WW2 Canadian RCN Navy Photographer Trade Patch

The WW2 Canadian RCN Navy Photographer Trade Patch is an original insignia issued to qualified photographers of the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. This patch features an embroidered camera motif, which was used to identify naval personnel trained in photography and photographic documentation aboard ships or at naval installations. Such specialists played a vital role in recording ship operations, events, and technical imagery for both archival and operational purposes. The patch is typically produced in dark navy blue wool with light-colored embroidery, designed to be sewn onto the uniform sleeve. Trade or proficiency badges like this were part of the broader system used to designate specific skills and trades within the Royal Canadian Navy. This example represents a distinct subset of wartime naval insignia and reflects the expanding role of photographic documentation during World War II. It offers insight into the functions and organization of specialist personnel within the wartime Canadian naval forces.