U.S. Army Brassards & Armbands 1898 to 1918 Part 2

[100thOVI]

Just hit another couple snapshots of WWI MP's. Appear to be just back from across the pond and on provost duty at Camp Knox.

[100thOVI]

[100thOVI]

[world war I nerd]

Thanks 100thOVI for adding your great shots of MP brassards. I'm still hoping to find out if there was any significance or distinction to be made between the MP brassard with red initials & the MP brassard with white initials. Both of which seem to have been used regularly overseas and stateside during the WW I era.

 

No colors were mentioned, but I found the following information about a "Reception Park Garage" brassard in the November 15, 1918 edition of the "Stars & Stripes" newspaper:

 

To the brassards of the R.T.O and the M.P must be added a new one - that of the R.P.G. It stands for Reception Park Garage. The guardians of that enclosure at a certain base wear it on their left arms.

[jagjetta]

No colors were mentioned, but I found the following information about a "Reception Park Garage" brassard in the November 15, 1918 edition of the "Stars & Stripes" newspaper:

 

To the brassards of the R.T.O and the M.P must be added a new one - that of the R.P.G. It stands for Reception Park Garage. The guardians of that enclosure at a certain base wear it on their left arms.

Great find and definition of RPG!

[world war I nerd]

Image of two Pennsylvania National Guardsmen from the13th Infantry Regiment, presumably somewhere along the Mexican border in 1916.

 

Both men are believed to be wearing the red brassard for "Agents of Communication & Messengers", Specification No. 1147, adopted by the Army on January 23, 1912 or the same brassard as made to new specifications (Specification No. 1208) that was adopted on May 13, 1914.

 

Photo courtesy of the Dragoon collection

[world war I nerd]

A closer view of the above brassard (left) next to a photo of a red Agents of Communications & Messengers Brassard found in the National Archives (right). The specifications for the 1912 & 1914 brassards do not go into much detail regarding the brassard's overall appearance.

 

Here's what the 1912 specs stated ... the brassards were to be made from from worsted woolen yard that was of 3/8 blood grade. They were to be knit on circular frames and finished with a 1 inch hem on each end that was securely sewn with approximately 16 stitches per inch.

 

The 1914 specifications were nearly identical except it allowed "fleeced, scoured or pulled wool" to be used and an overall size of "5 inches long when finished, including the 1 inch hem on each end" was included.

 

Left hand photo courtesy of the Dragoon collection

Right hand photo courtesy of the Jprostak collection

 

 

 

 

[world war I nerd]

This photo is of a 5th Division staff officer wearing the AEF General Staff Brassard for a division. A division General Staff brassard was all red, and featured the symbol of the General Staff embroidered in gold bullion thread in its center. It should also be noted that on October 26, 1918, the date on which this photograph was taken, at least one of the men depicted is wearing a 5th Division shoulder patch.

[world war I nerd]

This photo is of Lieutenant Struyk, the supply officer of the 327th Tank Battalion, AEF. The narrow tricolor armband/brassard worn on Lt. Struyk"s upper left arm is presumed to be composed of red, yellow & blue horizontal stripes (the colors later used on the Tank Corps shoulder insignia).

 

At present, no official information regarding a brassard of this type has been found. However, the following fine of text borrowed from page 113 of: The War as I Saw It, 1918, Letters of a Tank Corps Lieutenant, may offer an explanation as to the brassard's purpose. The book's author, Lieutenant Harvey L. Harris (345th Tank Battalion), mentioned the brassard while describing combat in a December 10, 1918 dated letter written to his family:

 

"Just then an infantry Lt, came up - evidently noticed red, yellow and blue brassard on my arm and pointed out a clump of bushes. 'Boch MG nest there holding us up', he said."

 

Photo and book quote courtesy of the John Adams-Graf collection

[world war I nerd]

Another shot of the enlisted men's blue and white Paris Peace Conference Brassard. The officers' brassard was comprised of blue cloth with gold bullion embroidery.

 

Photo courtesy of Bay State Militaria.com

[scmcgeorge]

REF: Image in post #257 the original brassard from jprostak collection I have an identical one ID'd to Corp. Ferdinand Sauer, 305th MG. Bn, 77th Div. Steve McG

[roadrunner]

"GEN. GEO. S. SIMONDS"

 

Date (mirrored): 2/28/19 ?

 

Michael

 

.

[world war I nerd]

Long time since I added to this post!

 

Here's a brassard wearing Army chaplain greeting wounded Doughboys from an unknown AEF organization debarking at an unknown port in the U.S.

 

It looks like his brassard may read "Chaplain 102 (or 103)?"

[roadrunner]

I forgot that I had these images ... Here is the front and back of an Army level General Staff trench clip without the embroidered gold bullion General Staff insignia.

 

 

Photos courtesy of Advance Guard Militaria.com

By the way, the General Staff brassards & trench clips were not authorized to be worn in the United States. Therefore, I'm reasonably sure that quite a few, if not all of them were manufactured in France or perhaps Great Britain for the AEF.

