[Colin S]

As I understand it, the RSR were initially issued the standard Raiding Forces sand beret, shared withe SAS, SBS and LRDG, but when the second CO (Lt Col Meynell?) took over command he wished to distinguish his men and ordered the sand berets to be dyed brown, which was a very unpopular decision. The source for this belief is the book “I was in Noah’s Ark” written by an RSR veteran F. Reid in the 1957. ( I am speaking from memory from when I researched this point, but I do have the book in my loft somewhere.) That does seem to contradict the veteran’s memory quoted in an earlier post but information from different veterans can often be contradictory as memories fade.

Contemporary photos show both the standard parachute wings and, more commonly, the SAS wings being worn on the right arm.

The greatest shame is that there appears to be very little written about the RSR and that won’t improve as the veterans fade away.....