SBS - Falklands
 

Can I just check something - would the Special Boat Squadron in 1982 have worn distinctive cap badges or would they have worn the Royal Marines Cap Badge ?

I think RM - the SBS badge was much later. The SBS wings came in much later too.

Standard RM insignia including wings - the new SBS insignia didn't come in until 2003 and in the 80s and 90s there were a significant number of 'vanilla' RM commandos - yours truly inluded - who were jump trained so it was hardly a 'tell'.

Many thanks Royal - I assume that it was the same for the Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre ? Did neither of these special forces wear any distinctive insignia then? ( During the Falklands period)

In Lovats the SB wore SC cuff badges and I'm sure the Cadre wore ML cuff badges. Nothing distinguishing in combats though. Obviously the non standard kit they had would have been the only give away.

I recall photos on board Task Force ships of SAS and SBS guys wearing as-issued kit (aka G10 For Men). There's a photo I have somewhere of them wearing 68 Pattern combat jackets on deck, for example.

The Cadre never wore anything special to define their role - apart from in Lovats as tynesideirish confirmed.

So a far different scenario from today's SF operators, where the aim is to wear anything other than standard kit :D

Mark

MLs tended to have better boots (from bitter experience), Scarpas were particularly popular because they fitted the Yeti gaiters without having to superglue them to the toes. Otherwise, as has been said above, pretty much the same as any other para-qualified bootie.

The BBC series 'Behind the Lines' which covered the 1984 ML2 course is still on BBC iPlayer - that will give you a good idea.

I had forgotten about that BBC series, Royal. It was superb. I must look out for that.

Off topic slightly: These early programmes, The Paras being another, are excellent for kit/badge/equipment recognition and context. Another more general series, again in the late 80's, was 'In The Highest Tradition'. This looked at regimental traditions.

Mark