*COMPLETED* Identification details

[alanmack]

Hi,
    I need bit of help with this one from WW2 please. Whilst I get the Captain's three 'pips', I think can read the shoulder title (I won't say, see what you think). I've never come across another example of this one - any idea what background colour was used?. I am unsure which Army flash this is, and am completely stumped by the three bars below it. All comments welcome.

Alan

[barryd]

Looks like a Formation Badge. At the top of the link see the soldier on the left. My mind then goes to Durham or alternately any Cathedral City.

http://www.petergh.f2s.com/flashes.html

[alanmack]

Thank you Barry,
                        What I was really hoping was that someone would be able to tell me whether the Formation badge was 1st or 2nd Army - I can't tell from the black and white bookplate. The shoulder title was surely a clue but I haven't come across this one anywhere else. The three horizontal bars are a mystery to me too.

Alan

[millymcb]

Another page on that same website tells you about those horizontal bars the "arm of service" strips (I am presuming that is what they are but others may correct me)
http://www.petergh.f2s.com/armstrips.html

Did you decipher the shoulder title?  Could it say Queen's?

Milly

[alanmack]

Thank you for your reply Milly. Clearly the shoulder title is more of a problem than I realised. I believe it says 'COSSAC' which was a surprise. I wouldn't have thought that the organisation would have wanted itself advertised but the date of the photograph could be post-hostilities. I'll go and have another look for those bars.

Alan

[ainslie]

I would go along with Milly's reading of the regiment as 'Queens'.
A

[millymcb]

I was thinking something like this Queen's Shoulder title
http://cultmancollectables.com/products/queens-regiment-cloth-embroidered-shoulder-title

Milly

[alanmack]

Thank you Milly and Ainslie for your view as "Queen's" I'll accept this.

Thanks for the last link Milly. The dark red background (infantry) says much. The bars will be in red too (after looking at your previous link I thought they were likely to be Intelligence yellow.

The gentleman concerned was a Photographic Interpreter (First Phase and close to the front line), so there might well have been an element of 'cover' in the markings worn. to blend in with units he was associated with. More reading to do I think. I might make an update in due course.

Alan

[millymcb]

Interesting. Have you found a reference for that div patch with the cross on it yet?  That might help a bit.

Have you considered sending off for service records for this man?  You don't have to be next of kin to apply - it's just that you won't get full records if you are not.
More info here:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=651361.0

Milly