Uniform Accoutrements - Armbands - World War 1 Staff Officers

An armband is a piece of material worn around the arm. They may be worn for pure ornamentation, or to mark the wearer as belonging to group, or as insignia having a certain rank, status, office or role, or being in a particular state or condition.
During World War 1, headquarters staff officers and commanders in British and Empire forces including Australian wore armbands on their right arms to assist in identification of rank and function. Typically a red, white, red arm band indicated attached to Army Corps HQ. Divisional HQ troops wore a red arm band while Brigade HQ wore a blue arm bands.
This form of identification, paralled the identifying shoulder patches worn at unit level by all soldiers including officers serving in the unit.