Unidentified Collar Dog - Please Help!

Hello there Forum folks.
I have been trying to find out what unit/regiment my father-in-law served in during the war. I have contacted sellers of antique badges and pins, I have tried other WW2 forums, and I have even tried the Imperial War Museum, none of them so far have been able to identify the badge. The IWM could not help and put me onto this forum.
This is a picture of the collar dog -
View attachment 12907
...and this is the picture we have (it is the only picture we have of him in his uniform) -
View attachment 12908

Please help us. Other forum folk have suggested that the uniform is American in style, and think that he may have served in a Commonwealth military. Which would be odd for a Yorkshireman, and spent a whole lot of time in Norfolk.
I don't know if it is relevant, but he was born in East Riding in December 1907 and died in 1980. As per the picture, we think he was in his Thirties when it was taken, so that would put it somewhere between 1937 and 1947!
It will be intersting to see what you guys and girls can come up with.
Thanks, Leofric.

 

Well, since this was posted on March the 19th, and as of today (March 23rd), 18 people have 'viewed' this Thread!
...and still no-one seems to know what regiment/unit/military force my father-in-law served in. This is amazing!
I am beginning to wonder if his unit/regiment was either top secret or just so obscure no-one knows what it is.
Very odd!

 

I can't say I know what unit, but have faith, someone will give you a hand.

 

oh we have faith belasar,
. . . and I have just re-read my last post and would like to apologise if it annoys anyone, it does seem rather blunt!
That was not the intention, I was just amazed that no-one can even tell us if it is Commonwealth for sure or not!
It is proving to be very interesting! Even the Imperial War Museum couldn't help (apart from directing us here!).

 

Hello Leofric,

From looking at the photo supplied, can there be a possibility that the badge in question is actually two seperate badges, worn closely together? I say this, as to me the upper part (crown?) appears not to touch the lower part of the badge (easily seen on the left side ), and may just be hidden on the right due to the camera angle. I'm afraid I can't ID the badge(s), but considering the crown is present it certainly looks Commonwealth to me.

-Anyway, just an idea.....good luck with your search

 

looks like 2 badges could have been an antitank are something like artillery considering the skull looking part just throughing out ideas im relly intrested. were did he serve?

 

I concur. I think they are two seperate badges: the top looks like a crown, while the bottom could be some type of unit crest/insignia (most commonwealth regiments had their own distinctive insignia). If the photo was a bit better quality it would be easier to see.

 

Something strikes me as Norwegian/Swedish/Danish about it....the shirt looks US GI. Who besides the Common Wealth were a monarchy during the war?

 

It would be easier to say who wasn't a monarchy during the war; US, Brazil, Mexico, Poland, Soviet Union and France to name a few. Not that this attempts to clear anything up, it just answers Brad's question. I'm stumped too. Are there any documentation, old letters, notes, etc., to un-muddy the waters a bit?

 

Could he have been Free Dutch or Belgain? Danish or Norwegian?

 

Firstly, thanks for the feedback folks.

This is not the first time it has been suggested that the badge may be 2! It is the ONLY picture we have of him in uniform, and yes, it's been suggested that the uniform is US in design already. There is a huge connection with the US and the East Anglian region, due to the amount of US airbases that were located here, and it was not unknown for UK boys to have uniforms made by US tailors (that is according to one story from another poster on another forum!)

He was born in Yorkshire (which explained his nickname of "Yorkie") and spent most of his time in Norfolk, where he died (there is a strong historical connection between Norfolk and Holland, but we don't think it had anything to do with him).

As to where did he serve? We have no idea! He was born in 1907, so he would have been 32 when WW2 began, and according to the family story he volunteered.

Apparently, we can contact the MoD to try to get hold of his military service record. How do we do this?
Again, thanks folks, Lee.