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U.S. Army Brassards & Armbands 1882 to 1918, Part 1


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Photo No. 26: Because the 4th Marine Brigade was often attached French Armies and Corps* during 1918, period photographs, as well as the surviving effects of Navy Corpsmen frequently turn up with French red cross brassards present. The Navy Chief Pharmacist’s Mate (left) from the 5th Marine Regiment, photographed in the Verdun sector in April of 1918, is wearing Army issued olive drab clothing and a French Infirmier Brassard. It is identified as such by its oval shape and by the fact that the red cross does not run from edge to edge. Note that the Navy Pharmacist’s Mate (right) is wearing an olive drab Army flannel shirt with an Army Regimental Sergeant Major chevron that has been modified with a white circle bearing a red cross in its center, mimicking the Navy Corpsman rate. Next to the period photograph is a small museum display (museum unknown) of the effects of an unnamed Navy surgeon. His effects include a French Infirmier Brassard.

 

*Note: elements of the 4th Marine Brigade were attached to:

  • The French 6th Army in May 1918 and fought at Belleau Wood
  • The French XX Corps in July 1918 and fought at Soissons
  • The French 4th Army in October 1918 and fought at Blanc Mont.

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Photo No. 27: Beneath this photograph of AEF medical personnel treating a wounded man is an example of a late war French Infirmier Brassard, bearing the French Minister of War stamp. This style of French medical brassard was the type most commonly issued to American troops in France.

 

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Photo No. 28: This group of photos show the brassard as worn by a French medic and two detail shots of the approximate location of where the French Ministerie de la Guerre stamp was placed.

 

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Photo No. 29: Another view of the Infirmier Brassard being worn by French Piolus early in the war, along with a better look at the Ministerie de la Guerre stamp.

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Photo No. 30: The symbol on the SSI adopted by the AEF Ambulance Service consisted of a French cockerel or rooster, which was colloquially named Chanteclaire by the French populous. Chanteclaire was so popular; the rooster was featured on the French 20 franc gold piece from 1899 to 1914. During the war it became an enduring symbol of French patriotism and resistance.

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Photo No. 31: The use of the French cockerel as the emblem of the AEF Ambulance Service stems from the fact that a large number of its drivers were Americans that had volunteered to drive camions (trucks) and ambulances for the French Army before the U.S. had declared war. Beneath the photo of an AEF ambulance and its driver are three styles of Ambulance Service SSI, which was made up of a white rooster on a red background. All three cockerels have been embroidered, two using white thread and one from silver bullion.

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Photo No. 32: This helmet bearing both the red cross symbol and the Ambulance Service insignia was likely painted after hostilities had ceased. Next to it is a Doughboy wearing the white on red Ambulance Service SSI.

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British Stretcher Bearer ‘Armlet’

 

Even though I don’t have any period photos to post, I’ve included the British Stretcher Bearer Armlet*, because I have seen photographs of American Doughboys wearing it at the front.

 

In both the British and American Armies, stretcher bearers were generally not medical men. That role was often assigned to any regimental or company man who had basic first aid knowledge or simply the physical strength necessary for the arduous job of transporting wounded men over difficult ground to safety and professional medical help. Typically, regimental stretcher bearers were made up of bandsmen or other troops who were considered to be “non-essential” during any particular operation. In the British Army, the only thing that identified the British ‘Tommy’ from ordinary infantrymen was a narrow white ‘armlet’ or a slightly wider ‘armband’ bearing the initials ‘S’ and ‘B’, which stood for stretcher bearer in red. Unlike the Red Cross Brassard, the Stretcher Bearer’s Armlet offered no protection under the Geneva Convention. Therefore any soldier wearing one could bear arms.

 

*Note: the British Army did not use the term “brassard”. It referred to what the AEF called a brassard as an “armband”. Any armband that was narrower than a brassard/armband was known as an “armlet” in the British Army.

 

Photo No. 33: Here a British Stretcher Bearer Armlet is worn correctly, per British regulations on the right sleeve. When the armlet was worn by a Doughboy in the AEF, it would have been worn as prescribed, on the left sleeve.

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Photo No. 34: Here are two examples of the narrow Stretcher Bearer Armlet and the armlet being worn by British troops. Both armlets are made from off-white, medium weight cotton fabric with red wool letters. Both have small brass buckles with two pointed prongs that pierced the opposing end of the armlet.

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Photo No. 35: This British stretcher bearer party illustrates the difficult terrain that often had to be negotiated to evacuate the wounded from harm’s way. Underneath is an Australian issued Stretcher Bearer Armlet. It is similar in every respect to the British issued armlet, except for the fact that it’s slightly wider, and features a frame buckle and brass grommets to accept the buckle’s tongue. At least eight AEF divisions fought alongside ANZAC troops during the Great War. Therefore, it’s definitely within the realm of possibility that Australian made armbands or armlets could have been worn by the Yanks posted to the AEF, II Army Corp, which was permanently under British command throughout 1918.

