Quo Vadis Jimmy?

[Signalman150]

Okay guys, be gentle with me... I've done all the stuff I'm supposed to: I used the search function, looked at the thread on recurring subjects, and I can't find the answer to my question.

I'm still reeling here. What the hell is happening with Jimmy? I just looked at this website (at the suggestion of a poster on another thread).

http://www.forces.gc.ca/admmat/dglepm/badges-insignia/cap_badges-METAL_e.htm

...and discovered the word OBSOLETE in big red letters beside my old cap badge (Communications and Electronics Branch).  Now I admit, my trade has gone the way of the Dodo bird (Radio/Teletype Op), but COME-ON!  You still need to communicate, don't you?

The figure rendered on that cap badge (affectionately refered to as "Jimmy") is based on a bronze casting  done in the late 1500s by Giovanni da Bologna, and had been a part of the Canadian Signal Corps, Communication Command etc. since the 1920s.  And now someone's going to try and tell me he's obsolete? 

I think not. What have they done to Jimmy? 

 

[Canadian.Trucker]

A little off topic, but I remember hearing a story of Jimmy's "little Jimmy" being painted pink on a statue and a female fainting or something.  You sigs guys are craza'.

Sorry to hijack.  Last I checked Jimmy is still on the sigs cap badge running free.

 

[buzgo]

Welllll.... Maybe they're trying to send a message - there are a lot of people in the branch whose way of thinking is obsolete... there is a lot of gear that is obsolete... training... 

Maybe what they are referring to is the metal capbadge itself?

 

[dk]

What have they done to Jimmy?

I saw Jimmy a few hours ago, and he was fine!

The only reason it says OBSOLETE, is that they have changed it. It's no longer 100% metal. It's metal on Cloth backing.

This is image is from the C&E Museum website.

 

[Signalman150]

DK - Thanks for trying, ( and checking the Museum web site) but that hat badge is about twenty years old, and is used by CELE officers--note the gold bullion thread.  There is actually a thread-embroidered cap badge for ORs, (i.e. pte to WO) which has been around equally as long. Interesting note: Jimmy (winged Hermes) on that cap badge was completely embroidered as opposed to being a metal "add-on" as for the officers cap badge.

Signals-Guy...I understand where you're coming from, but look at it from my point of view:  I left the CF prior to the arrival of TCCCS and while Model 40 teletypes were still being used. Come to think of it, we were still using the 74 Ptn 5/4 ton truck.  How bad was it?  Well, when I started with the CommRes, they were still using Model 15 Teletypes. So....you wanna talk about obsolete gear!

And Canadian Trucker?  You wouldn't believe the horrors that statue at McNaughton Barracks has been subjected to.  Everything from what you mentioned, to having a set of BVDs put on him, and a set of sergeant stripes tacked on.  The greatest indignity however was visited upon him by a former Commandant's wife (said commandant shall remain nameless in his shame). She took exception to Jimmy's natural glory, and insisted a fig leaf be welded onto the statue. This was actually done, which tells you which member of the family was actually the commandant.

Anyway, I'm still looking for someone to explain the OBSOLETE notation beside the Communications Branch cap badge on the DND site.
Please?

 

[buzgo]

Its because the metal capbadge is no longer in use! That is it, that is all.

 

[Sig_Des]

A little off topic, but I remember hearing a story of Jimmy's "little Jimmy" being painted pink on a statue and a female fainting or something.  You sigs guys are craza'.

Sorry to hijack.  Last I checked Jimmy is still on the sigs cap badge running free.

I've always worn the embroidered Jimmy.

And we've had some wild times on course...Of course, some members of my course, never myself of course , carried the tradition of jumping off the bridge naked.

 

[Signalman150]

Signalsguy:  many thanks.

I wasn't trying to be obtuse by dismissing the idea that it was only the metal badge that was obsolete.  My rationale was based on the fact that many of the other Branch cap badges have been rendered in thread as well, yet they are NOT noted as being obsolete.  However, I'm more than happy to accept your explanation (and DKs), because I just can't conceive a world where Jimmy is no more.

As an aside, a story (it may be apocryphal), from one of my sergeants early in my comms days.  When the cap badge was being designed at the time of integration (circa 1968), the original design consisted solely of the two lightening bolts--the air force symbol for communications: there was no intention of putting Jimmy on the badge. It took a great hue and cry from army signalers to get Jimmy 'posted' from the Signal Corps badge to the CELE badge.  I'm sure there must be someone on the board here that could verify this, or bust it as an army myth. 

But I've gotta admit...that cap badge would have looked pretty sad with nothing but two hokey looking lightening bolts.