Researching the 2 LAA and 2 HAA Regiment RCA

[Temujin]

I just found a Unit History of the 2nd Cdn LAA Regiment in the war diaries, give a moment and I’ll download the pages and post them up here for you

EDIT: Download all 40 plus pages. Just need to fix them up for easy reading.......then I’ll post the entire history on a separate thread, so everyone can find it when using Google. Probably have this done later today

Thank you very much !!

I also took the photo’s and made them into a PDF file, so it would be easier to read. If you’d like me to send you it, just send me a Private Message on this website with your e-mail and I’ll forward it to you

Here’s a link to the files on this website if you would just like to read it on here

https://wartimes.ca/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=746

[fiwi]

Hello, I found my other cousin, they were 2 brothers, listed in the diaries of the 2nd LAA, R.C.A. !
I have now all the info needed. Oscar Vermeire was a gunner , rank Lance Corporal.

I could use some help to "rebuild" the right (field) uniform.
- which boots/trousers/jacket (pictures show different clothing)
- beret : which insignia / crest ?
- shoulder patch ?
- rank insignia lance corporal ?

Thanks !

[fiwi]

Hello, I found my other cousin, they were 2 brothers, listed in the diaries of the 2nd LAA, R.C.A. !
I have now all the info needed. Oscar Vermeire was a gunner , rank Lance Corporal.

I could use some help to "rebuild" the right (field) uniform.
- which boots/trousers/jacket (pictures show different clothing)
- beret : which insignia / crest ?
- shoulder patch ?
- rank insignia lance corporal ?

Thanks !

I’ll post up the answers to your questions. First, the Rank of Lance Corporal

Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal was an appointment granted to soldiers holding the rank of Private in the Canadian Army, until the abolition of the appointment following Unification in 1968. The insignia of a Lance Corporal was a 1-bar chevron worn point down.

Responsibilities
In an Infantry Section, a private soldier acting as second-in-command of the section was usually appointed Lance Corporal in order to have authority over the other privates in the section. The lance corporal was considered a junior Non-Commissioned Officer.

Abbreviation
The proper abbreviation for Lance Corporal was L/Cpl.

Nickname
Soldiers holding the appointment of Lance Corporal were widely referred to as "Lance Jacks", with "Lance Jack" being the singular.

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[fiwi]

Hello, I found my other cousin, they were 2 brothers, listed in the diaries of the 2nd LAA, R.C.A. !
I have now all the info needed. Oscar Vermeire was a gunner , rank Lance Corporal.

I could use some help to "rebuild" the right (field) uniform.
- which boots/trousers/jacket (pictures show different clothing)
- beret : which insignia / crest ?
- shoulder patch ?
- rank insignia lance corporal ?

Thanks !

Uniform, first off, their were many modifications and “extra” parts that soldiers could wear. But the standard of dress in WW2 was the “Battle Dress”. Officers would also wear Battle Dress, but with the collar open, with shirt and tie. Later in the war, the soldiers also were wearing the open collar and ties......

Battle Dress Blouse

By September 1939, Canada had been in the process of approving the new British Battle Dress uniform for wear by Canadians. The blouse was a departure from the uniforms worn by most of the world's armies; cut short at the waist, the garment was designed with practicality in mind. By 1941, Battle Dress had been issued to the entire overseas army, and it was to be the uniform of the army in Canada as well, except when replaced by summer summer dress. Battle Dress, in its final (1949) form, would be a standard garment of issue until the 1970s.

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As the 2nd Cdn LAA was part of the 1st Canadian Infantry Division, they would have worn the 1st Cdn Divisions patch on their arm. A photo of that patch

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Hat Badge of the Royal Canadian Artillery

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This badge was worn of the top of the shoulder, to identify the unit

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[fiwi]

I found a photo of a “slip on” that shows the shoulder titile of the 2nd Cdn LAA, the patch of the 1st Canadian Division, and the rank of Lance Corporal

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[Temujin]

This is a photo of a couple of Artillery men of the 3rd Cdn LAA. I’m posting this to show you that they could wear different items, like the man on the right has a “leather jerkin” on. He also has his “beret” on sideways. On the man on the right, you can see the “Division Patch” (the square patch) on his arm.

Also, a Lance Corporal in the Artillery was actually called a “Lance Bombardier”.....he worn the same “stripe” as a L/Cpl on his uniform. A “private” in the Artillery was called “Gunner”

Side note, a Bren gun (for local defence) and you can see the muzzle of a 40mm Bofors gun right behind them

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Lance-Bombardier R.G. Laidman and Gunner D. Rodgers of the 3rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery (R.C.A.), playing cribbage near Antwerp, Belgium, 30 September 1944.

[fiwi]

Another photo of Canadian Artillerymen, to show you the uniform

You can see the Division Patch, on the arm, also CANADA was at the shoulder (for units like the RCA and RCE) and you can see the RCA unit should flash sewn on the epaulette at the top......on the RCA badge, the Actually unit number (in this case the number 14) has been “scratched out” by CENSORS during WW2

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Sergeant D. Mills and Gunner H.W. Embree checking the gunsight of a Priest M-7 105mm. self-propelled gun of the 14th Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery (R.C.A.), France, 20 June 1944.

[fiwi]

Thanks, now I can start to look for all these items. <3

[fiwi]

I found a photo of a “slip on” that shows the shoulder titile of the 2nd Cdn LAA, the patch of the 1st Canadian Division, and the rank of Lance Corporal

9AD3C3AA-DB44-4CF8-A2F8-5DEF008210F2.jpeg

Good morning,

I reccon : the unit patch, Canada patch and rank : both shoulders / arms and the division patch only on the left arm ?

[fiwi]

I found a photo of a “slip on” that shows the shoulder titile of the 2nd Cdn LAA, the patch of the 1st Canadian Division, and the rank of Lance Corporal

9AD3C3AA-DB44-4CF8-A2F8-5DEF008210F2.jpeg

Good morning,

I reccon : the unit patch, Canada patch and rank : both shoulders / arms and the division patch only on the left arm ?

I would recommend this website. It has information on “hundreds” of things including rank badges, patches, uniforms, wound stripes, long service chevrons, medals etc etc etc. Also, the books from Clive Law give you lots of detail on uniforms etc

https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/insign ... signia.htm

https://servicepub.com/product/dressed-to-kill

Unfortunately Clive passed away a few years ago, but his company (Service Publications) is still operating and you can get lots of very good books on everything you want to know about the Canadian Military. Here’s a link to their website

https://servicepub.com/