Cloth Parachute Wings Attached To British WW2 Battle dress Jacket

[DAI]

Hello All
picked this original photo up last year at local boot fair the chap is wearing a set of parachute wings on his right chest i cannot find any other photos of parachute wings worn in this position the photo is correct and not printed the wrong way around note button any information would be very interesting to know . hope photos are ok best wishes DAI.

[Jack59]

Hello, I remember seeing late WW 2 French air force paratroopers or French SAS with para wings at the same location on their battledress. Once home I'll find the good references.

Regards.
Jack

[DAI]

Many thanks Jack Best Wishes
DAI

[Jack59]

. Hello All
picked this original photo up last year at local boot fair the chap is wearing a set of parachute wings on his right chest i cannot find any other photos of parachute wings worn in this position the photo is correct and not printed the wrong way around note button any information would be very interesting to know . hope photos are ok best wishes DAI.

Here is a possibility.
French officier marinier SAS Bataillon/ 5e RIC, Saïgon, 1946.
Many of the French soldiers involved at the beginning of the Indochina war were WW 2 veterans from paras & SAS units. French units were then dressed, equipped & armed with British WW 2 surplus.

Not a period photo but a very accurate representation with original items.*


His wings are of British type & were manufactured in Ceylan. During WW 2 many of the occupied European Countries had paratrooper's units trained & equipped by Great-Britain. Most of them wore British style wings. Not much information about their exact location on uniforms exist beside period photographs.

What I suggest is to look at the back of the photo, hopefully a name, date & perhaps more info are written.

*Les Paras français en Indochine 1945/1954. Histoire et Collections.

Regards.
Jack

[kradman]

I saw a photo of a Free Dutch Soldier with Para wings on his chest but i can't remember where i saw it now

[DAI]

Hello Jack
Many Thanks for this information the photo frame did have more photos of this chap in civilian clothes i will find them and post them to see if any more info can be found out best wishes DAI

[DAI]

Hi Kradman
thanks for this information All the best DAI

[Jack59]

Hi again,

Right breast info.

In WW2 men of the 44th Indian Airborne Division were trained by British instructors, the wing is different in both shape & manufacture. It was worn on the right breast.



This wing has a dark background, the bottom of the wings are almost horizontal similar to the one on your photo.

The Deutch were awarded British wings worn on the left breast. (WW 2)

Source: Parachute Badges & Insignia of the World. Bradford Press. 1979

Regards
Jack

[DAI]

Hello Jack
I am posting two more photos that may help the rear of the portrait photo has a inscription in English also a photo of the same chap that looks to be his wedding day with his new bride he looks a little older in the wedding photo which happily would indicate he survived the war not sure if this is will help however many many thanks to you for the time you have taken to help me to try and solve this mystery best wishes DAI

[Jack59]

Hi DAI,

We did our best about John. We now know he wasn't French. Let me conclude with a few photos of paras in India where we see right breast wings.







A few links:
Training the 44th Indian Airborne Division 1945
(British) Indian Airborne Forces | ParaData
44th Airborne Division (India) - Wikipedia

Regards
Jack