Battledress Household Cavalry

[Erwin L]

Hello Gents

I have a question.

How would a battledress from the household cavalry regiment look like with correct formation signs from the period Nirmandy snd Market Garden?

Thanks in adcance

Regards

Erwin

[upbeek]

Interesting research!
I’m too interested in this subject I just acquired a magnificent estate from the same period of time,

Kind regards Chay

[Robert Shoaf]

2nd Household Cavalry Regt. ( 2HCR) was initially a corps level armoured car regt .of VIII Corps, but was atttached to Guards Armoured Div. in August, 1944.
Not sure if they wore a corps or divisional patch on the upper arm.
The cloth shoulde title of either The Life Guards, or Royal Horse Guards would have been worn at the very top of the sleeve.
Household Cavalry did NOT wear arm of service strip.
There is a photo in one of my reference books of a 2HCR trooper of the RHG wearing a black or dark blue beret with RHG badge, in battledress, with a white or yellow lanyard on his left shoulder, & a RHG shoulder title above a Guards Armd Div. badge.
Again, no arm of service strip.
I believe that denim overalls were often worn in the field, my guess is with rank badges only.

Bob Shoaf

[Erwin L]

Thanks for your explanation Bob,

I have seen quite a lot of photographs of HCR vehicles during Market Garden with the tactical flash from the VIII corps on it. At this time they were attached to the Guards Armoured Division which was attached to the XXX Corps. I suppose they weren't all able to change them after Normandy.

I have seen one period picture from a HCR Life Guards soldier with the VIII Corps tactical flash on his arm with rank stripes. Unfortunately you can see if he is wearing a shoulder title but his cabbage is HCR Life Guards.

What you said with the Guards Armoured Divisional Badge and Life Guard or Royal Horse Guards shouldertitle sounds logic to me.

A lot of HCR soldiers were pictured in a denim overall. I wonder were all the denim overalls went.

Regards

Erwin

[uscob]

Guess they had more important things to do than repainting Vehicles.

[peter monahan]

All the denim coveralls likely got used to repaint vehicles later, or for oil changes, track replacements and so on, until sold into civvy street to mechanics and gardeners. Keep in mind that for at least two decades after the War, 'old uniforms' were a drug on the market - nobody wanted them and certainly nobody tried to keep examples of work dress in pristine condition.

[Edward]

A lot of HCR soldiers were pictured in a denim overall. I wonder were all the denim overalls went.

Also, Tank Denims continued to be produced post-war with odd examples showing up into the 1970's. The big, heavy tan "pixie" tank suit were also still in production right up to the 1960's, and lasted in service into the early 1970's as well.