COLLAR BADGES OF THE CANADIAN ARMY
1921-1952

At the outbreak of war, the standard Service Dress, in general issue since the first decade of the 20th Century, was still the standard uniform of the Canadian Militia (soon to be renamed Canadian Army).  In addition to the cap badge, collar badges also identified the wearer's regiment or corps.  Like many uniform distinctions, most regiments or corps also had separate patterns to distinguish Officers from Other Ranks.

Some collar badges were issued in identical pairs, others in lefts and rights. 

A wide variety of designs are encountered, from simple miniatures of the unit cap badge (or in some cases, the cap badge worn by CEF predecessors), to elaborate designs of their own, displaying some symbol or motto of significance to the history of that unit (or affiliated unit in the British Army, in some cases.)

NOTE ON BADGES:  SOME IMAGES MAY REPRESENT POSTWAR VERSIONS; ALL WARTIME VERSIONS MAY NOT BE SHOWN.  ANYONE WITH ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THESE BADGES PLEASE CONTACT THE WEBMASTER.

This article is intended as a quick overall guide to the collar badge designs of the Canadian Army from 1920 - 1952 (or in other words, the period of the 20th Century after the 1920 reorganization when Tudor Crown badges were worn. Detailed information on uniform insignia, variant badges, finishes, etc. is provided in the articles for individual units/corps.

These listings are alphabetical rather than in Order of Precedence.

While the timeframe described here corresponds to that prior to the ascension of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1952 and the introduction of the St. Edward's Crown into Canadian badges and heraldry, many units did not change over immediately, and some units were still using older pattern badges years later. Some individuals, most notably in infantry and armoured regiments whose badges were not affected by Unification, retained Tudor Crown badges decades after the official switchover - where and when they could get away with same.

General Service

Corps

Cavalry/Armoured Regiments

Infantry Regiments

Other

Notes

Badge/Photo credits:

• BE="Bill Ellis"
• DH="Dwayne Hordij"

Thanks to Marway Militaria for providing some of the images on this page.

Regiment (listed alphabetically)	Badges
The British Columbia Dragoons	Left and Right collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis
8th Princess Louise's New Brunswick Hussars	Left and Right collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis
15th Alberta Light Horse	Left and Right collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis
1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment
First Hussars	Left and Right collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis
The Fort Garry Horse	Left and Right collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis Left and Right (Officers) collar badges.  Courtesy Dwaye Hordij
14th Canadian Hussars (This regiment mobilized the VIII Reconaissance Regiment)	Left and Right collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis
14th Canadian Light Horse	Left and Right Other Ranks' collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis Left and Right Officers' collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis
4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards	Left and Right collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis
The Governor General's Horse Guards	Left and Right collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis
Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)	Left and Right (Other Ranks) collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis Left and Right (Officers) collar badges.  Courtesy Dwaye Hordij
Manitoba Mounted Rifles	Left and Right collar badges for First Battalion.  Courtesy Bill Ellis Left and Right collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis
19th Alberta Dragoons	Left and Right collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis
The Prince Edward Island Light Horse	Left and Right collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis
The Royal Canadian Dragoons	Left and Right collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis
2nd Armoured Car Regiment	Left and Right collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis
2nd/10th Dragoons	Left and Right collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis
17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars	Left and Right collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis
7th/11th Hussars	Left and Right collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis
16th/22nd Saskatchewan Horse	Left and Right collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis
6th Duke of Connaught's Royal Canadian Hussars (Armoured Car)	Left and Right collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis
12th Manitoba Dragoons	Left and Right collar badges.  Courtesy Bill Ellis

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