Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of the District of Paris, A.E.F., by Dan Joyce

Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of the District of Paris, A.E.F.

Dan Joyce

The District of Paris shoulder sleeve insignia is not one of the more colorful insignia of World War I, but its form is quite distinctive. The trefoil or fleur-de-lis in white, silver, or silver-gray on an inverted black triangle is steeped in French history. Unfortunately, for our troops, it was the wrong kind of history. Before we get to that, just where and what was the District of Paris?

On 3 November 1917, the force charged with maintaining discipline in the Paris area was saddled with the awkward handle “US Troops in Paris,” initially commanded by the assistant provost marshal. In May of the following year,1 the designation “District of Paris” began. While the district was within the operational area of the Intermediate Section, Service of Supply (SOS), it stood as an independent organization. The district was disbanded on 7 October 1919.

Now that we know the where and when, what was within the District of Paris? The district contained several American hospitals as well as headquarters for most war work organizations. Quartermaster and ordnance storehouses were also within the district. Doctors, nurses, military police, and Marines acting as military police, made up a large portion of its military population. During the war and long after, the area was forbidden to the majority of A.E.F. enlisted personnel.

As with most American shoulder sleeve insignia, the district received verbal permission to adopt the insignia after the war was over, in this case February 1919.2 On 7 February, Brig. Gen. W. W. Harris, commanding the district, sent a memo3 to Maj. Gen. James G. Harbord, commanding general of the Service of Supply, to confirm authorization. He also enclosed samples of the insignia. In the letter he wrote the adoption of a distinctive insignia was necessary for “discipline and to distinguish [their] men from casuals.” He further noted the insignia would be painted on both front vehicle doors in white and that the Peace Commission could not use the district insignia. They were to use a broad purple band on the rear and both sides of vehicles.4

Insignia approval occurred before 15 February and specifications noted. For officers the insignia would be a “black broadcloth triangle with a silver-gray fleur-delis of silver thread in the center.”5 The triangle was “to measure 3¼ inches across the base and 4¼ inches on the sides.”6 It was to be “worn base up on the left arm with the baseline flush with the top of the sleeve.”7 Purchase of the officers insignia was at one of four suppliers in Paris: 64 Rue Ponthieu, 11 Rue Faubourg St. Honore, 35 Rue de l’Echiquier and La Dayen, and 7 Rue Turbridge.8

For enlisted men the insignia would consist of a triangle of black broadcloth with a silver-gray fleur-de-lis of broadcloth placed in the center. Dimensions were the same as for officers.9 Enlisted men could buy the insignia at Magasin de Louvre, Rue de Rivoli 164.10 This suggests enlisted men were not issued insignia like other units and had to personally purchase their insignia.

Col. John T. Knight, Chief Quartermaster, Service of Supply, did not receive the insignia approval by 14 February and would not authorize their manufacture or let civilian contracts.11 The District of Paris replied it had already received verbal approval from Major General Harbord, Service of Supply. It also pointed out General Order No. 7, Headquarters, Service of Supply dated 6 February 1919, also sanctioned the insignia. The chief quartermaster of the A.E.F. authorized the manufacture and supply of the insignia.12 On 6 March, Harbord recommended approval and sent it on to General Headquarters, A.E.F.

By 11 March, Major General Woolfolk, General Headquarters, got into the fray, stating since the chief quartermaster had started manufacture (which was incorrect), and Harbord had recommended approval, then General Headquarters would approve as well. He further stated only General Headquarters could officially approve insignia.13 This put Harbord and the chief quartermaster, A.E.F. in their respective places.

Brig. Gen. J. M. Carson, Deputy Chief Quartermaster

FIG 1. Embroidered Liberty Loan variation for enlisted men. The fleur-de-lis is white and the background olive drab. Courtesy of Dan Griffin, Griffin Militaria. FIG 4. Officer’s flat silver wire fleurde-lis on a black felt background. Made in France. Courtesy of Dan Griffin, Griffin Militaria.

FIG 2. Officer’s silver bullion fleur-de-lis on a black felt background. Made in France. This example has a horizontal rectangular extension to be sewn into the uniform sleeve seam. Courtesy of Dan Griffin, Griffin Militaria. FIG 3. Officer’s silver bullion fleur-de-lis on a black felt background. Made in France. Courtesy of Dan Griffin, Griffin Militaria.

FIG 5. Enlisted man’s machine embroidered gray fleur-de-lis on a black background. Courtesy of Dan Griffin, Griffin Militaria.

of the District of Paris, wrote he thought he had received verbal authority from General Headquarters. He went on to say he would have never authorized manufacture except with GHQ approval.14 Brigadier General Harris (District of Paris) sent all previous insignia correspondence to Headquarters, Service of Supply and General Headquarters, A.E.F., for their files. This convoluted tale illustrates that everyone involved had sufficiently covered their collective rears.

