Canada, United States. 1st Special Service Force Patch

White cotton embroidered lettering on a red embroidered cotton field, measuring 36 mm (w) x 80 mm (h), extremely fine.

Footnote: The 1st Special Service Force (also called The Devil's Brigade, The Black Devils, The Black Devils' Brigade, and Freddie's Freighters), was an elite American-Canadian commando unit in the Second World War, under command of the United States Fifth Army. The unit was organized in 1942 and trained at Fort William Henry Harrison near Helena, Montana in the United States. The Force served in the Aleutian Islands, and fought in Italy, and southern France before being disbanded in December 1944. The modern American and Canadian special operations forces trace their heritage to this unit. The insignia, displayed from 1942 to 1945, was worn by elite volunteers, specialized in mountain and winter commando tactics. This Battalion was unique, in that it’s members were both Canadian and American personnel and combined the strongest assets of both groups. The arrowhead was chosen for the design because it was a mutual symbol common to the pioneering heritage of both countries.