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#1
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Coloured Flashes for the Wedge Cap
As the title suggests, can anyone here shed any knowledge pertaining to the use of coloured flashes in the wedge cap? I know the White one is for trainees/officer cadets and there was a scarlet o e used in the early RAF for the Medical Branch, but I have seen pale blue, red, yellow, purple etc.... What were they for? I have been all over the RCAF dress orders and they mention none of them.
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MIKE Collecting RCAF Wings Uniforms Badges and Insignia |
#2
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I have all the Dress Regulations from 1935 - 2018 and the only official mention is for the white version, both for the RAF and the ATC. However other such embellishments, like cap bands and shoulder slides, were used at different units with permission of the relevant AOC. Maybe the items you have seen were instituted under such an umbrella - to identify different trades during training. Or perhaps they are Army items for their cadet brigades of 1917-1918??
Dave |
#3
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AIRMEN UNDER TRAINING FOR AIRCREW DUTIES
RAF dress regulations in 1940 introduced 22H/403- Peaks, cap, field service:- White (Flannel) to be worn. In view of the forgoing suggest the practice of wearing coloured peaks may have originated in the BCATP Canada where RAF Dress Regulations were widely flouted by trainees. These matters were usually resolved on the trainees return to the UK.
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#4
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From "A General for Peace" Leonard V. Johnson (1987), Referring to the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan -
" Sunnyside Beach attracted airmen from Prince Albert and the girls followed. The airmen all wore the rough blue serge of air force battle dress, with wedge caps and a white flash conferred prestige and advantage in the competition for girls. Soldiers and other lesser men often spread the rumour that it designated a carrier of venereal disease."
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British Legion/Royal British Legion , Poppy/Remembrance/Commemorative. Poppy and British Legion Wanted |
#5
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CANADIAN FORCES DRESS INSTRUCTIONS- A-AD-265-000/AG-001
Air force military police shall wear a scarlet band/ribbon on their cap/hat/turban service dress, a scarlet flash in the front of their wedge caps showing 1 cm (1/4 in.), and a scarlet cloth backing to their cap badges on the beret.
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#6
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Could the use of flashes be related to the RAF hat bands for "Boy Entrant" /Apprentice training in the Royal Air Force ?
"The only distinction from the regular service uniform that was worn, was the use of coloured on chequered hat-bands around SD cap to indicate which subject the boy was studying. These chequered hat-bands were very distinctive with a wide variety of colour combinations: brown/white – Telegraphists, red/black – Radio & Radar ,red/yellow (blood & custard) – Airframes. Other trades had green/blue,yellow/orange, green/yellow, red/yellow etc" History of the Boy Entrants http://www.49th2sqn.org/?page_id=762
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British Legion/Royal British Legion , Poppy/Remembrance/Commemorative. Poppy and British Legion Wanted |
#7
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Mike, the cap bands did not indicate the trde being trained in, they indicated which training School/Wing the boys were at. Red/Lt Blue/yellow -RAF Halton. Brown/white - RAF Compton Bassett etc.
Dave |
#8
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Thanks Dave , I was just going on the information from the site .
It looked to me like the "Wings" specialised in diferent trades etc. (example from RAF Cosford).
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British Legion/Royal British Legion , Poppy/Remembrance/Commemorative. Poppy and British Legion Wanted |
#9
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The trades in each Wing changed from year to year. From 1965 the Only band used at Cosford was green/yellow for all apprentices. I have written a book about these and other trainee insignia. Free to anyone interested.
Dave |
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