264 Sqdn (SAS) Royal Corps of Signals cap/beret badge

[MattH]

Hi all,
First of all, please forgive my ignorance in this area.
I have been searching for some time for information on the beret badge worn by 264 (SAS) Squadron Royal Corps of Signals. I keep reading the same text in various places that the unit is allowed to wear the beige/sand beret of the SAS, but it then always says "with the CAP badge of the RCS".
I'm struggling a bit because the usual cap badge is metal. I was under the impression that the SAS always used cloth badges.
To that end I have three versions of the Jimmy...
1 Metal "cap" badge.
1 cloth badge with sand/beige background
1 cloth badge with black background

I am sure the answer is common knowledge but the information I've read so far appears contradictory. Can someone please help me out?

Warm regards,

Matt

[oc14]

I have had relatives serving in this unit. Other ranks wear the normal 2 piece metal or staybright cap badge, officers wear the standard pattern wire embroidered royal signals beret badge.

Hope this helps


Paul

[Alan O]

Paul is quite correct.

Alan

[54Bty]

The background of the officers badge should match the colour of the beret being worn.

[54Bty]

I am sure you mean 'dark navy blue' and I should have added 'by the regulations the background'.

[Alan O]

Yes to be exact it is dark navy blue. Although 216 Sig Sqn wear the badge with a maroon background as standard. Officers attached to 3 Cdo Dde wear the green beret with a green backed badge as well. As an aside a new Officers beret badge has been introduced this year with a redesigned red globe.

Alan

[54Bty]

I dont know just when you think your getting on top of it all, summat else turns up.

[MattH]

Gents,

Many thanks for all this very useful information. I shall be fixing the metal Jimmy.

I somehow knew that the simple statements some people provide regarding badges and insignia hid a great deal of depth.

Thanks very much again.

Matt

[David Tremain]

Robin Hodges' book 'British Army Badges' shows a signaller with, I think 264 Sigs, wearing the SAS beret and a two-part Royal Signals badge.

[Unknownsoldier]

AFAIK, 264 wear a metal jimmy on their sand beret (at least the ones I have seen do). Officers only generally wear an embroidered one though. OC14 is correct.

Tom

[Mike H]

OR`s definately wear a "jimmy" in the beret as do 63 sqn (TA)

[Quicksilver]

I believe you are right that the normal R. Signals officers wire wove (bullion) beret badge was initially worn. My own sources tell me that 63 (SAS) Signal Sqn unofficially started wearing a sand coloured backing. That was about ten years ago so it seems to have taken over. Having never seen any official documents regarding this it is unconfirmed. Now it looks like the various squadrons of 18 UKSF Signal Regiment wear the sand backed Jimmy too for all ranks. Perhaps others can clarify that. Presume that includes SRR but not SBS Signal Sqns.

Rgds Cliff

[54Bty]

Royal Corps of Signals bullion wire badge on SAS beret material.

[tynesideirish]

It's all down to the standardization of UKSF. The headsheds want the whole shooting match looking the same in cloth badged berets. SAS, SSR, SBS, 18 SIGS Officers Bullion. OR's Woven.

This however does not mean the non 'badged' clerks, bottlewashers and MT wallahs attached or indeed 1PARA in Support.

The SSR beret is actually supossed to be Lovat green.

[Alan O]

As an update I was chatting with some of the 18 Sigs Offrs yesterday and between them they were wearing all 3 badges - the RSM had a sand backed one, one of the Sqn 2iCs had the 'new' badge on a dark blue backing with the red globe and the other Officers had the old patten badge on the blue backing. Worthy of note is the fact that the SRR sqn's berets have a greener hue than 264's standard sand coloured ones.

Alan