 

The trench clip in red/white is not for the General Staff.

 

Following taken from the General Orders No. 134, August 15, 1918 ... III

 

.

[jagjetta]

The trench clip in red/white is not for the General Staff.

 

Following taken from the General Orders No. 134, August 15, 1918 ... III

 

.

 

Your quoted material refers to the DEVICE worn on the armband (or corresponding trench clip) not the colors of the armbands / clips.

 

According Emerson, Encyclopedia of US Insignia..., page 311:

 

"The colors of these silk, 3-inch-wide armbands [or corresponding trench clips] designated the level of general staff assignment...The colors were:

General Headquarters, red, white and blue

Army Headquarters: red and white

Corps Headquarters: white and blue

Division Headquarters: red"

 

He states, in the same paragraph, "An embroidered general staff device went in the center."

[roadrunner]

I tried to explain, that General Staff arm bands and trench clips has the device of the General Staff embroidered in gold.

There are other arm bands and trench clips.

 

American Expeditionary Forces Armbands by Emerson

http://emersoninsignia.net/files/Download/2AEF_armbands.pdf

 

The GO 134, August 15, 1918 ... III

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/286873-general-staff-trench-clip-wwi/

 

Michael

[jagjetta]

French Pictorial Service photo dated August 13, 1918 and captioned, "IN FRONT OF CANTIGNY. Maj. Gen. Henry L. Bullard, commander of the First American division and one of his officers of ordnance."

 

The "officer of ordnance" is wearing an Aide to [Major?] General collar device and a bordered arm band with a number "1" in the center.

 

 

[jagjetta]

Houston (TX) Chamber of Commerce photo, dated Feb. 11, 1919, showing an MP with an unusual armband with "EF" between the "M" and "P", most likely indicating "Ellington Field" which was in Houston.

 

Caption on the image reads, "Silver service presented to Major W.H. Frank, Commanding Officer."

[jagjetta]

American (and one French) soldiers / officer who participated in the attack on Cantigny, May 29, 1918. The soldier on our far right is wearing what appears to be a runner's armband.

 

Photographed at Rocquencourt, France

[roadrunner]

Special insignia to be worn by General Staff Officers, other members of General Staff sections, and Aides de Camp when moving about on duty in congested areas at the front, where such distinguishing mark is necessary to insure their free circulation, is author-ized as follows: To be worn on the left arm of the service coat, midway between the elbow and shoulder, an arm band of grosgrain silk, 3 inches Wide, conforming to pattern on file with the Chief Quartermaster, and bearing the device of the General Staff embroidered in gold: For the General Staff at G. H. Q. Red, white and blue.

 

Photograph shows Charles Dudley Rhodes (1865-1948), a United States Army Major General who served as the American High Commissioner on the Permanent International Armistice Commission after World War I, in Spa, Belgium.

 

https://www.loc.gov/item/2014708376/

 

 

.

[roadrunner]

Major General Charles Rhodes wearing the brassard for the General Staff G.H.Q. red, white and blue

 

The Surrender of the German Army on the Western Front, November 1918

The Armistice Commission in Spa. Lieutenant General Richard Haking (British), Major-General Charles Rhodes (American), and General of Division Alphonse Nudant (President and French representative). 29 November 1918.

 

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Surrender_of_the_German_Army_on_the_Western_Front,_November_1918_Q7191.jpg

 

 

.

[Fein1]

Thought I'd add a couple armbands I've owned for about 40 years. Both came pinned to separate sleeves on a WWI tunic with very little wear and no other insignia. Seller stated it had hung in one of his family's closets for many years but he had no information on where it came from or who owned it. Believe the forum has settled the question of the USNA being for Draftees, but perhaps the "SP" might create a little discussion. The material for the SP has a slightly less tight weave than the USNA. Both are close in color. Cheers.

 

 

I have this same pair that came in a foot locker with the effects of another AEF recruit. I can't seem to find any info on the S.P.

[willysmb44]

Houston (TX) Chamber of Commerce photo, dated Feb. 11, 1919, showing an MP with an unusual armband with "EF" between the "M" and "P", most likely indicating "Ellington Field" which was in Houston.

It still is. In fact, it's where NASA astronauts fly their T-38s and NASA has all kinds of neat aircraft, such as WB-57 Canberra weather recon airplanes!

[jagjetta]

These details from a panoramic photo of the International Military Police taken in Vladivostok, November 1919, show US Navy, Marines, and Army personnel (as well as all the other member nations) wearing "IMP" armbands. The armband is best seen on the officer in front of the Serbian / Czech Legion contingent

 

 

 

[world war I nerd]

Wow! What an interesting photo (and brassard). It's amazing how many WW I era brassards that have never been seen before (by me) keep turning up.

 

Thanks for posting. It's amazing that this old thread still has legs. Thanks to all for looking and posting.