1st Canadian Infantry Division - Korean War

[Infanteer]

You mean these little boogers...forgot all about them. Guess you can tell where my military career started.

Yes, that's what I was thinking of. When those were worn the shoulder titles were omitted.

[DJT]

Ricardo,

I have an original 1950s Royal Canadian Artillery title as shown above. You can have it for free if you need it for this uniform? Just send me a PM.

[Mooyman]

Hi Des,

PM sent!! Thank you Mate!!!

Great Christmas spirit!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FOR ALL!!!!

Best regards from Brazil,

Ricardo.

[Greeves]

Hi Geoff,

This patche above is not of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry?



I am starting to study the military history of Canada... each day I have a new learning. Thanks!

Best regards,

Ricardo.

Hi Ricardo, no it is the patch of the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade - which was formed for the Korean war. So, all Canadian soldiers attached to this brigade would have worn the patch (including the RCA and RCHA) - nice photo by the way!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to put down your tunic, it's just not as worn DURING the Korean War, but certainly afterwards it could have been!

One more note for you (as you are trying to learn about Canada's military history which I think is great!) - it was not the 1st Canadian Infantry Division - Canada did not (and does not) have Infantry divisions - just brigades. The proper title is simply the 1st Canadian Division (which would be comprised of several infantry brigades).

If that ribbon bar isn't sewn on, you should just flip it the other way around and then the tunic will be even better!

Cheers,
Geoff

[Mooyman]

Thank you so much Geoff!!!!!

Great tips and information!!!

All in this British and Commonwealth Militaria Forum are excellent Friends!!!

Cheers,

Ricardo.

[force136]

Korean War BD

Hi Guys

If you took the Korea/UN Ribbons off then you basically have a WW 2 1st Division tunic. However the tunic looks like its from the 50's. I have mentioned this on this forum before however there was a huge Tattoo in Toronto at some point after the war - I think sometime in the 1960's - and 1950's BD were used to reinact units of the Canadian Army that fought in WW 2. The War Museum in Ottawa has or had a large number of these tunics. This is obviously not a Korean War tunic. As stated by the others, it should have the badge as worn in the photo provided and the Commonwealth badge on the other sleeve which has Commonwealth over a crown on a grey shiled background. Not all BD I have seen have the Commonwealth patch but they do have the other. While the red rectangular patch was worn by units after the Korean War, I do not think it should have the CANADA title. It's my opinion that this was a tunic made up to represent 1st Cdn Div in WW2 and someone stuck a 1950's set of ribbons on it backwards.

BTW - The inverted stripe on the sleeve is not a long service stripe. This is in orders as a Good Conduct Stripe and it was only permitted to be worn for a specified period where the wearer had to remove it if they did not achieve this status after the specified period of wear.

Sorry about the news, I am almost 100% certain that is what is going on here.

Ken

Thank you so much Geoff!!!!!

Great tips and information!!!

All in this British and Commonwealth Militaria Forum are excellent Friends!!!

Cheers,

Ricardo.

[byterock]

I would have to agree with force136. This is what it looks like.


The Tatoo was in 1967 for the centenial and it travled across the country (and the US I think) but stayed the longest at was the biggest at the CNE.

Original uniforms of WWII were used (lots of stock around back then) and WWII uniforms were tailored up a bit to look like WWI and yest the CWM does have a stock of these costumes.

cheers

[Infanteer]

I had to do a bit of research because I am not overly familiar with how uniforms were badged in the 50's. Looks like the Canada titles were not used post WW2 and so it is likely that this tunic is in fact made up. Sorry.

[Mooyman]

Hi Folks,

Some news informations:

1. The BD is dated: 1951
2. The ribbon bar is pin back.
3. Inside have some numbers written by hand:

Left side

"391578" + "Mom"
"385658" + "?"

Right side

"SD-193799" + "PJM" + "2" (number "2" inside of one circulate)

Please, we can track these numbers?

Thanks for All Friends!!!

Merry Christmas!!!!

Best regards,

Ricardo.

[Mooyman]

Images:

[Mooyman]

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[Mooyman]

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[Greeves]

Hi Ricardo: the SD-193799 was the soldier's service number and the PJM are probably his initials. The "S" indicates that he was a member of the Regular Force (that is, not a reservist, nor a "special force" volunteer - the "special force" were soldiers who volunteered only to serve in the Korean War, not intending to make the Army their career) and the "D" indicates that he enlisted in the Quebec military district (probably in Montreal as the letter "E" was used for Eastern Quebec enlistees).

Hope this helps a bit.

Geoff

[Mooyman]

Hi Ricardo: the SD-193799 was the soldier's service number and the PJM are probably his initials. The "S" indicates that he was a member of the Regular Force (that is, not a reservist, nor a "special force" volunteer - the "special force" were soldiers who volunteered only to serve in the Korean War, not intending to make the Army their career) and the "D" indicates that he enlisted in the Quebec military district (probably in Montreal as the letter "E" was used for Eastern Quebec enlistees).

Hope this helps a bit.

Geoff

Thank you so much Geoff!!!

Happy New Year for you and family!!!

Best regards from Brazil,

Ricardo.