Ordnance Insignia of the British Army

Airborne Formation Signs

The RAOC was represented in every Airborne Formation since WWII by Headquarters staff, Ordnance Field Parks & Workshops (up to 1942) Ordnance Companies, Parachute Heavy Drop Companies, Combat Supplies Platoons and RAOC Stores Sections attached to REME workshops (after 1942)

Left - Light Blue on Maroon - 1st & 6th Airborne Divisions W.W.II
Right - Yellow on Light Blue - 16 Airborne Division (TA) 1947 - 1956
(Worn on both sleeves of battle dress blouse as facing pairs)
Yellow on Light Blue (Facing Left) not illustrated - 16 Airborne Brigade 1975 - 1981
(Worn on the left arm only, facing forward - First use of DZ Flashes on right arm)


Left - 24 Airmoble Brigade
Right - 5 Airborne Brigade (Worn on left sleeve of combat jacket or jump smock only) 1982 - 1996
DZ Flash of unit was worn on right sleeve

Ordnance/Logistics DZ Flashes

During W.W.II a method of identification was required to quickly rally airborne troops into operational units on the drop zone. Initially the ‘Denison’ Jump Smock carried no unit identification, which created problems when reaching the designated Dropping Zones. So a ‘Field Identification Sign/Flash’ (shortened to ‘Drop Zone’ or DZ) were used. At first this was little more than a coloured shape of cloth, similar to that used by the infantry in W.W.1 After the war larger versions of the Arms of Service strip was used. Manufactured in a variety of materials - Felt/cotton or linen fabric with a woven or printed design, later versions being in nylon/polyester. DZ Flashes are normally 2¾” x 2¾” square with diamond and triangular examples also noted.

Worn by Ordnance and attached personnel of a RAOC independent airborne unit.
(Such as 44 Parachute OFP, 16 Parachute Heavy Drop Company and 82 Ordnance Company)

Red/Black/Red stitched tape examples
(The Red/Black/Red examples may also have been an early use of the Logistics Red/Black Identification Colours)

Red/Blue/Red Woven, merrow edge examples
Note differant shades of Blue middle band.

This was superseded by the

Logistics DZ Flash
Red/Black Diagonally Halved

Early Cotton & Felt examples of the Logistics DZ Flash
First used by 1 Parachute Logistics Regiment c1948
A combined RASC (later RCT), RAOC & REME unit
(Later re-named 5 Airborne Brigade Logistic Battalion c1983)


Colours of 562 Combat Supplies Platoon DZ Flash c1965
562 Parachute Coy RASC - White/Yellow/Blue DZ Patch (1956 - 1965)
Continued to be worn by 562 Combat Supplies Platoon when re-badged to RAOC in 1965
Later changing to the Red/Black/Red RAOC DZ Patch


Modern Merrowed edge example
Now adopted by the Royal Logistic Corps
(Unit Renamed - 13 Air Assault Logistic Regiment RLC)

M Comerford - August 2003 - HTML Revision 1