British dog tag string

[101combatvet]

This might be a silly question but... does anyone know when the dog tag strings were first issued in green? Most of the ones I have seen are a tan/brown color.

[pzrwest]

Which tag remained with the body and which was sent to unit or where ever?

[peter monahan]

I believe that the green strings appeared in the 1960s. The original British/Canadaian/Aussie tags from WWI had a 'natural' coloured 38" cord - that is, the brown/tan of the string material - hemp probably. Lots of soldiers replaced the cord with a leather boot lace so they were lkess likely to get lost.

Pzrwest - here's your answer - from the western Front Association web site:

Though extremely widespread, these second discs were still unofficial. It wasn't until after the Directorate of the Commission of Graves Registration and Enquiries suggested (following the French example of the previous year) the issue of a second identity disc in May 1916, and the eventual issue of Army Order 287 of September 1916, that the British Army heeded to the necessity of issuing a disc that was to remain on a body after death for future identification. The second disc was also of vulcanised asbestos fibre, but was manufactured in a green/brown shade and was an "octagonal - lozenge" in shape approximately 35mm by 30mm in size. This disc, in Army parlance, now became "Disc, identity, No 1, green", with the original (1914) disc becoming "Disc, Identity, No 2, red". The No 1 disc was to be attached to the long cord around the neck, with the No 2 being threaded on a 6 inch cord from this disc. No 1 was intended to remain on the body whereas the No 2 was to be removed for administration. Stampings on this new disc were similar to previous issues. November 1916 saw this disc on general issue.

[99notout]

Just an anecdote on these, in the eighties when I was in, these were the same shape but stamped out of blackened brass. The instructions were given that if a body could not be immediately recovered, the lozenge shaped disc edge was to be placed between the middle of the bottom teeth and the top teeth and the jaw forced shut. The disc would remain tightly affixed to the deceased then for later identification. Never did, didn't know anyone that had to do it, but I wonder if it was just told to the new guys by the older guys, or was it official??

Sorry should have said, that was Australia.

[pzrwest]

Thank you Peter for that reply, and the second disc would be on a separate string loop

[peter monahan]

99notout

The US tags had a notch in them - apparently to hold it on a medical clipboard - and the common talk was it was to 'clip' them to the teeth. I'd have to be pretty cold blooded to do it to anyone I knew, I think, but in the mouth would be not a bad place to put a tag so... my vote is 'mostly myth but probably happened occasionally.'

[skypilot]

The US notch and teeth myth has been around for many years, probably started by GI's themselves.

The simple fact is that the notch was used to held them in place in the machine for stamping. I have seen the process first-hand and can definitely state that it is there for nothing more exciting than that.