Pre-1914

Unit insignia before the First World War was primarily restricted to cap badges, collar badges and devices found on such accoutrements as shoulder belts (as worn in Rifle regiments, for example).  Permanent Force corps and units wore metal shoulder titles on their uniform, following British practice.   These metal titles consisted of an abbreviated form of the parent regiment or corps name, and were worn on the end of each shoulder strap.   Few of the infantry and cavalry regiments of the Militia appear to have had metal shoulder titles, however.

Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914-1918

Units of the Canadian Expeditionary Force also adopted metal shoulder titles, though most infantry battalions of the CEF wore a generic CANADA badge.  Some of the reinforcement units of the CEF did adopt numbered shoulder titles in metal, and the numbered collar badges worn by the CEF were originally intended for wear on the shoulder strap.  Cloth shoulder titles for some units were proposed, but usually rejected for use by Canadian officials (see the book DISTINGUISHING PATCHES by Clive Law for more information on First World War badges).  Infantry units of the CEF came to be identified also by variations on their Formation Patches (or Battle Patches), but these are properly a different subject worthy of discussion elsewhere.

The British allowed for one exception to the general rule that cloth unit titles were not to be worn; Guards regiments were permitted to wear a scarlet crescent with the name of the unit embroidered in white.  One Canadian unit - Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry - was also permitted to wear this form of unit identification.  PPCLI served with the British in France, before joining the 3rd Canadian Division later in the war.

By 1918, the use of cloth unit titles was limited to a handful of units, and in the interwar period, their use was limited to but four units of the Canadian Army.  The metal shoulder title continued to be the sole method of unit identification worn on the Service Dress Jacket and other forms of clothing.

Between the Wars

After the First World War, metal titles were taken into general use in the Canadian Militia in 1927/28 after a poll of the officers taken in 1926. Three such badges were actually instituted as a commemorative device (see the page on "Special Distinctions") and paid homage to the first Canadian attack of the Great War, at Kitcheners' Wood in April 1915.  A shoulder badge in the form of a brass oak leaf was granted to three infantry units of the Militia who perpetuated the 10th and 16th Battalions of the CEF.

Second World War

Chris Brooker passes on the following information: 

On the outbreak of WWII Ordnance was told they could issue any collars and metal titles they had in stores but could not place orders for any additional titles. Photos of metal titles worn on the Battledress are scarce (and look really odd), in October 1941 metal titles were ordered withdrawn for the duration of the war. However from September 1942 until December 1942 this order was rescinded for officers service dress (presumably in Canada only) and a number of collars and titles were produced. (These are generally of specific pattern) After 1941 ONLY cloth insignia was worn on the Battledress, possibly with the exception (there is ALWAYS an exception) of the Guards regiments the officers of which wore bronze rank pips of regimental pattern).

The end result was that there was no one standard for badges; the "canvas" badges (as they are referred to today by collectors) faded quickly (see below) and were not terribly well liked.  Badges from Canada featured smaller, neater embroidery compared to the broad "Aldershot" weave of British badges.  British-made badges tended to show a great variety of quality and colour, also.  There seems to have been little effort made to standardize which badges could be worn and which could not.

The question of "when" the Canadians started issuing their own distinctive cloth badges for Battle Dress is an interesting one.  One 1942 Canadian Army Routine Order  lists the slip-ons, and a few "patches, Shoulder" for ten units appearing to be 3rd Division units, except the GGFG who had permission to wear such a title from 1939 on.  Official orders, however often came about after badges were already being worn for a long time, or vice versa an example would be paperwork in the possession of Bill Alexander, detailing the acceptance of canvas titles for the Perth Regiment, dated April 1944.  The badges were not actually worn until March 1945 at the earliest.

To add to the confusion, the Canadian Army had two administrative divisions - the army at home, and the Canadian Army (Overseas), and both had different regulations regarding insignia.  While the "worsted" or slip-on titles were officially supposed to be worn by 2nd (reserve) battalions in Canada, they too eventually went over to Unit Titles.  Clive Law (Service Publications) has found this relevant item in the National Archives:  When Military District 3 in Canada asked units in their districts for proposals for Unit Titles the CO of the 2nd Bn Midland Regiment replied:

1.      Permission is requested for the 2nd (R) Bn Midland Regt to wear the popular name of the Unit as a shoulder Flash as described in the attached sketch.
2.      The Unit esprit de corps is good and the Unit has a good reputation so that it would be a privilege to wear the Flash.
3.      As there is no privilege without a corresponding obligation, it would be incumbent upon each member of the Unit to conduct himself in a manner which will enhance the reputation of the Unit.
4.      Re. the informality of the wording of the Flash, it is requested that the Unit be permitted to express this measure of originality.

