My Dads Para Photo

Hi guys,
thanks for all the help and info you have given me regarding my dads regiment when he first joined the Army The DCLI... amazing, but I have now been given a new photo of my dad in a para uniform, we now know he must have moved to the 1st Airborne Division, can anyone identify the leaf shaped badges he is wearing on his uniform and what they are for, can't find anything about them,
he served in Italy and North Africa.
Any info on the 1st Airborne would be great.

many thanks

 

Are you referring to the object above his left breast pocket or the patches on the right sleeve?

 

I'm pretty certain that what we are looking at is a 'hackle', which is showing like this because your Dad has his beret rolled and stowed under his epaulette. But a hackle wasn't worn by the DCLI.

Steve W.

 

Dare I suggest its a wedding photo. The guy may have been guest or even own wedding?

In war time in UK, its quite possible for groom in uniform or best man etc to just wear a flower wherever he could put it. Not a uniform allowed thing but who cared on the day?

Certainly does not look like any hackle I have seen GP...But that doesnt mean to say Ive seen em all...

 

Could be as you suggest. I perhaps used the word 'hackle' as a catch-all for something not a regular cap badge.

Steve W.

 

This is the direction I was leaning towards but wanted clarification on which object the query was about.

 

Hi guys thanks for the suggestions I have now attached a close up but it's not too good, I have seen my dads 1st wedding pics, sadly he is not in uniform, may have been a guest at a wedding but no one left to ask, sadly he died 23 yrs ago.
One of them looks like a white oak leaf, can't make out the other smaller one,
I have also attached an earlier photo of my dad when he was in the DCLI, before moving to the paras.
many thanks

 

Hate to say it, but think we need a flower expert. That definately looks like its twisted in same way we would today with carnations in foil to a wedding ceremony. Not saying that hes at a wedding in pic but think we need someone who knows about flowers. DCLI didnt have a flower thing going as far as I know.

 

With that closeup, I'll go completely with the flower thing. Can only think it would have been a wedding. Best Man?

Steve W.

 

Hi guys,
thanks for your help, I believe you are right with the flower idea, the close up looks like a carnation so a guest at a wedding must be the only answer,
thanks to everyone for clearing this up for me.
M

 

Still a big jump from DCLI to Paras excuse the pun, but well done that man. A good example of how the Paras started their history in UK. Took some guts.

 

Marauder,
You ask for info on the 1st AB Div......what do you need? Do you know which Btn he served in?
I assume he was in one of the parachute battalions if ex DCLI.....so he could be 1,2,3, 10, 11 or 156 between them they served in NA and Italy......

 

Hi Airborne,
nice to have you aboard again, I sent you a private message about my dad parachuting during the war but had nothing to back this up, but finally I now have the picture and a chaplains card to confirm it, but that's all we have, don't know how to find out which battalion he was in? so any help in this quest would be great, I have learn't so much in the last couple of months in this forum about a part of my dads life that he said very little about, and I owe all you guys a big THANK YOU for all your help.
M

 

I think your best bet now with all the info you now have is to apply for his service record.I think there was a earlier post with details, try again with medic also to see if he can find out any details via ringway and jump course infne more thing do you know what date the pic showing your dad in para uniform is and what was on the chaplin's card you mentioned please keep us all informed with any info you get this has really peeked my intrest.Jason

 

Just looked at earlier posts unamed medal was Defence medal, and could the name on the chaplins card below your dads be the chaplins this might tie in to a battalion.

 

Hi wtid,
welcome back that's a very good point, I have attached the scan of the chaplains card and the chaplains name is Alan A Buchanan,they have spelt my dads surname wrong it's " Olson " not Olsen it happens quite often ,the text inside suggests it was given at the end of the war.
Something else I remember dad saying was that he was due to go out on the Arnham drop but was pulled out at the last minute, hope this helps.

mant thanks
M

 

At Arnhem Buchanan was the padre with the 2nd South Staffords.....does someone have a BLSA at hand to look in the nominal roll at the back?

Mine's downstairs and I'm too lazy!

For genral info for the time being I cannot access the Ringway database due to the move to Duxford.....

 

Medic you are spot on i looked in my who's who and there he was A.A Buchanan capt/rev att 2nd S.Staffs the plot thickens

 

You can leave out 11 para they never served in N.africa or Italy only one company in the cos op prior to Arnhem.

 

Having checked through some of my books i can pretty much confirm your dad was not with 1 para in november 1942 according to the nominol roll in churchills volunteer, anyway.And in my copy of the tenth, history of ten para i can find no mention of him in there either.I think we are looking at 2 3 or 156 para, we can also rule out the pathfinders as i have checked them to, the search goes on