Glider Pilot Regiment - Authorisation of Embellishments

[hagwalther]

Hi Guys,

Not my thing but maybe it will be of interest.

Hopefully you have one in your collection that looks like this.

Providence is impeccable.

Regards

Chris

[Mike H]

Excellent Chris,a really beautiful item.
The Glider badge appears to be the same as the arm badge that was worn by the Kings Own Royal Border Regt and the Staffords except that theirs was yellow thread rather than the pale blue colour shown.

[AAC_GPR]

Originally Posted by Mike H

Excellent Chris,a really beautiful item.
The Glider badge appears to be the same as the arm badge that was worn by the Kings Own Royal Border Regt and the Staffords except that theirs was yellow thread rather than the pale blue colour shown.

I concur, excellent stuff Chris!.

Cheers,

Kev C

[54Bty]

Has anyone seen or own a pale blue glider like this one?

[AAC_GPR]

Originally Posted by 54Bty

Has anyone seen or own a pale blue glider like this one?

Actually, no. I have a hunch that whilst this badge was authorised for wear, it didn't go into production. I've not seen many 1950's glider pilot photos but of those I have, none were wearing this - I am of course happy to be proved wrong.

Kev C

[Luc]

Next time you should bring scissors with you.

[54Bty]

Maybe it was because they used this instead.

[grey_green_acorn]

If I read the original letter correctly it refers to "the pattern of glider has now received War Office approval for all orders of dress except Officers' Service Dress".
So does this mean the Horsa glider design rather than the badge itself?

I think the badge attached to the letter was intended for Officers' Service Dress on which the dark blue on light blue cloth shoulder title GLIDER PILOT REGT over the (Horsa) glider would not be worn.

The letter continues "as Service Dress is optional they (the badges) would be purchased by the officers owning that dress at their own expense".

Presumably if no photos exist of it in wear by GPR officers it was not approved?

So did officers in the Border Regiment and South Staffords wear a glider arm badge on service dress in the 1950s?

[AAC_GPR]

Originally Posted by 54Bty

Maybe it was because they used this instead.

The paperwork attached to this clearly states, "By Army Order No 3 of 1950 members of this Regiment were awarded the honour of wearing upon their right sleeve, a glider". So this honour badge is just that, not a shoulder title which would of course be worn on both arms.

[Marcel]

I happen to have two examples in my collection.

I acquired them with an interval of many years.
Shown are both front and back of the badges.

[Marcel]

Thanks for the very useful information.

I have 2 examples that I acquired over the years.
I reckoned it was avariation of the gliderborne badge


Attached pics show both front and back of the badges in my collection.

[Luc]

Nice examples Marcel!