Bill Alexander adds the following:

There are several types of construction used in cloth flashes. Titles with backing materials are both Canadian made and British made. However there are titles made on felt with no backing, and which appears to have a glue substance or residue on them. In collecting circles these are sometimes know as glue-backs (very inventive). They are also a British manufacture only. These were made for all the Canadian units which drew on the British supply system in WWII. Thus you will not find the glue-backs for units which only served in Canada.

Canvas is the same. Canvas was an economy measure title only made in UK for troops in the supply line there. Thus you will find a canvas Vet's Guard because they sent a company for protective duties over-seas. As well, the 13 Brigade units made it to Britain and had patches made before they were disbanded and used as re-enforcements. These are also somewhat scarce compared to other units. Brooker goes to some length to suggest that there are early manufacture and late manufacture. There are certainly different types of canvas titles but I don't know how to clearly identify which was made when. I have seen canvas with a buff backing material and the more common black linen type material.

The ordnance issue of printed patches and flashes was consistent with British Army practice. The first issue was made in 1943, and the final issue was made in 1945. There were no Canadian system issues of the printed flash in the post war era.

The patches and flashes which were produced were only for those Canadian units and formations that were posted to the United Kingdom at some point. For example, all CASF units that were posted to the UK had a canvas flash produced. This included the Veterans Guard and components of the 13 Inf Bde that had been in Kiska and were then transferred to Britain. (The Veterans Guard were sent to release trained soldiers from certain duties, which made the younger soldiers available for active service.)

Units which did not have a canvas title include:

Among units to serve extensively in Europe, the following did not have printed flashes:  Canadian Intelligence Corps, 1st Canadian Armoured Carrier Regt, and Canadian Army Women's Corps, The Dufferin and Haldimand Rifles, Edmonton Fusiliers, Essex Regt (Tank), 15th Alberta Light Horse, 1st Special Service Force, 14th Canadian Light Horse/Hussars (served as VIII Recce Regt, which did have a canvas flash).

Should one find any of the above in canvas they should be treated with great suspicion. Several years ago bogus canvas flashes and formation patches appeared on the market. These included some of the French Canadian regiments and others such as 56 Recce. (The latter was a Canadian contingent sent to the mid-east in 1956 to act as peacekeepers.) There were also bogus formation patches made up.

There are at least two exceptions to the rule. One is the Kiska force patch, found in a form of printed title. It is quite different in material and production than the UK printed material. The other exception is the Canadian Technical Training Corps, which has authentic printed titles.

As to production, the Canadian printed flashes and patches were silk screened on a cotton material. Different weights of cotton, both facing and backing are found. The first issue, generally speaking, tends to be of a heavier construction than the latter issue. Backing is usually black in colour but is also found in khaki. I don't know much about ink or types of ink used. Printed flashes were not durable and quickly deteriorated in the elements. Sun and water bleached them out. Most soldiers preferred the melton title for best battledress.

Webmaster's note: Another interesting variant pointed out by Bill Alexander and Ed Storey was the "BeVo" style flash locally made in Belgium or Holland for the 1st Canadian Armoured Carrier Regiment.  BeVo is a term used by collectors to refer to a style of silk embroidery common in German badges.  The name itself comes from the BeVo-Wuppertal firm (though they were not the only firm to produce this type of embroidery during the Second World War, the name has stuck among collectors.)  Be stands for Beteilingung, or "partnership" in English, Vo is short for Vorsteher.  The firm BeVo-Wuppertal came into being when the firms of Lucas Vorsteher and Ewelda Vorsteher amalgamated; both came from the Wuppertal-Bermen area.

Artifacts and photo courtesy Ed Storey

Bill Alexander on print runs:

I don't know of specifics on the numbers produced, but I do know that the RCOC were aware of war establishments and numbers of personnel in various corps and regiments. There was a scale of issue per man and this would be multiplied by some number based upon war establishments, plus an anticipated attrition rate, to arrive at the number produced. It is obvious that small units like Film and Photo Unit or Canadian Chaplain Service didn't have the same needs and thus, smaller runs. The apparent scarcity of other regimental titles like Le Regiment de Hull, may be explained by the fact that they may have only had one run of titles. The Kiska units apparently arrived in the UK well after the first printed titles were issued, and then were broken up for reinforcements. They probably had far fewer made than other units, perhaps only one batch.

Another issue is the silk screen process. Screening produces the crisp printed titles, but the screens wore out. Some variations in titles may be explained by the need for new screens. Changes in official designations would also require the change in screens and a new run. The 49th /Edmonton Regt vs 49th/ The Loyal Edmonton Regt , the different Royal Montreal Regt MG and no MG and Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa MG and no MG are good examples.

Finally in reference to ink, a collector can find significant variations in shades of yellows (in particular) and other colours that appear to be original printings, but different batches. Other differences in tone may be fading. Printed titles, exposed to light, change very quickly. Sometimes these are presented as "run variations", but are not.

Notes

Information on this page supplied in large part by Bill Alexander, Chris Brooker, Dwayne Hordij, and Clive Law (Service Publications).