Help to identify - Royal Navy?

[Royal]

Well aware of that - as I wore it throughout my career!

30 AU was made up from all three services - there was an RAF element too - indeed the 'official' history was written by one of its members - David Nutting.

[sailorbear]

Originally Posted by Royal

Well aware of that - as I wore it throughout my career!

30 AU was made up from all three services - there was an RAF element too - indeed the 'official' history was written by one of its members - David Nutting.

As did I as well! I believe the RAF section never actually came into being, and I think I've have, and have read every book written on 30 AU, I even got to meet some veterans a few years back at the Littlehampton town museum when they still had a 30 AU display there, interesting people to talk to, alas all passed away now!
Tony

[Royal]

(Flight Lieutenant) Nutting includes a picture of himself with the unit in Tripoli in 1943 in 'Attain By Surprise' - so the RAF certainly did have a presence. Many years later (when 30 Cdo IX was being mooted) some RAF types that I was working with were very keen to resume that connection.

[sailorbear]

[QUOTE=Royal;541646](Flight Lieutenant) Nutting includes a picture of himself with the unit in Tripoli in 1943 in 'Attain By Surprise' - so the RAF certainly did have a presence. Many years later (when 30 Cdo IX was being mooted) some RAF types that I was working with were very keen to resume that connection.[/QUO

They certainly had a presence, but of the original idea of three separate service AU's I believe only the RN and army came to fruition? Of the modern day 30 Cdo IX Group RM, I'd imagine the RAF would have some place in the group, though when they had the freedom of Littlehampton parade I only saw RM, RN and army and not all of them commandos.

[Alex Rice]

As far as I understand, berets were worn unofficially on aircraft carriers as caps blew of too easily on the flight deck. I have some medals to a FAA Lt Cdr who was hostilities only and with his full sized cap badge there is also a half-sized bullion KC badge for the beret.
Unfortunately, I don't know how true this info is but I am fairly sure I got it from this forum.
Cheers,
Alex

[Postwarden]

Two extracts from my book Badges on Battle Dress that shed some light on green berets in the RN.

Jon

All ranks of Beach Commandos wore khaki battle dress from October 1942 with naval rank badges and headgear – the widespread but unofficial use of the green beret forbidden by Combined Operations Temporary Memo, 20th August 1943; ‘Green berets are only to be worn by RN personnel forming an integral part of an RM Commando and then only when in battle dress’. (National Archives file DEFE2/1038)

On the recommendation of Combined Operations HQ, on 1st January 1944 30 Commando became 30 Assault Unit with an increased war establishment, the specialist officers of its RN wing who gathered information for the DNI, taken to their targets by a fighting force of 140 Royal Marines, a high proportion of all ranks parachute-trained in case an airborne assault was required. In early October 1944 the CCO suggested that whilst not wishing to be discourteous the unit, only nominally under SS Brigade’s control, should be instructed to give up wearing green berets at an early date.

[Colin S]

Originally Posted by Postwarden

Two extracts from my book Badges on Battle Dress that shed some light on green berets in the RN.

Jon

All ranks of Beach Commandos wore khaki battle dress from October 1942 with naval rank badges and headgear – the widespread but unofficial use of the green beret forbidden by Combined Operations Temporary Memo, 20th August 1943; ‘Green berets are only to be worn by RN personnel forming an integral part of an RM Commando and then only when in battle dress’. (National Archives file DEFE2/1038)

On the recommendation of Combined Operations HQ, on 1st January 1944 30 Commando became 30 Assault Unit with an increased war establishment, the specialist officers of its RN wing who gathered information for the DNI, taken to their targets by a fighting force of 140 Royal Marines, a high proportion of all ranks parachute-trained in case an airborne assault was required. In early October 1944 the CCO suggested that whilst not wishing to be discourteous the unit, only nominally under SS Brigade’s control, should be instructed to give up wearing green berets at an early date.

Thank you for a very helpful answer Jon. i need to read your book more carefully! 😀