I discounted Royal Irish Fusiliers and Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers as suggestions as the caubeen shown doesnt have a green or red badge backing.

Thread drift - I have a dark blue caubeen, 1950s or 60's dated (1957 I think...) that has a Royal Irish Rangers anod badge and green hackle, very firmly attached - is there any possibility that on Formation of the Royal Irish Rangers there may have been a temporary wearing of the new regiment's insignia with the blue caubeen by personnel from the old blue caubeen regiments?

Leigh,
Yes there was. I remember being on a bus in Catterick Garrison in 1969 and wondering why the Rangers were wearing both dark blue and dark green caubeens. This was when the three constituent regiments of the Royal Irish Rangers were shaking down into two battalions.

The 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Rangers (1 R IRISH) moved to Catterick to relieve 3 R IRISH and assumed its Mechanised role in 6 Infantry Brigade. The 3rd Battalion disbanded on 3 December 1968 and the remaining personnel merged with 1 R IRISH.

Tim

Thank you for that info.

Triangles
 

It's probably my bad eyes but the badge on the caubeen looked gold which would be wrong, so I assumed the caubeen was made up...TA RIrF didn't wear the green triangle on their dk blue caubeen...and of course there is the confusion of the Bde badge in distance photos if collars not evident.

What fun badge collecting is!

We won't go down the road of UDR CGC pipers caubeens tonight but then they used the larger badge which a well known London badge firm still makes for the regiment to sell to collectors...

Well it would appear that Firmin were still making the Gold UDR cap badge long after its demise, presumably for the use of the RIR.

As mentioned above, the 'bulbous' crown version of the anodised UDR cap badge is the example by TKS. It is effectively the same die as the RIR but manufactured gold - which would fall into the category of still being manufactured after the UDR ended (along with Firmin it would appear).

Incidentally- does anyone elsw have a MADE black UDR cap badge in anodised alluminium? There is no makers mark on the slider or badge rear. It appears to be the same die as the Dowler version in gold.

Regards all

Bess

From someone who served in the Royal Irish Regiment , the beret kept the OR’s gold coloured anodised cap badge and officers bullion cap badge of the UDR. The beret was the official head dress for working dress and combat dress. The caubeen, which was worn in ceremonial uniforms had the silver badge.
The beret was not popular with the Ranger battalions, and the caubeen wasn’t worn much with the home service battalions. I was never actually issued with one as we didn’t do any ceremonial stuff where I was based.
Col Collins made the caubeen the everyday head dress for the 1st battalion, and the beret pretty much disappeared after the home service battalions were disbanded. I think, it may still be in the dress regs, but that has probably been updated.
So for clarification - caubeen = silver. Beret = gold.

Hope that helps

Re black cap badges. I never saw an issued one. We were detailed to have one with a blackened badge for patrol, and a tin of black paint was provided at CQMS stores, and a gold one for wearing in barracks.

I did mine at home with Hammerite spray paint and it looked a lot better than the brush painted ones.