4th Bn The Wiltshire Regiment TA
 

Good Afternoon
Would anyone be kind enough to tell me if the 4th Wiltshires wore a Maroon square behind their Anodised badge up to 1967.
Much appreciated if you could.
Neil

About the Wiltshire Regiment, Page 135 of "Badge Backings and Special Embellishments of The British Army" says... "A 2 inch square badge backing, together with a small maroon cut-out in the shape of the badge on the left arm of the battledress. These distinctions were both unofficial and appear to have arisen in India pre-war, at the discretion of the CO. ...Though never approved by the War Office Dress Committee, the maroon patches continued to be worn until amalgamation in 1959 with the Royal Berkshire Regiment" Source Maj (Retd) JH Peters MBE.

Just for interest my ACF Detachment in Trowbridge was part of the 4th Cadet Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment and continued wearing the number 4 on their arms well into the 1950's if not longer. I definately have one picture showing the maroon square somewhere so presumably the cadets also continued the practice for a time.

REME 245 -A little off the original post ,could you give the colour of the 4 and any other information on this cadet unit It is quite difficult obtaining information on Wilt A C F units
David

The numbers were adopted during WW2 and in Wiltshire mirrored the local Home Guard Battalions who did much to train the ACF when the TA left to go to war in 1939. They are just printed numbers a per the war-time shoulder titles in the same material as the Home Guard.

Post-war the slip on Wiltshire titles were replaced with sown on examples.

I don't know but I would suggest that all the Wiltshire badged Detachments wore the maroon backing post-war. The colour picture is probably from the 1960's.

In an officers photogragh I also have the officers are wearing a Lanyard on both Battledress and BD. I don't know if this was a Wiltshire Regiment thing or Cadets specific.

Purchased on the forum 4 1/2 years ago, I've always veered towards the maroon and white backing probably being a collector's adornment, but could it be a badge backing worn by a unit of the regiment - ACF?
It's had a good chewing by moths.

In the first picture - the little lad with the specs ( bottom right) is thankfully 'diffy' his cap badge revealing what certainly appears to be a maroon oblong in 'portrait'.

Many thanks REME . . .

REME many thanks for your help and your time taken in replying
David

As always thanks for all replies, great discussion. I wont need to be buying a moroon backing for my 4th Wiltshires (1967) badge. Thanks all.Neil

Straighten me out on this please - it's definite that 4 Wilts didn't wear a maroon badge backing?

Leigh,

G L D Alderson's Book Cap Badges of the British Army 1939-1945 states

" In the 2nd and 4th battalions the badge was backed by a maroon patch, 2 inches square, while the 5th battalion worn a blue square. The maroon patch was derived from the regimental colour of the 62nd (Wiltshire) Regiment. There appears to be no reason for the colour of the square adopted by the 5th battalion."

Clay

Thanks, It's Neil1689's comment about not needing to buy the maroon backing for his 4th Bns badge that confused me.

Hi guys sorry about any confusion, I was asking if the 4th Wilts wore a moroon square in 1967 before the changes to the TA in that year. None of the replies seem to indicate that that is the case. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm reading the references to "Badges and "Embellishments' and "Cap Badges.....1939-45" as indicating that the patch was worn?

Leigh,

The 4th battalion Regimental history, is named the " The Maroon Square".

I don't have a copy but if they named it "The Maroon Square" It's probably a safe bet that it was a treasured (tribal) item of distinction and would keep it no matter what. On a blue beret it would look very smart. Also in the photos posted of the cadets the bottom row all have the maroon square on closer inspection. I may be wrong, but the tribal instinct is wrong. If you display it turns out to be incorrect, you can always remove it.

Clay