SADF Berets

[milhistry]

Does anyone have list of what berets were worn by which corps in the SADF? If not, shall we compile one? Maybe some people would like to post a few pictures of relevant berets too?


My first attempt at a list is as follows:
Note: Regiments only specified if they departed from the 'norm' at some point (e.g. RLI wears khaki not green like rest of Infantry).

WW II ERA
Black
- SA Tank Corps
- SA Motorcycle Corps
- SA Armoured Corps units
- Prince Alfred's Guard

Khaki
- Corps/units other than above
- SA Air Force groundcrew and Balkan Air Force aircrew

SADF ERA
Black
- SA Armoured Corps
- SA Army Intelligence Corps [fox badge]
- D Military Intelligence [owl badge]
- Technical Services Corps
- SA Navy

Rifle Green
- SA Infantry [1960s onwards]
- Commando Forces [not sure when changed over from blue to green]

Beige
- SA Corps of Signals

Khaki ['Military Bronze']
- SA Staff Corps
- Rand Light Infantry
- Army Gymnasium (with chille red piping)

Brown
- School Cadets

Navy Blue
- SA Engineer Corps
- SA Artillery (Fd & AA)

Royal Blue
- Admin Services Corps
- Ordnance Services Corps
- Finance Services Corps

Grey-Green (don't know official name)
- Army Women's College

Light yellow-green (don't know official name)
- SA Ammunition Corps

Ruby red
- SA Medical Corps / Medical Service

Chilli red
- SA Corps of Military Police

Mauve [Purple]
- Chaplains

Maroon
- Special Forces & Parachute Brigade

Orange (don't know official name)
- Personnel Services Corps

Unknown/Unsure
- Catering Corps [I think royal blue?]
- Corps of Professional Officers
- Cape Corps [grey-green/turquoise?]

[leigh kitchen]

My only two, an infantry dark green and one which I recall was to an unglamorous unit. it's more of a turquoise than it looks in the photo.

[irishhorse]

SAIR beret with hackle.

[leigh kitchen]

Same mars bar as on my infantry beret but "upside down", the bar indicated the battalion?
Are they both right for the berets they're on?

[Traist]

Hi Leigh, the bars indicate the corps of the member(could have various different bars in a single unit, with the same colour beret and badge). Regards Andrew

[leigh kitchen]

Ah right, ta, I thought the color combination referred to the battalion. etc within the arm or corps.

[Arthur R]

Originally Posted by leigh kitchen

My only two, an infantry dark green and one which I recall was to an unglamorous unit. it's more of a turquoise than it looks in the photo.

The "unglamorous unit" is the Finance Services Corps beret, dating from (I think) early 1980s.

Corps of Professional Officers' beret is/was a sort of olive green IIRC.

[leigh kitchen]

Thanks the actual beret is dated 1984

[milhistry]

Colonels and Brigadiers

[milhistry]

Military Police - Chilli red

[milhistry]

Armour
Pre-1995 SAAC badge

[Madziro]

I drew this card some time back. It may be of use to explain the beret bar story. Have also attached a photo of a WW 2 era black beret with SA Sigs badge.

[Brian Conyngham]

Originally Posted by milhistry

Armour
Pre-1995 SAAC badge

Looks like this bar red, white and blue? Sorry maybe just the picture but it should be orange, white and blue for armour.

The SSB (ARMOUR) also wore black berets.

Brian

[milhistry]

Indeed. The picture was not taken in the best light so the orange looks more like red.

[Alex Rice]

Originally Posted by Madziro

I drew this card some time back. It may be of use to explain the beret bar story. Have also attached a photo of a WW 2 era black beret with SA Sigs badge.

Hi Dudley
That badge looks to have a silver finish? Is it an officers badge? If so, it must be yet another little gem
Cheers,
Alex