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WW I 1st Army, HQ Insignis-Questions


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world war I nerd

WW I

1st Army, Headquarters

Shoulder Sleeve Insignia

Notes & Questions

 

On New Year’s Day, forum member ‘nchistory’ messaged me with questions regarding a 1st Army shoulder patch design that is reputed to represent the “Headquarters” of that AEF organization.

 

I was familiar with that particular shoulder patch, but was unable to answer the questions that Chris posed to me. Thus Chris and I are collectively seeking information from the forum as a whole about the emblems posted below.

 

It would also add to everyone’s knowledge if members posted additional data, period photos of this insignia in use and close up images of this shoulder patch, either loose or sewn onto a service coat, along with pertinent information about the photo or uniform, such as regiment, battalion and branch of service with which it is associated.

 

Thanks to all for any help … World War I Nerd

 

Photo No. 01: These images of enlisted men bearing the 1st Army, HQ insignia on their upper left shoulder prove that a patch in question did exist sometime in 1919 or perhaps as early as late 1918.

Photos courtesy of Bay State Militaria.com

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Photo No. 02: Close ups of the two shoulder patches cropped from the above images show that they both seem to be nearly identical in respect to their color and design.

The design is comprised of a round circular background in black on which the initials “A” & “R” in red, flank both sides of a larger initial “H”, which typically shows up in either gold bullion or yellow, have been situated. Superimposed over the “H” is the numeral “1” in either gold bullion or white.

 

Photos courtesy of Bay State Militaria.com

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world war I nerd

This brings us to the first of several questions:

  • 1: Was this insignia officially adopted by the 1st Army and then later by the AEF or was it an unofficial 1st Army design?

 

  • 2: What personnel and which organizations serving under the umbrella of 1st Army, HQ were authorized to wear this particular shoulder insignia?

 

  • 3: Since I’ve only seen period photos of enlisted men wearing this insignia and I’ve yet to see an image of an officer or an officer’s service coat bearing this insignia, could it have been worn only by enlisted men?

 

  • 4: What do the initials “A”, “H” & “R” stand for? (One possibility is that the “A” & “H” symbolize the first letters of Army and Headquarters. However, for now, that is only a theory, but what about the initial “R” … maybe regiment?)

Photo No. 03: These images of the 1st Army, HQ insignia are all thought to be examples of the “issued” or “prescribed” design, if there was such a thing, i.e. with a round background in black.

 

Left hand photo courtesy of Griffin Militaria.com

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Photo No. 04: This photo depicts two variants of the 1st Army, HQ shoulder insignia. The right-hand patch has been fabricated on a blue backing cloth, while the example on the far left features a diamond shaped backing cloth in black. Both insignia are separated by a period photo of the presumed regulation patch design.

 

Left hand photo courtesy of the nchistory collection

Center photo courtesy of Bay State Militaria.com

Right hand photo courtesy of an unknown forum member

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world war I nerd

More questions:

  • 5: Can the use of blue, as opposed to black, as a background color be explained by the fact that no black cloth was available at the time of the insignia’s manufacture or was the use of blue intentional?

 

  • 6: If intentional, what was the significance of the blue color?

 

  • 7. Likewise, was the use of a diamond shaped background just a manufacturer’s design aberration or was it also intentional?

 

  • 8. If intentional, what was the purpose of the diamond shaped background?

 

Photo No. 05: Three additional 1st Army, HQ insignia. The center insignia also appears to be on a blue backing cloth. (Was this simply a mistake or was it by design?) The right hand patch has been embellished with an interpreter’s specialty badge – the head of a Sphinx.

 

Photo Courtesy of the World War Patches collection

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On December 14 & 18, 1918 the Headquarters of the 1st Army, AEF published Memorandum No’s. 45 & 46. Collectively the two memos were comprised of five pages total. Four were devoted to Memorandum No. 45 (one page of text & three pages showing 14 different insignia) and one page for No. 46, which contained just a few lines of text and one insignia (Thanks George for forwarding the memos to me).

 

Presumably the fifteen different 1st Army shoulder insignia illustrated in the pair of memos was an attempt by the commander of the 1st Army, Lieutenant General Hunter Liggett, to restore some semblance of order to the the riot of unauthorized 1st Army shoulder patches that blossomed on 1st Army service coats shortly after it became known that GHQ had authorized the wearing of a distinctive insignia by all Armies, Corps and Divisions that made up the AEF in November of 1918.

 

In the memo’s there was no mention of the 1st Army, HQ shoulder insignia. The text of the two directives read as follows:

 

 

Memorandum 14 December 1918

No. 45

 

FOR CHIEFS OF ALL SECTIONS, SERVICES AND DEPARTMENTS

AND COMMANDING OFFICERS OF ARMY TROOPS IN THE

BAR-SUR-AUBE AREA:

  1. For Army troops in the Bar-sur-Aube area, the provision of section II, General Orders No. 28, c.s., these Headquarters which require the distinctive insignia “A” to be worn by Army troops, are hereby re-established and amended as indicated hereafter: Section II, General Orders No. 35, c.s., these Headquarters is rescinded.

 

  1. Army troops while stationed in the Bar-sur-Aube area will wear the shoulder insignia prescribed.

 

  1. Units or detachments later taking station in the Bar-sur-Aube area will conform.

 

  1. Secondary insignia for officers not assigned or attached to the organizations or services indicated hereafter, will be announced later.

