Reason for black cap badges?

[ColdWar_Conan]

Hello,

I've seen a few pictures of black cap badges on berets and whatnot. What is the purpose of them? Is there a specific purpose at all?

Cheers
Conan

[leigh kitchen]

Some units wore blackened badges as a matter of course, other unit's badges were / are produced with a blackened finish or painted within units as "camouflage".
In fairly recent times it was very common for units in Northern Ireland to wear blackened badges.

[High Wood]

Two main reasons: one is to distinguish a 'Rifle Regiment' and the second, more practical reason, is to stop the reflection of sunlight that might give away a Rifleman's position.

[Hawthorn]

Exactly as Leigh says, we were issued black Cap Stars for Op Banner Tours when berets were preferred to wearing helmets as tour locations and threat assessment dictated.

Simon.

[leigh kitchen]

A black painted beret badge in wear by a member of a foot patrol in the Falls Road area of West Belfast.
Yes, really - it's in there somewhere amongst the feathers and flowers.

[ColdWar_Conan]

Thanks all. For some reason I can't open the attachment, but never mind. I was guessing it was partly to do with camo or light reflection.

Conan

[Wooffy]

Here is an image from the web showing a number of para's in Northern Ireland with blacked out cap badges that are a bit clearer than the one that Leigh posted earlier

[ColdWar_Conan]

Yeah, that is a clearer one. There is also this one of a Gurkha in desert DPM. I just couldn't see any connections with the use of them, but there isn't actually much on the internet about them. Would make sense that it is just different units or situations.

Conan

[engr9266]

Here is mine from Op Banner days which I had managed to keep. It has been touched up with black IR paint since.

[fougasse1940]

Royal Army Chaplains' Department always wear black badges in Service Dress.

Rgds, Thomas

[REME 245]

155 Transport Regiment RCT TA wore blackened cap badges when I was a member during the late 1980's. I assume one of the Colonels decided it looked very tatical but my instructors were not very impressed on my Recruit Course.