8th Rifle Brigade - from Normandy to the Baltic - June 1944 - May 1945

UNIFORMS & EQUIPMENT

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All photos of uniforms and other equipment on this page are actual 8th Rifle Brigade examples.

INSIGNIA

Lt.-Col. Liddell (left), shortly after the war. He took over command of the Battalion in July 1945. On his arm are the same badges as all members of the battalion, from top to bottom: the 'Rifle Brigade' black on dark green shoulder stripe, the divisional badge, showing a black bull on yellow back ground, and below that, a plain dark green arm of service stripe. On his epaulets he wears his badges of rank, a black on rifle green crown above one pip - IWM BU9897
Lt.-Col. Liddell (left), shortly after the war. He took over command of the Battalion in July 1945. On his arm are the same badges as all members of the battalion, from top to bottom: the 'Rifle Brigade' black on dark green shoulder stripe, the divisional badge, showing a black bull on yellow back ground, and below that, a plain dark green arm of service stripe. On his epaulets he wears his badges of rank, a black on rifle green crown above one pip - IWM BU9897
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Captains Fiennes (left) and Neill, Schleswig, summer 1945 - Capt. Neill coll.
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Capt. Neill, Schloss Gottorf, Schleswig, summer 1945 - Capt. Neill coll.
Major (black on dark green crown) Cunliffe, OC F Company, receiving his MC from Field-Marshall Montgomery - Maj. Cunliffe coll.
Major (black on dark green crown) Cunliffe, OC F Company, receiving his MC from Field-Marshall Montgomery - Maj. Cunliffe coll.
Coll. Lord Saye and Sele
Company Quarter Master Sergeant, black, dark green and gilded crown above sergeant's chevrons - Fiennes coll.
CSM Millwood - cut
Company Sergeant Major Derek Millwood, H Company. Crown and laurel wreath rank badge on right forearm. Black and green lanyard on right shoulder - CSM Millwood coll.
Sgt A.White - cut
Sgt. White MM, showing the common type of Rifle Brigade sergeant stripes, dark green with gold borders. All chevrons were worn on right arm only - Sgt. White coll.
Corporal White (1) - cut
Cpl. White, wearing corporal stripes of a pattern similar to the sergeant stripes. These are rarely seen. Black and green lanyard to right shoulder - Sgt. White coll.
Card school - filter
Corporal to left has common type of corporal stripes, being green on dark green. Lance corporal stripes were of a similar pattern - Sgt. White coll.
H-L - cut
Rfn. Gillate, H Coy, wearing dark green marksman badge (crossed rifles) on lower left arm - Jeltes coll.
G Coy - Signals - cut-r
G Coy signalmen, signals badge on lower left arm, man on right also wears a good conduct stripe - Jeltes coll.
Ptn - 12 Platoon G Coy - Aldershot May 1944 - cut
G Coy, 12 Pl. Lance-Corporal, wearing unidentified trades badge on lower left arm - Sgt. White coll.
08a - 29061944 - 8th_Battalion_The_Rifle_Brigade_Operation_'Epsom'_Normandy._B6194 - cut
To left, Rifle Brigade lanyard being worn 'in the field'. Operation Epsom, 29 June 1944 - IWM B6194.

UNIFORMS AND HEADGEAR

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Lt. Anderson, wearing peaked officer's cap.
Capt. Straker, wearing officer's RB dark green side cap. Note cord boss with bugle badge to front - Capt. Straker coll.
Capt. Straker, wearing officer's RB dark green side cap. Note cord boss with bugle badge to front - Capt. Straker coll.
Cpl. Birleson, wearing other rank's rifle green (dark green) side cap.
Cpl. Birleson, wearing other rank's rifle green (dark green) side cap.
Jack 1942 (1) - cut
Rfn. Petrie, wearing other rank's rifle green (dark green) side cap - Rfn. Petrie coll.
Heron 05
Rfn. Heron, wearing other rank's rifle green (dark green) side cap - Rfn. Heron coll.
Heron 01
Rfn. Heron, wearing Rifle Brigade khaki beret - Rfn. Heron coll.
Cpl. Don Gillate wearing khaki beret (introduced in 1942) - Cpl. Gillate coll.
Cpl. Don Gillate wearing khaki beret (introduced in 1942) - Cpl. Gillate coll.
Don Gillate, holding 1944 dated Kangol khaki beret- Cpl. Gillate coll.
Don Gillate, holding 1944 dated Kangol khaki beret- Cpl. Gillate coll.
Antwerpen 440904 - Bron youtube -2 - helmet
Rifleman showing helmet with unit flash: black-green-black Antwerp, 4 Sept, 1944 - Source unknown
Lt Oxley-Boyle at Ranby 1942
Lt. Oxley-Boyle, G Coy, 12 Pl., in officer's service dress. Note black buttons and Rifle Brigade lanyard - Sgt. White coll.
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Capt. Neill (right) and Lt. Hodge, BD blouse and black buttons - Capt. Neill coll.
Liddel MC at invest - 450812 - cut
Lt.-Col. Liddel, in what seems a converted 1937 pattern BD blouse, with exposed buttons. August 1945 - IWM BU9896
Rfn Everard, Normandy, 11 July 1944 - IWM B6959
Rfn Everard, Normandy, 11 July 1944 - IWM B6959
Rfn. Heron (left) and three fellow riflemen in front of half track - Rfn. Heron coll.
Rfn. Heron (left) and three fellow riflemen in front of half track - Rfn. Heron coll.
Rifleman in leather jerkin - Sgt. Fruin coll.
Rifleman in leather jerkin - Sgt. Fruin coll.
N005 - Members of 9 Platoon, G Company. Front row far right: Rfn. John Petrie, 2nd from right Rfn. Eric Patience - Petrie collection
Members of 9 Pl., G Coy., wearing different type of garments, such as battle dress blouses, leather jerkins and windproof smocks, April 1945 - Rfn. Petrie coll.
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Major Noel Bell (right) and Captain Kenneth Chabot, both wearing (Airborne) Denison smocks - Jeltes coll.
Medic Sgt. Victor Hadley wearing Denison smock - Sgt. V.T. Hadley coll.
Medic Sgt. Victor Hadley wearing Denison smock - Sgt. V.T. Hadley coll.
Fruin photo 057a - cut
Members of G Coy. Mortar section, wearing leather jerkins, windproof smocks and greatcoat - Sgt. Fruin coll.
Riflemen near Gunhof, Holland, late November 1944 - Sgt. Fruin coll.
Riflemen near Gunhof, Holland, late November 1944 - Sgt. Fruin coll.

EQUIPMENT

05.03 - 8RB opening Compo crate - WW2f
L/Cpl Ellis (right) and Rfn. Girling of F Company, using a 'tommy cooker' and opening a 14 men compo crate, containing tinned food, such as biscuits, sweets, sausages, and beans, tea and cigarettes - IWM B6186
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