 

  1. The practice of wearing unauthorized insignia or adornment will cease forthwith.

 

  1. Distinctive insignia for the several organizations of Army troops is authorized as indicated on the attached sheets, and troops specified in paragraph 2, will be provided with this insignia without delay. The letter “A” will have the dimensions as previously prescribed in Section II, General Orders No. 28, these Headquarters. The secondary insignia will be composed of red and white cloth of the relative general dimensions indicated except in the case of the Signal Troops who will wear the present orange insignia. Scrupulous care and supervision will be taken by commanders to ensure uniformity.

 

In the drawings “B” indicates black, “R” = red and “W” = white.

 

By command of Lieutenant General Liggett:

H.K. Loughry

mac Adjutant General

 

 

 

 

HEADQUARTERS FIRST ARMY
AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES
FRANCE

18 December 1918

Memorandum

No. 46

 

  1. The Secondary insignia illustrated herewith is authorized for officers of the Headquarters, First Army, not assigned or attached to organizations or services as indicated in Memorandum No. 45, these Headquarters, c.s.

 

  1. Attention is invited to the provisions of Memorandum No. 45.

 

By command of Lieutenant General Liggett:

H.K. Loughry

jhl Adjutant General

 

 

 

 

The 1st Army insignia authorized in December 1918 consisted of the letter “A in black with various geometrically shaped inserts that were composed of red, white or orange. The initials “R” & “W” represent the colors red & white respectively. They were as follows:

 

Photo No 06: Band, Medical & Engineers

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The issue of two seperat 1st Army orders concerning shoulder insignia begs the question …

  • 9. Was the 1st Army, HQ insignia an unofficial insignia that was adopted by the men affiliated with 1st Army HQ prior to December of 1918?
  • 10. Was the 1st Army, HQ patch abolished by Memorandum No. 45 or was that design prescribed at a later date in an as yet undiscovered 1st Army circular, directive or memo?

Period photos showing 1st Army insignia as prescribed by Memorandum No’s. 45 & 46 in use.

Photo No. 11: From left to right – Engineer, Medical & Signal

 

Photos courtesy of Bay State Militaria.com

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Photo No. 12: From left to right – Artillery, Air Service & Unassigned Officers

 

Left & right hand photos courtesy of the John Adams-Graf collection

Center photo courtesy of the Chuck Thomas collection

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Photo No. 13: From left to right – Motor Transport/Transportation, HQ Battalion & Attached, plus an example of one of many unauthorized 1st Army insignia. This example is worn by a member of the 5th Anti-Aircraft Battalion.

 

Left & center photos courtesy of Bay State Militaria.com

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Thanks for looking & please post any information & images you may have regarding the content of this post … World War I Nerd

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Your most welcome on the 1st Army memo's and illustrations, know the copies were not the best in the world but original copies I have are pretty poor also. I did notice the Johnson's discussed the 1st Army Hdq's patch in their latest on WWI insignia from a P Of Embarkation stand point and what appears to have been avilable to the troops departing France for home. Great subject and hoep more comes out...George

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The round patch is nothing to do with First Army, it's the badge of the 1st Army Headquarters Regiment (an Army Headquarters Regiment with the ordinal number 1).


1st Army Headquarters Regiment was raised as a general support military police regiment by converting the French speaking 1st New Hampshire National Guard Infantry and filling it out with men with civilian experience as detectives.

Formed in November 1917 at Camp Greene, North Carolina, it was overseas from March 1918 to June 1919. Its companies were scattered around the SOS:

Headquarters SOS one company

SOS Advance Section two companies

SOS Intermediate Section two companies

Base Section No. 1 one battalion (less two companies)

Base Section No. 2 two companies

Base Section No. 4 three detachments

Base Section No. 5 two companies

Base Section No. 6 one company

Base Section No. 7 one detachment


That one of the badges shown has an interpreter's badge attached is consistent with its role.


RW
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world war I nerd

For as long as I can remember that AEF shoulder insignia has been erroneously associated with the 1st Army.

 

Rolfi, you've shattered that long standing myth with excellent information ... Thanks!

 

In a million years, I never would have guessed that the insignia was MP related though.

 

What was the source of the above information?

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello!

 

Rolfi nailed this one. Just a little more info on the unit. It was demobilized in June 1919 at Camp Devens, Mass. I have yet to see an MP collar disc on one of these. My 2 examples have simple crossed rifle infantry types. Sadly, neither is a named example but probably belonged to 1st New Hampshire men. I have seen no authorization papers for the insignia, but many units in the AEF adopted insignia without going through the formal authorization process. They just sewed them on and wore them proudly home. Authorities apparently turned a blind eye to all these unofficial patches as most men were heading home for discharge and unit deactivation. The only unit I am aware of that was ordered to remove insignia because it was not authorized was for the 93rd Division men who had adopted the "Bloody Hand" patch. The official objection was that this was a "French" insignia. The color and style variations for the 1st AHR may be simply an attempt by each company to distinguish themselves from the other companies of the unit. Most patches were most likely locally made to a general conception, which would account for some of the variations. Great discussion on the topic! MHJ

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