4th Bn The Wiltshire Regiment TA

[Neil1689]

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

[William]

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.

[REME 245]

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.

[49lassiepen]

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

[REME 245]

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.

[leigh kitchen]

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.

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Neil1689

if the 4th Wiltshires wore a Maroon square behind their Anodised badge up to 1967.

Originally Posted by William

the maroon patches continued to be worn until amalgamation in 1959 with the Royal Berkshire Regiment" Source Maj (Retd) JH Peters MBE.

Sorry if this is a dumb question but I'm confused

If the 4th Wiltshires were amalgamated to become the Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire) in 1959 why would there be a 1967 badge ?


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[Alan O]

Because the TA battalions remained unamalgated until the formation of 1 Wessex Volunteers in 1967. See page 49 of 1 Wessex by Martin Lee-Browne
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[mike_vee]

Thanks Alan that explains it.

[Alan O]

The patch was not one of the regtl dress distinctions that were taken into Coy distinctions when the Battalion was founded because the 4th Wilts did not form a company in their own right but Lee-Browne says that about 100 former menbers made up the Glosters company.

As an aside the DERR cap badge was not until sealed after the 1968 TA reforms so the Wessex adoption of the Regular Wessex Brigade cap badge was, ironically, soon less relevant when the Regular Battalions ditched it in 1968-70.