Royal Tank Corps

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by fearnaught

Hi, they became RTR in 1939 as the RAC was formed then,and you can't have a Corps in a Corps, Mike

Yes you're spot on. The Cavalry of the Line continued to exist with just one regiment, the Greys or the Blues I think, who were still on horseback in Palestine until 41? (I think).

[sketchley kid]

Sorry......quite correct...1939.....so he's wearing a mix up of badges, RTR cap and collars, RTC titles, so if he is/was RTC there's no excuse for wearing a beret like that as he must have worn one for some time.
I can understand die-hard donkey wallopers wearing unshrunk berets, for instance the Bays who did not wear them until mid 46, didn't like them and wore some shockers.
9th. Lancers were still wearing side caps in 47 possibly 48.

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by sketchley kid

Sorry......quite correct...1939.....so he's wearing a mix up of badges, RTR cap and collars, RTC titles, so if he is/was RTC there's no excuse for wearing a beret like that as he must have worn one for some time.
I can understand die-hard donkey wallopers wearing unshrunk berets, for instance the Bays who did not wear them until mid 46, didn't like them and wore some shockers.
9th. Lancers were still wearing side caps in 47 possibly 48.

Side caps are still worn today but that's mostly in barrack dress. You might still see the odd tent hat in combat dress if you work with the QRH though because some officers are eccentric.

[sketchley kid]

Only some officers??

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by sketchley kid

Only some officers??

They still promote that attitude of the laid back cavalry officer. A lot wear berets like they should but many still revert to wearing tent hats on scheme or on ops because that's what the officers of the 8th did. No point in being the only unit in the army to wear the tent hat if you don't flaunt it I guess.

I don't think I've ever seen anyone wearing a side hat in combats in my time. I had one myself in bottle green with yellow piping but it was only worn with barrack dress. Dickie Napier, in his book "From Horses to Chieftains" relates wearing one with walking out dress in Cairo in the mid 1930's.

[Mike Jackson]

10th Hussars and a captured Opel Blitz truck, August 1942.
1 Armd Div.2 Armd Bde.10th Hussars.03.jpg

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by Mike Jackson

10th Hussars and a captured Opel Blitz truck, August 1942.
Attachment 104622

Maybe I should have pointed out that the dark green side hats were different to khaki issue which was worn in working dress.

These are side hats:



These are Irish Hussar tent hats - picture circa 1944. The Irish Hussars adopted black berets in working dress in 1939 so, as you can see, officers do their own thing.

[sketchley kid]

Bays before Alemein........and I was refering to khaki issue by OR's.

[sketchley kid]

Bays..1947.......note Div. signs......left and right both the same.

[1stTankie]

Originally Posted by Hussar100

I don't wear anything now mate. But when I did I wore a beret, not a four man bivvy.

How about a picture?

Gordon

[Cruachan]

Originally Posted by Hussar100

...The sort of guy I'd have hated to come into contact with because he'd have refused to put anything on your chit saying he needed to keep it all in the stores or else he wouldn't have anything left to store.

Well, as our RQMS used to say when you tried to get him to spring for something you needed "Stores are for storing - if they had been meant for issuing stuff they would've been called Issues!"



J

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by 1stTankie

How about a picture?

Gordon

I'm afraid there wasn't a camera strong enough in the regiment.

[Mike Jackson]

Originally Posted by sketchley kid

Bays..1947.......note Div. signs......left and right both the same.

Here's a Welsh Guardsman in Tunisia (3 WG, 1 Inf Bde, 6 Armd Div) making a statement for individuality - he's rotated the 6 Armd Div sign 90 degrees clockwise so that he has two rear-facing armoured fists! Why hasn't the Sarnt Major noticed? Mike
6 Armd Div, 3 WG, Tunisia NA 1717 3.jpg

[sketchley kid]

Good observation there Mike...that would put the thumb at the bottom....I think...I'm confused!!
here's mine...
actually we changed from the rhino to these in mid 46. we were 1st.Armoured.