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Photo No. 36: The British Army also issued a Stretcher Bearer Armband, which was noticeably wider than the armlet. Its construction was essentially the same except for the means of attachment. This particular example employed two buttons and three pairs of stitched buttonholes to secure it onto the sleeve. Since the Stretcher Bearer Armband was not widely used in the British Army, it’s doubtful that any fell into the hands of American Doughboys. Nevertheless, it is shown because one can never be sure.

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Photo No. 37: I’ve never seen a British Army Stretcher Bearer Badge being worn by an American Doughboy. I have however, seen British Machine Gun and Tank Corp badges on the sleeves of American service coats that were worn by Yanks who served in the AEF. I’ve opted to include this badge in the post, because it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if one did turn up sewn onto a Doughboy’s service coat or gasmask satchel.

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Photo No. 38: It’s very likely that AEF troops serving with the II Army Corps were at some point issued with British Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) Red Cross Armbands. These were issued to all RAMC personnel, which included surgeons, nurses, first aid men and all stretcher bearers that belonged to that branch of service. The British Red Cross Armband differed from the American Red Cross Brassard in that it incorporated a smaller red wool cross, as well as an Army Medical Service acceptance stamp. Note that both the RAMC armband and Stretcher Bearer Armlet are worn in the following period photograph.

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Photo No. 39: Here is a view of a different RAMC Red Cross Armband alongside an evocative painting of a RAMC stretcher party transporting a wounded Tommy.

 

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Photo No. 40: Below is a full length view of the same armband that is shown in photo number 35. Above it are two close ups of the British Medical Service acceptance stamp. Note the diminutive size of the red cross and the three rows of button holes used to adjust the size of the armband.

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Photo No. 41: Two variations of the British RAMC Red Cross Armband are shown here. The one worn in the period photograph looks to be improvised from a scrap of white fabric and a RAMC Badge (see below). The design of the well made, but non-regulation RAMC style Red Cross Armband beneath the black and white photo may have been inspired by the RAMC badge, as the cross within a circle is strikingly similar. Perhaps it was an item privately purchased by an officer or an affluent enlisted man.

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Photo No. 42: Like the Stretcher Bearer badge, I’ve included the RAMC Badge, partially because of the armband shown above, and because one could very well turn up on the sleeve of some Doughboy’s service coat. In the British Army, the badge was worn on both sleeves. The outer circle of the badge was gold for Regular senior NCOs and silver for senior Volunteer NCOs, and it was in yellow and white respectively, for enlisted men.

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German Red Cross Brassards

 

Because individual Doughboys liberated articles of German clothing and equipment, such as shoes, stockings, underwear, and gasmasks, as well as other useful articles on a regular basis, and because the AEF captured huge stocks of German supplies during the course of the war; I have including German Red Cross Brassards in this post. In terms of captured enemy goods, it was AEF policy to reissue anything that could help relieve the AEFs overburdened supply service, especially items like blankets, shoe laces, medical supplies and rations. Because of this, I earnestly believe that GHQ, as well as any random American Doughboy would have no compunction about pressing pilfered or captured German made Red Cross Brassards into service whenever they were needed.

 

Photo No. 43: German Red Cross Brassards were generally larger than those made by the British, French or the Americans. Period photos reveal that most consisted of a large wide brassard with an oversized red cross stitched in the center. Another major difference was that the thickness of the arms of the cross had a tendency to be wider or thicker. Note how tall the two brassards shown below are, and the size variation between the two red crosses.

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Photo No. 44: Again the height of the brassard worn by the German POW on the right is much taller than Allied brassards. Beneath is one of many German acceptance stamps. This example bears the German Imperial Eagle. The Red Cross Brassard worn by what probably is an AEF surgeon or chaplain looks to be German made. It’s taller, and the red cross is unlike any found on the various styles of Allied Red Cross Brassards/Armbands shown above. In fact, it looks very much like the one worn by the decorated German Landser shown in the black and white photo below.

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Photo No. 45: Based on the German Red Cross Brassards shown in this post there were evidently many variations in their design and construction. Here are two more.

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Geneva Convention Stamps

 

Any Red Cross Brassard that bears a Geneva Convention stamp was manufactured or issued after 1929, when it was decided that the reverse of all Red Cross Brassard were to be stamped to authenticate the brassard and to identify its wearer. It’s entirely possible that WW I vintage Red Cross Brassards were redistributed at a later date with the Geneva Convention stamp. Therefore, always remember that any Red Cross Brassard with a Geneva Convention stamp on the back, even if it appears to be an authentic WW I era brassard, was issued after 1929.

Photo No. 46: Here the red cross and the stamp from the same unissued Red Cross Brassard is shown. This brassard likely dates to the WW II era.

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Photo No. 47: This red cross and Geneva Convention stamp, both from the same Red Cross brassard definitely dates to WW II, as the control number has been identified as belonging to an American soldier who fought in that conflict.

 

The next installment of Brassards of the AEF will continue with M P, General Staff and other miscellaneous brassards used by the AEF.

 

End of post … thanks for looking.

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B,

 

As usual, another awesome and useful article. Keep them coming; I can only imagine what is next...

 

G

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