Unknown SF WW2 badge

[seanhath]

Can anyone ID this Gentleman's beret badge? I've never seen it before anywhere.
He has recently become a Chelsea Pensioner and is also wearing an SAS blazer badge.
(Image taken from open source, not restricted etc)

[Luke H]

Raiding Support Regiment.

It’s in Gaylor and KK vol 2.

[seanhath]

Originally Posted by Luke H

Raiding Support Regiment.

It’s in Gaylor and KK vol 2.

Ace, thanks for the quick response

[Padre]

Didnt the Raiding Support Regiment wear brown berets?

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Padre

Didnt the Raiding Support Regiment wear brown berets?

Found this :

When the regiment was first formed, this badge was worn on a rather distinctive chocolate coloured beret. However, as the war progressed, chocolate coloured berets were in short supply and so this was later changed to the same beige colour that was worn by the SAS, LRDG etc.

.

[seanhath]

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/191...s-98/#gallery0

The Pilgrim Bandits Charity have flown John Morris back to the Uk and helped him become an in-pensioner at RHC ! Great Story!

[grey_green_acorn]

See this earlier thread for more information on the RSR badge and beret.

https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...ad.php?t=68792

Tim

[Colin S]

As I said in the earlier thread, the RSR was originally issued the same sandy beret as used by the rest of Raiding Forces Middle East (SAS, SBS, LRDG) but their second CO insisted on those berets being dyed brown in November 1944 to make his men more distinctive. Apparently this was a very unpopular decision with the men.

The excellent recent book ‘British Army Headdress 1939-1945’ by forum member ‘Postwarden’ (Jon Mills) also suggests that the brown beret originally ordered for the Norwegian Independent Parachute Company in Britain was diverted for RSR use later in the war.

(The ordering of brown berets for both the Belgian and Norwegian Independent Parachute Companies seems to have been the result of the War Office initially refusing them the right to wear the maroon beret issued to the British Airborne Divisions, which was later reversed with both Companies wearing maroon, which probably left many unissued brown berets in stores.)

[Postwarden]

The brown beret and badge.

Jon