Interesting FSSF patch placement

I got the chance to check out this BD today - closet fresh.  I was intrigued by the FSSF patch placement.  I guess there wasn't much room with the 1st Div patch so the fellow improvised?

That doesn't make any sense.... either the soldier served with the LER or the FSSF, not both at the same time. Too bad because I would really be interested in a good badged LER blouse.

It was my understanding that post FSSF disbandment some CDN soldiers continued to wear their FSSF SSI as a source of pride. (I believe there may even be a thread on this site discussing it). The BD pictured above belonged to a member of the FSSF that after disbandment was placed with the Eddies.

I have a FSSF BD from a fellow who after the FSSF disbandment was placed with 5CITR in England to round out the war. While he wasn't still serving with FSSF his SSI is proudly placed on the shoulder.

southsaskscotty wrote:It was my understanding that post FSSF disbandment some CDN soldiers continued to wear their FSSF SSI as a source of pride. (I believe there may even be a thread on this site discussing it).  The BD pictured above belonged to a member of the FSSF that after disbandment was placed with the Eddies.

I have a FSSF BD from a fellow who after the FSSF disbandment was placed with 5CITR in England to round out the war.  While he wasn't still serving with FSSF his SSI is proudly placed on the shoulder.

Ken Joyce offered me some insight on this matter a few years back when I was researching my wife's grandfather's service history.  He pointed out to me that wearing the crimson spearhead as such would have been strictly against regulations.  However, post-hostilities enforcement of these regulations was much more lax.  Many soldiers - proud of their service with the FSSF - badged up their "coming home" BD's in similar ways.

Here is a photo of my wife's grandfather's BD:

Well there you go, another unofficial practice that I wasn't familiar with. Thanks for sharing guys.

Southsaskscotty, were you looking to purchase that BD blouse or simply basking in it's glow?

I was just allowed a few minutes to bask in its glow! It is a friends great uncles BD recently uncovered in an attic. Gives me some hope that there are still undiscovered gems out there!

Too bad but thanks for sharing it with us. Now that I understand the reason behind the superfluous SSI, I like it even more. Is the SSI on both sleeves?

By the way, do you have the name of your friend's great uncle? I volunteer at the LER museum and I can see what information they have on his service. Someone who was a former FSSF member would be interesting to research.

The wearing of the SSF patch was actually authorized for personnel in the reinforcement unit.
The Canadian FSSF personel were split into two categories when it was disbanded. The para qualified personnel were sent to the UK where they were assigned to the Canadian Parachute Corps depot as reinforcements for 1 Can Para Bn. There they were to conform to the dress practices of NW Europe, and the Parachute Battalion. There were some strict dress regs for that unit, and I have not seen personnel assigned to 1 Can Para wearing the FSSF patches. There were also a significant number of Canadian FSSF personnel who were not para qualified and they were put in the reinforcement unit in Italy. The dress regs were somewhat less stringent for the D-Day dodgers, and some dress practices, like wearing the 8th Army formation patch and the FSSF patch were more common. Note the two examples illustrated here are both Italian theatre units.

Here is the one in my collection

southsaskscotty wrote:Here is the one in my collection

Is it possible that your BD might have been worn by a former FSSF soldier while still in one of the reinforcement units (as Bill describes), as it has no distinguishing patches  to any other units?

I am assuming that once these soldiers were assigned to specific units (such as the Perths) they would no longer have been authorized to wear the crimson spearhead, though many did add it to their coming home BD.

The only pictures we have of my wife's grandfather wearing his Perth Regt. BD with the FSSF patch are both post-hostilities - one at his wedding in Delfzjil in early 1946 and the other upon his return to Canada later that year.

My guy was with 5CITR in England to round out the war. He was para qualified so this makes sense with Bill's comments regarding the para qualified posted to reinforcement units in England. very much a 'coming home' tunic as it is dressed up with his CVSM and 39-45 ribbon bar