Formation patch 2rd Canadian Corps (R.C.C.S.)

This badge is a Canadian Corps diamond on which are superimposed the initials of the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals. Blue and white are Signal Corps colours. Note the use of stops between letters, the most common but not the universal pattern of RCCS patches. This badge could represent either 1st or 2nd Corps Signals as the identical badge was worn by both units at different times. When 1st Canadian Corps was created there was no thought that a second Corps would be formed so the support services were allowed to wear patches in the colours of their own corps or service. The first pattern for 1 Corps signals, approved on 22 December 1940, was a blue diamond on which were the white initials RCCS. When 2 Canadian Corps came into existence in January 1943 it adopted a blue diamond patch. Other than the plain patch for Corps HQ, the only other patch authorised was the Signals patch, which was identical to that being worn by 1 Corps Signals. Although this created obvious problems, the situation remained unresolved until after October 1943. Following enquiries from NDHQ, steps were taken to rationalise both Corps' insignia. 1st Corps Signals changed to the basic 1 Corps red diamond with superimposed a blue tablet with the RCCS letters in white. 2nd Corps retained the letters on the blue diamond, the first pattern used by 1st Corps Signals. Whatever confusion remained would have been mitigated by the departure of 1st Corps to Italy in November 1943. The use of distinctions superimposed onto formation patches to denote the arm of service to which units of a formation's corps and services belonged (ie: Signals, Engineers, Ordnance, Service, etc.) was a uniquely Canadian practice. The first such distinctions were granted at the end of 1940 and beginning of 1941 to the Ordnance Corps and the Engineers, followed by the Signals and Service Corps. As the number of these distinctions grew it appears that the general rule was for the corps' or service's initials to be superimposed onto the parent formation's basic patch in yellow (gold) letters. Notable exceptions were the use of a cherry bar to denote RCAMC units, the use of red and blue for RCE and the white on blue lettering for RCCS. In April 1942 National Defence HQ in Canada notified the overseas army that shoulder titles had been approved for corps and services units (ie: RCE, RCOC, RCASC, RCAPC, RCAMC and CProC (Provost)) and recommended that these be used in conjunction with plain formation patches. This was not taken up immediately and the switch to the officially favoured style was piecemeal across the various corps and services and formations. It is worth noting that the RCEME, formed in February 1944 (some sixteen months after the British counterpart), never wore a distinction on a formation patch. By summer of 1944 distinctions on formation patches were probably the exception rather than the rule, certainly at divisional level. Notable officially sanctioned exemptions were the RCCS white letters on blue and the Army and Corps Artillery zig-zags, all of which retained their distinctions to the end of the war. 2 Corps Signals sub-units were as follows: 2 Cdn Corps HQ Sigs (less HQ 3 (RA) Coy), 3 Cdn Tech Maint Sec, 5 Cdn Line Sec, 3 Cdn Line Maint Sec, 5 Cdn DR Sec, 6 Cdn DR Sec, 5 Cdn Operating Sec, 6 Cdn Operating Sec, 5 Cdn Medium Wireless Sec, 6 Cdn Medium Wireless Sec. 2 Corps Signals disbanded 3 July 1945.