam. It does not appear that
metal CANADA titles were worn; either unit or branch titles were worn on the shoulder
straps. |
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Canadian Forces Garrison DressOn the
short-lived Garrison Dress, curved CANADA titles similar to those worn on the new DEU
uniform were worn on the GD Jacket. Many units and branches adopted distinctive
shoulder flashes, however, and did not wear this CANADA badge. The badge was in the
same subdued yellow thread as the rank and trade badges, with an embroidered border, and
was worn an inch down from the shoulder seam.
CANADA slip ons were also worn on the shoulder straps of the
Garrison Dress Jacket, or on the tan shirt when in short sleeve order. |
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CF and Garrison Dress CANADA titles.
Courtesy Kevin S. Winfield
(click to enlarge)
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