world war I nerd Posted May 20, 2015 Share #1 Posted May 20, 2015 Can anyone identify what engineer regiment insignia resides between the legs of this 1st Army insignia? The soldier in the photo is wearing an engineer collar disc. He served with the "Flash Ranging Service", which I presume was one of the AEF's detached specialty infantry regiments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolfi Posted May 20, 2015 Share #2 Posted May 20, 2015 The patch is that of 29 Engineers; specialists in flash ranging: Other patches were used, all have an R and a star, some have lightning flashes. RW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
world war I nerd Posted May 20, 2015 Author Share #3 Posted May 20, 2015 Good on ya' rolfi. Thanks for the ID Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irish Rob Posted May 20, 2015 Share #4 Posted May 20, 2015 Flash ranging is a technique, not an Infantry Regiment. Use the chronograph on your watch to measure the time between when the flash of the (enemy) gun is seen until the report is heard to calculate distance to the gun. A bearing is also taken. Counter-battery fire then. Ever count the seconds between a lighting flash and the sound of thunder then divide by 5 to figure out how many miles away the storm is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mortaydc60 Posted May 20, 2015 Share #5 Posted May 20, 2015 Usually see this unit as separate patch with "R" surrounded by lightening bolts and it is one rare puppy to find. Have only seen less than a handful in 60 years. Mort Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
world war I nerd Posted May 20, 2015 Author Share #6 Posted May 20, 2015 Rob ... thanks for the definition of what flash ranging actually is. I was wondering what that might be. Mort ... now that you mention it, the 'R' and lightning bolts rings a bell. I must have seen one somewhere. Can anybody post a photo of an actual patch? Thanks to all for looking and helping with the ID. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Too Much WW1 Militaria Posted May 20, 2015 Share #7 Posted May 20, 2015 The R has the lightning bolts on either side of it. I have a named officers tunic with the SSI on it. If I stumble on it during my great cloth sort, I'll take some pics and post them. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawk3370 Posted May 21, 2015 Share #8 Posted May 21, 2015 I picked these up in the late 1960's. At that time I had identified them as from the 29th Engineers Topograpic Battalion (Flash and Sound Ranging) 1918. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
world war I nerd Posted May 22, 2015 Author Share #9 Posted May 22, 2015 Thanks Hawk, for materially adding to the thread. Is the first patch on a black or dark blue background? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawk3370 Posted May 22, 2015 Share #10 Posted May 22, 2015 Thanks Hawk, for materially adding to the thread. Is the first patch on a black or dark blue background? Its actually a purple wool backing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
world war I nerd Posted May 22, 2015 Author Share #11 Posted May 22, 2015 Purple - that's interesting. I wonder if there was any significance attached to that color? I noticed that the 'R' on your other patch also appears to be purple. Thanks for letting everyone know the color. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawk3370 Posted May 23, 2015 Share #12 Posted May 23, 2015 Purple - that's interesting. I wonder if there was any significance attached to that color? I noticed that the 'R' on your other patch also appears to be purple. Thanks for letting everyone know the color. Correct. Purple R with gold star white lighting bolts on 3 3/4" OD disc. The rectangle patch has a purple background, Red R and white lighting bolts, measures 2 1/2" X 3 1/2". I don't know the significance of the color purple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikes militaria Posted August 6, 2016 Share #13 Posted August 6, 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitter2k1 Posted August 7, 2016 Share #14 Posted August 7, 2016 These are some great patches and thanks for sharing them. The 29th Engineers was a USNA unit, correct? -Mike Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G925A using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gomorgan Posted August 7, 2016 Share #15 Posted August 7, 2016 I'm pretty sure there's a ASMIC article on this patch in one of the past issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tredhed2 Posted April 13, 2017 Share #16 Posted April 13, 2017 I'm pretty sure there's a ASMIC article on this patch in one of the past issues. July-Sept 1998 and it's online on the ASMIC website if you can't find your magazine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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