Unknown stable belt I’d please
 

Any idea which regiment. Thanks

It was the belt worn initially by personnel who transferred into the AGC (SPS) from the RAOC, RAPC and WRAC. It was very short lived and was replaced by the (red.blue/red) AGC belt very quickly. It was only for SPS personnel the other branches, RMP, ALC, RAEC continued to wear their own corps belts. It was not popular because of the garish colours.

I wore one when i was compulsorily transferred over from the RAOC (Staff Clerk trade) into the AGC (SPS) but as i have said it only lasted several months before being replaced.

An unusual find as most were thrown into the bin.

Steve

Steve I have this 1st pattern in my A G C collection Corps formed in 1992 ,would have stopped being worn by 1993 ?? -often wondered why not many about
David

Is it SASC?

David,

Shortly before the AGC was formed i was working at RMAS as the Superintending Clerk (The Senior Military Clerk mainly working in HQs and almost always in the rank of WO1) and had to arrange for those personnel who were to be transferred into the AGC to collect new Berets and cap badges, collar dogs ect, in order that they could be worn from Day 1 of the new corps.

As well as this i had to encourage the forming members of the Corps (The RAOC staff clerks working in the establishment as well as the Pay Corps personnel and the WRAC clerks and other trades (there were several WRAC working at Regiment Duties there) to purchase the new stable belt. Cost i believe was about £35 and we had no idea what it looked like until it arrived one morning in the post. The order was placed and the belts where received in good time for the formation day and the necessary photograph. The belt went down like a lead balloon mainly because of the garish colours used.

As stated above on formation of the Corps the SPS element of the Corps was composed of RAOC Staff Clerks, Pay Corps personnel and WRAC Clerks and RD personnel. The Infantry, RA, RE, Signals, Armoured Corps and all other (All arms clerks) were slowly integrated into the new Corps over the next year. The other elements RMP, RAEC and ALC also transferred over on day 1. So only a small element of the SPS who were transferred over on day one wore this belt and then only for a very short time.

I have no idea why the belt was changed but to my knowledge the original belt was only worn for a very short period (maybe as long as 6 months but certainly no more than that) and then was replaced by the Red/Blue/Red variant that is used up to this day. The only good thing was that those who had purchased the original belt received a free replacement. Most of those who purchased the original threw the ghastly thing into the waste bins. Hence there are not too many around.

I still have mine but for what reason i have no idea. So if any belt collector wants one i have no doubt i would part with it.

Hope the above information helps, sorry i can not be more precise on dates.

Regards
Steve

Steve many thanks for a very informative answer now can place a reasonable date line on mine. Placed in gallery
David

Thanks Steve for your great input, using that I found on the belt on the stable belt website, aswell as one with an airborne buckle.

In view of the id on this, and the fact that I don’t think steve wants another one, and I don’t need it either, in the spares/swaps box it goes. Thanks everyone who helped.

AGC Lanyard and Beret
 

Steve,
Can you confirm that this was the first pattern AGC lanyard?
Was it, like the stable belt, rejected soon after being issued to be replaced by the blue and red version still worn today?

Also do you know the reason why the AGC introduced the green beret?

Tim

Yes Tim
i remember being issued with it and wondering what the hell to do with the clip on the end or even why it was there in the first place !

I have no idea why the AGC chose or was given the green beret but remember at the time it caused a great deal of consternation with the RM who claimed it was too close in colour to their own. I avoided wearing it as much as i possibly could and being a WO1(SSM) i was able to do so as i wore the offr pattern forage cap with offr pattern badge as part of my working dress.

I continued until my discharge in 1995 to wear full RAOC Mess Dress to mess functions, not even changing the buttons or collar dogs as most did as an interim measure until they either discharged or were forces into buying the new mess dress.

I was not happy to be transferred as i just missed out by one year in being appointed WO1 (Cdr), the appointment going naturally over to the RLC. I served in the RAOC as a Staff Clerk for 20 years and only 3 as a part of the AGC(SPS). As you or anyone else on the forum can see (from my Forum name) i still consider the RAOC my Corps and i shy away from any association with the All Girls Corps (Special Pen Section). Not that they don't do a great job but my roots are firmly in the RAOC. To a Warrior His Arms !!
Regards
Steve

Steve,

Just out of interest was your rank badge the Royal Arms only, ie without wreath.

If you had got the Conductor appointment I assume you would then wear the Royal Arms within wreath?

regards

Steve,
Thanks for confirmation on the first pattern lanyard and I understand your irritation with what happened to you in 1992.
One wonders who was actually involved in making decisions on the dress distinctions needed for the formation of the AGC. As it was something of a ‘shotgun wedding’ no doubt emotions ran high and compromises were needed. There is in fact also a first pattern of anodised button which was also quickly withdrawn. Example below.

On the green beret I wonder if originally it was intended that the rifle green beret of the WRAC would used. This was then (naturally) objected to by the RGJ and LI and probably the Royal Marines so a different shade of green was sought.
However, the colour chosen is very similar to the Cypress green (tree not country) colour beret used by the Intelligence Corps since 1977. Although with different NSNs, especially when washed and worn, it is difficult to tell the difference between them and the clothing store probably do not worry who was issued with what beret!

Tim

In Shades of Green
 

In the course of 39 years of commissioned service I wore three green berets -_ first (a "proper one") awarded at Lympstone in 1964 - but replaced immediately since the CO (95 Cdo Lt Regt RA) insisted that officers wore a beret from a military tailor. I wore that until transferring to the Int Corps in 1974. Soon after wore a Cypress Green beret but refused on principle to wear an embroidered Corps badge (instead wore an Officer's collar badge). Left the Army in 1999 and immediately joined the AG Corps (ETS) Pool of Specialist Linguists (TA) and wore an AG Corps beret with embroidered badge for 5 years. The latter caused confusion when in 2003 I was commanding a Quadripartite HUMINT unit in Bosnia especially since the cover title of the unit was the Divisional Support Group. I still have all three berets - very beaten up they are too, but even now the three shades of green are distinctly different.

Steve another lanyard in my collection ,no clip and approx 13 cms in diameter quite small The only place that Think this could be worn was top of the sleeve under shoulder strap I have tried it on uniforms but would be uncomfortable .Would this be correct ????? Photo in my for sale and gallery
Nb not for sale as the only 1 that I have seen
David

Yes, Royal Arms within a red border, no wreath, which as you say goes with the appointment of Conductor, or Master Gunner First Class, Royal Artillery in my days anyway. Things have changed and i think quite a few other WO1s now wear the royal arms surrounded with a wreath (Corps RSMs ??)

Steve