The British 9th Armoured Division.

[leigh kitchen]

The 9th Armoured Division was formed during WWII, raised in the UK in December 1940.

The division served as part of the Home Forces, & was disbanded in July 1944.

The adoption of the head of a giant panda as a divisional symbol is said to be representative of the division's non comabtive role, also as a pun on the German term "Panzer", but the divisional commander, Major General Burrows & other officers of the new division had been members of The 1st MMG Brigade of Eastern Command, the brigade had a pandas head badge derived from the "The Pandas" horse polo team to which a number of officers had belonged.

The embroidered felt version of the Division's badge:

Edited October 2, 2009 by leigh kitchen

[Hugh]

What a great idea! I have a book (somewhere) with little vignettes such as this, but it's terrific to get them spoon fed to us like this. Keep it up.

Looks as though you meant to include a picture of the badge, but I don't see it.

Hugh

[leigh kitchen]

Should be there, I can see it - it's a panda mate, probably hiding amongst the bamboo......

[Mervyn Mitton]

Interesting series, Leigh. But, leave the panda alone - they're protected...

[leigh kitchen]

Sounds like they need to be in America - "Pandaing" - is'nt that an unsavoury offence over there?

[Hugh]

Sounds like they need to be in America - "Pandaing" - is'nt that an unsavoury offence over there?

The panda has emerged in your first post.

Of course, "panda-ing" is an offense common to politicians everywhere.

H

[leigh kitchen]

Yes, but we don't use that term - we use "politics".