Meanwhile, 1st Lt. Harry Parker, commanding officer of the 1st Censor and Press Company, sent a memo to the adjutant general at Headquarters, District of Paris, about the insignia. He questioned whether it was the intention for the enlisted men to purchase insignia out of their own funds. In the district there were no company funds for this purpose.15 Lieutenant Parker sent a courier to Magasin de Louvre, Rue de Rivoli 64 [sic] to secure prices. The best retail price would be 3.60 – 3.15 francs each in wholesale quantities. They would not be ready for sale until, “Tuesday of next week” (25 February 1919).16 An undated reply to Parker shows the enlisted men would not receive them free and prices were to be as follows:

Wholesale prices: In silk 315 francs per hundred In silver 350 francs per hundred

Retail prices: In silk 3.60 francs each In silver 4.25 francs each (machine made) In silver 6.90 francs each (hand made)17

Even before issue, criticism had started. First Lt. Stephen Early knew his French history. He sent a memo to Gen. Dennis Nolan, Assistant Chief of Staff, G–2, General Headquarters, A.E.F. In it he wrote the “fleur de lis was an emblem of the Royalists of France, and at one time a brand by which criminals and prostitutes were marked.”18 He described a scene from, “The Three Musketeers where ‘My Lady’ was disrobed, and recognized by the Fleur de Lis, branded as a prostitute and of ill repute.”19

The following is a list of major variations. As always, there are always new examples to be found:

Black or Navy blue triangle with fleur-de-lis as listed below: 1. White or gray embroidered fleur-de-lis; 2. 3. 4. 5.

6. 7. Gold or silver embroidered fleur-de-lis; Gold or silver bullion fleur-de-lis; Applied white or gray felt fleur-de-lis; “Liberty Loan” machine embroidered fleur-de-lis on a black triangle with no extra black to sew into the shoulder seam on an olive drab rectangle; Most are of the same size but larger versions do exist; Sometimes the extra felt above the triangle was not turned into the shoulder seam making the insignia appear larger.20

FIG 6. Enlisted man’s gray felt fleur-de-lis on a black felt background. This example has a horizontal rectangular extension to be sewn into the uniform sleeve seam. Courtesy of Dan Griffin, Griffin Militaria.

Notes

1. 6 May 1918. 2. Commanding General, District of Paris, to Commanding General, Service of Supply, 7 February 1919, confirming previous verbal authority and enclosing examples, Box 2049, Records of the American Expeditionary

Forces (World War I), Record Group 120, National Archives Building,

Washington, DC, (hereafter NAB). 3. Ibid. 4. Ibid. 5. Ibid. 6. Ibid. 7. General Order No. 2, District of Paris Headquarters, Box 2049, RG 120,

NAB. 8. Ibid. 9. Ibid. As a side note, this general order also stated the fourrageres and foreign decorations were not a part of the American uniform and would not be worn. Also, members of the American Peace Commission and

A.E.F. personnel on duty with it would wear the American Peace

Commission insignia, which was issued by the Personnel Officer, 4 Place de la Concorde. Lastly, personnel relieved of duty with Army corps or divisions would immediately crease to wear their old insignia. 10. Ibid. 11. Chief Quartermaster, Headquarters, Service of Supply (SOS), to Assistant

Chief of Staff, G–1, 14 February 1919, Box 2049, RG 120, NAB. 12. Second indorsement, Headquarters, SOS, to CG, District of Paris, 27

February 1919 and third indorsement, CG, DoP to HQ, SOS 3 March 1919, Box 2049, RG 120, NAB. 13. Fifth indorsement, GHQ, AEF, to HQ, SOS, 11 March 1919, Box 2049,

RG 120, NAB. 14. Memo from Brig. Gen. J. M. Carson, Deputy Chief QM, District of

Paris, to Acting Chief of Staff (G–4) Service of Supply, Box 2049, RG 120, NAB. 15. Memo from CO, 1st Censor and Press Company, to AG, HQ, District of

Paris Box, 2049, RG 120, NAB, 120. 16. Ibid. 17. Memo to Lieutenant Parker, probably from AG, HQ, DoP, no date, Box 2049, RG 120, NAB. 18. Memo from Lieutenant Early to General Nolan, GHQ, 1919, Box 2049,

RG 120, NAB. 19. Ibid. 20. Author’s observations over a thirty-year period.