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#1
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Khaki berets. From the regiments.
Greetings all. With reference to recent discussions touching on the (re-)adoption of khaki berets by the Guards and various Line infantry regiments, I finally dug out some correspondence saved from my infancy, which I received in response to enquiries sent out to the various RHQs/Museums. I thought it might be worth sharing the word from the infantry's mouth.
To confirm: The King's Division: King's Own Royal Border Regt., POW Own Regt of Yorks*, The Green Howards, Duke of Wellington's and Queen's Lancs., all adopted the khaki beret in 1983. Stated reasons for the change were variations on 'an/the infantry colour', with some reference to WW2. The Royal Anglians' officers and W.O. 1's adopted the khaki beret in 1971 and, "following permission from the Army Dress Committee, all ranks" (No date supplied [1976]). "This reflected the khaki beret worn by the Royal Norfolk Regiment." The Guards Museum informed me that the Guards Division changed to khaki from blue in 1967. "Khaki had been our colour during the war (like everyone else) and it was decided to be 'different.' " I hope that is of some interest. JF Last edited by jf42; 27-06-17 at 05:49 AM. |
#2
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Good bit of info that, thanks.
Andy
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Leave to carry on Sir please. |
#3
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The Grenadier Guards were still wearing the dark blue beret in 1968 in Sharjah.
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#4
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Quote:
Thanks for prompting me to read about the Sharjah deployment in 'Once a Grenadier: The Grenadier Guards 1945-1995' which I found online. I enjoyed the quotation from the Commanding Officer of 1st Bn GG who declared "The Empire was won by men wearing long trousers and lost by men wearing shorts." PS. The above book refers to the Grenadiers deployed to Northern Ireland in March 1974 wearing "brown berets which had replace the dark blue/black ones some five years earlier." - i.e. circa 1968-1969. Last edited by jf42; 27-06-17 at 07:11 AM. |
#5
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Interesting comment from the Guards on their wartime use of khaki berets.
The khaki beret was first introduced for Motor Battalions (ie infantry battalions mounted in armoured vehicles which could accompany tanks)and Senior officers although often worn by others unofficially. There use was later extended to all who had worn the Cap, GS. There were several Guards Motor Battalions but I would have thought they were few in number compared with the tank equipped Guards Battalions who wore the RTR black beret with Guards cap badges. Don't have access to Joslen at the moment so can't come up with the numbers for each. Perhaps someone else can. Jon Jon |
#6
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Among Friends the History of the Scots Guards 1956-1993 by Murray Naylor shows a colour party mounted in an AFV432 wearing the dark blue beret in 1970.
Tim
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"Manui dat cognitio vires - Knowledge gives strength to the arm" "Better to know it but not need it than to need it and not know it!" "Have more than thou showest, speak less than thou knowest." |
#7
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I have to say that when I dug up the Guards Museum letter I was surprised to see the date '1967.' I had expected it to be later. I am looking at photos of 2 GG in NI 1969 still wearing the blue beret. Perhaps its time for another letter!
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#8
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Quote:
re Guards Motor battalions it lists 1st Grenadier Guards Guards Armoured Division 4th Coldstream Guards 6th Guards Tank Brigade Only two motor battalions; were you thinking of as few as that? Last edited by jf42; 29-06-17 at 04:40 PM. |
#9
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Sounds about right. Seems sparse evidence for the use of a khaki beret.
Jon |
#10
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My father claimed that 1WG wore the khaki beret, not the GS Cap when he was in the unit during WWII.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=we...vlEpg4V4QyYRM: |
#11
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Quote:
I remember seeing 1GG wearing khaki berets in Creggan during that tour (or later in 1974). |
#12
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Quote:
The Welsh Guardsmen in the link are wearing the G.S cap. Last edited by jf42; 29-06-17 at 08:26 PM. |
#13
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Yes.
As for the linked image, I couldn't make up my mind as to whether the beret or GSC is shown. |
#14
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The best 'tell' in my experience is the depth of the head band and the seam around the crown.
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#15
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Yes - the features that make it look like a GSC. rather than a beret.
As I said, I've been unable to decide from that photo whether the headgear worn is one or the other. Then again I am using phone not desktop. |
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