Formation badge, VIII Corps district and South West District, 1940 (c)

Printed cotton, oval badge with black flying francolin on white ground.

This is the first pattern of badge carried by VIII Corps, the second being a charging knight in white on a red ground. The francolin emblem was adopted in 1940 when the Corps HQ formed a Corps District for the defence of the South West of England (Devon, Cornwall and Somerset). The design made reference to the name of the then commander, General Franklyn. When the Corps moved north to take up an operational role in February 1943 a separate District HQ was formed, South Western District, under Southern Command. The new District took over the francolin badge.