Unidentified Divisional sholuder flashes

[Deelibob]

The attached uncut pair of Divisional shoulder titles were given to me many years ago by a WW2 Veteran who had served in the Recon Corps and 11th Hussars. Can anyone identify the Division they represent.

Thanks

Peter

[Mervyn Mitton]

Are any members able to help Peter on these signs ? I would have thought perhaps something to do with the Desert Rats ?

[Hugh]

Howard Cole's book Formation Badges of World War II (p. 123) shows this as the 4th Armoured Brigade. " A jerboa (desert rat) in black on a white square background. The Brigade served in the Middle East with the Eighth Army and in North-West Europe as part of 21st Army Group."

[Deelibob]

Thanks Hugh and Mervyn.

Peter

[jf42]

This badge was subsequently adopted by the 4th Armoured Brigade in BAOR and worn during Desert Storm in 1991

The Brigade currently operates as a Mechanized formation and apparently, in accordance with the fashion for rather heavy-handed branding and to keep the media happy, someone has come up with the rather unappealing monicker 'The Black Rats.' Well, 'Desert Rats' was taken.

Edited September 18, 2013 by jf42

[peter monahan]

Undoubtedly at some point, one of the NCB response units, having read up on what's likely to survive a nuclear holocaust, and with an eye to a catchy new headline, will be christened "The Crimson Cockroaches".