The British 7th Armoured Brigade.

[leigh kitchen]

The "Jungle Rat" of the Britsh 7th Armoured Brigade.

Serving as part of 7th Armoured Dvision - "The Desert Rats" - 7th Armoured Brigade was transferred from the MEF to Burma in 1942 & adopted a variation of the 7th Armd. Div badge in green - hence "Jungle Rat".

7th Armoured Bde later joined "PAIFORCE" & in 1944 was in Italy, where it fought on The Gothic Line & in the Po Valley.

This badge is embroidered on white felt.

There's writing on the reverse, but I can't really make it out:

[Dave Alexander]

By squinting my eyes top right of reverse looks like the number 5723119 or 5123119, below that the number is repeated with the initials D H or D M between them. On the left side definitely the name MARKLEW and at the bottom beneath the rat (no pun)the word ARMY. There is some undefined scribble along the rat's back. Hope this helps.

[leigh kitchen]

Thanks, I could'nt make out the second & third numbers, & MARKLEW seemed a strange name or word - I think you've got it with 5123119 & with DH..

5125119 falls withn the block for The Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 5725119 within that for The Dorsetshire Regiment.

Any ideas on the word above MARKLEW?

[peter monahan]

Any ideas on the word above MARKLEW?

Only that the first letter looks as if it might be a capital 'J' or 'I'. 'John'? 'James'? Too long for 'Ian'

Peter

[Dave Alexander]

The family name of Marklew is quite common in the West Midlands with parish entries in the Birmingham/Litchfield area dating to the 16th century. I'm not familiar with the present naming of counties having left the UK so long ago but I seem to remember that B'ham was in Warwickshire was it not?

[Stuart Bates]

The 2nd Battalion of the Dorsets were deployed in India/Burma in 1942 and fought at the Battle of Kohima in 1944 as part of the 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.

I couldn't find any mention of the Warwicks so I guess the number is 5725119.

Stuart

[leigh kitchen]

Thanks, that could be it......

[Kohima]

 

one of the Royal Warwickshire regiment TA battalions was converted to 122 Light Anti- Aircraft Regiment Royal Artillery in 36 British Division. 2 Batteries were then swopped with 100 (8th Gordon HIghlanders) Anti Tank Regiment RA who were with 2nd British Division, who lifted the siege of Kohima and opened the road to Imphal 4th April - 22nd June 1944.