COLOUR PATCHES

COLOUR PATCHES
OF THE

AUSTRALIAN FORCES
1914-1918
The charts show the system on which these colour patches
were designed, whereby anyone knowing (1) the basic shapes
(indicating division or service), (2) lower colours ( usually
denoting brigade ), and (3) upper colours ( usually denoting
unit ) could at a glance determine to what unit the wearer
.
belonged The four irregularities in the case of the infantry
are marked with asterisks.
 INFANTRY
DIVISION BATTALION BRIGADE BRIGADE BRIGADE
Upp er colour Lower colour Lower colour Lower colour
Shape N E W SOUTH WALES VICTORIA QUEENSLAND TASMANIA
of usually usually SOUTH AUST WESTAUST
usually
patch GREEN RED LIGHT BLUE

1 BdeHO _ LTM
Bty 2Bde HQ Bty 3 Bde HQ
FIRST
black Ist Bn in Bde !Bn 5 Bn 9 Bn
purple 2nd Bn in Bde 2 Bn 6 b * Bn
10
brown 3rd Bn in Bde 3 Bn 77 Bn IIBn
white 4th Bn in Bde 4 Bn 8 Bn 12Bn
‘
5 Bty 6 Bde
BdeHQHQ
SECOND black 1st Bn in Bde Bn
^17LTM 21 Bn 21Bn
purple 2nd Bn in Bde 18 Bn 22 22Bn
brown 3rdBn in Bde 19Bn 23Bn
white 4th Bnin Bde 20Bn Bn
24Bn 28Bn
9Bde HQ l0Bde HQ
>Ltm Bty
THIRD black 1st Bn in Bde 33Bn 37Bn ^ 41Bn
purple 2nd Bn in Bde 34Bn 38Bn 42Bn
brown 3rdBn in Bde 35Bn 39Bn 43Bn
white 4th Bn in Bde 36Bn 40Bn 44Bn
 4
in 13 45Bn Bn
VIC 1 Vic 46Bn A
brown Bde ( 15 , 47Bn
^ 5
4 in WA,SA16 ,SA 48Bn ^
14 Bde HQ
FIFTH
black 1stBn in Bde 53Bn 57Bn VIC^29BnLTM Bty
purple 2nd Bnin Bde 54Bn 58Bn NSW 30Bn |
brown 3rdBn in Bde 55Bn 59Bn QLD,VIC31Bn j]
white 4th Bnin Bde 56Bn JJ 60Bn WA,SA 32Bn
S IXTH 16 Bde HQ LTM
Bty
black 1st Bnin Bde 61Bn . 65Bn 69Bn
purple 2 in Bde 62Bn 66Bn ta
ched
(at Bde
nd Bn
brown 3rdBn in Bde 63Bn 67Bn 70Bn
attached to
CANCELLED
Machine Gun Companies

V
8BdeHQ 29
 Medium DIVISIONAL UNITS CANCELLED
DIV HQ Arty TM Btys
Bns Engrs Pnr AMC ASC c
Vet
Corps Pay Corps
2 <
< >
^
4 >
5
6 ' CANCELLED

I Div HQ / Div Ordce 1Div Pnr Bn 3 Div ASC

Pioneers 1 Div 4Div 5 Div
^
 LIGHT HORSE
B R I G A D E S (Lower Colour)
REGIMENT 1 Dde
I Bde I 2 Bde 4 Bde 5 Bde
(Upper Colour )
st Regtin Bde
Light 1Blue 1Regt Regt 4 Regt 14 Regt
green 2nd Regt in Bde 2Regt 6Regt 9 Regt 11 15Regt
black 3rd
Regt in Bde 3Regt 7Regt 10
ORe
Regt 12Regt

Machine Gun Squadrons 1Sqdn 2 Sgdn

Sqdn 3 Sqdn 4 5 Sqdn
Field Ambulances 1F Amb 2FA
FAmb 3 FAmb 4FAmb 5FAmb
Mobile Veterinary Sects 6Sect
^ 7Sect 8Sect 9 Sect 10
Sect
Camel/ Corps ENGINEERS &SIGNALS MED!
MEDICAL CANCELLED
~
Armoured Car Bty Fld Sqdns ) Camel Corps
Corp AMC 4Regt Sig Service ~

ASC Wireless Sqdn 6 SanSect 11Regt Fld

/Sqdn
Remount Sect Sig Service | 7 San Sect 12Regt ASC
RHA (attached) 5 Sig Troop 8 San Sect Remount Units N °1 N 2
°
 C O R P S. A R M Y. ETC. U N I T S
FLYING CORPS ENGINEERS TRANSPORT & SUPPLY
All units Corps Mech Tpt Col
Corps Signals
ARTILLERY Topographial / Sect Mech Tpt

3 (Army) Bde Tunnelling Coys Coys

6(Army) Bde 1Army Troops Coy RailheadSup Detach

1
2 Army) Bde M&B Coy Sea Tpt Service
E&M
(Army) Signals Railway light
36 Heavy Arty Group MOUNTED TROOPS
Aust Corps Corps )
(previously 1 Anzac
Heavy TMBty Cyc Bn
(Army Amm Sects
CANCELLED

Corps Amm Parks Mining Corps Corps Troops Sup Col "K"
Supply Col
 M E D I CA L
General Hospitals 1 2 3 14 Salonika

Stationary Hospitals 1 2 Nurses India

Auxiliary Hospitals 1 22 3 \ unallotted

Casualty Clearing stns 1 2 3 Dental Corps

Hospital Ships 1 2 Dermatological Hosp

Sea Transport Sect Staff N°1 Staff N ° 4

HEADQUA RTERS BASE NAVAL BRIDGING TRAIN

AIF AdminHQ Ordnance Corps GeneralService Reinf WIRELESS SECTION
(Mesopotamia)
Admin HQMed Sect Pay Corps Special Duty
Corps HQ Veterinary Evac Stn NAVAL AND MILITARY EXPEDITIONARY FORCE
CANCELLED Veterinary Hosp Infantry Medical
AIF AdminHQ Motor Tpt Service