Parawing as beretbadge

[Alain Conradi]

Dear all, on the website of the airborneassociation I found a picture of Colonel D.H. Rochester wearing a parawing on his beret (not sure if I can post that picture here without violating copyrights).
Was that official? If so, during what period was that done?

Cheers,

Alain

[mike_vee]

Here is a link showing the photo :

https://www.kenoragreatwarproject.ca...george-harvey/

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[Ian B]

Sorry Mike, wrong Rochester. The Rochester that Alain refers to was D.H. (Don) Rochester, the first CO of the Canadian Airborne Regiment (CABR), formed in 1968. (Unless you are referring to the very small photo in the bottom right of the article)

Alain, until the CABR received the approved regimental hat badge sometime after 1968, there is other photo evidence that a small version of the Cdn para qual was worn by the regiment.

Ian

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Ian B

Sorry Mike, wrong Rochester. The Rochester that Alain refers to was D.H. (Don) Rochester, the first CO of the Canadian Airborne Regiment (CABR), formed in 1968. (Unless you are referring to the very small photo in the bottom right of the article)

Alain, until the CABR received the approved regimental hat badge sometime after 1968, there is other photo evidence that a small version of the Cdn para qual was worn by the regiment.

Ian

That is the photo , it shows Donald Harvey Rochester wearing 'wings' on his beret. (when you click on the photo it enlarges)

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[Dan M]

Originally Posted by Alain Conradi

Dear all, on the website of the airborneassociation I found a picture of Colonel D.H. Rochester wearing a parawing on his beret (not sure if I can post that picture here without violating copyrights).
Was that official? If so, during what period was that done?

Alain,

It was the practice for parachute wing instructors in the post-war period to wear a maroon beret with Canadian parachute wings sewn on as a cap badge. I'm not sure if it was official but there is a lot of photographic evidence to support this.

When the CAR was initially formed there was no cap badge yet authorized. It looks like in the interim the parachute school practice was carried on in the regiment.

Interesting information about Col Rochester's father.

Cheers,
Dan.

[ddaydodger]

https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...ad.php?t=56005
The Sky Hawks, c1971 with para wing as cap badge.