Description
Physical description
Horizontally oriented red diamond with a dark blue central full width stripe stitched on, on which embroidered a red zig-zag.
History note
The badge is the sign of 1st Canadian Army with the zig-zag Artillery motif superimposed. This design is similar to that used by 1st and 2nd Canadian Corps Artillery (see INS 104 & 279).
The same sign was used by both 1st and 2nd Canadian AGRA. The possibility of confusion appears not to have been an issue and would have been mitigated by the departure of 1st CAGRA to the Mediterranean in November 1943 until their return to North West Europe in March 1945.
This badge was adopted either in September 1942 or May 1943 and remained in wear until the end of the war. It was not affected by the move to eliminate corps and service distinctions from formation patches.
Being of woollen cloth, this particular badge could date from before the end of 1942. Formation patches and unit shoulder titles were produced in three materials, woollen cloth, felt and printed cotton. Of these, felt was probably the least common. Both Canadian and British firms produced the woollen versions but, particularly in Britain, there were problems with supply and with the colour-fastness of the dyes. From November 1942 a printed cotton material with a strong backing became available in the UK, often now referred to as 'canvas'. After initial production problems with skewed shapes and letters, most patches and titles produced in the UK were in this material. It was supposed not to fray, run or fade but complaints about quality began to emerge around October 1944. A request to return to wool does not appear to have been possible before the end of the war.
History note
Associated units: 11th Canadian Army Field Regiment & 19th Canadian Army Field Regiment & 1st Medium Regiment RCA & 2nd Medium Regiment RCA & 3rd Medium Regiment RCA & 4th Medium Regiment RCA & 5th Medium Regiment RCA & 7th Medium Regiment RCA & 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Mobile) RCA.