Headdress Odds and Ends

[Postwarden]

This is a small selection of notes made from various files at the National Archives which relate to headdress embellishments and badges. They are hopefully of interest to members.

The official wearing of tartan cap badge backings by Scottish Regiments on the Tam O'Shanter was authorised by War Office letter
54/Infy/7119/MGO7b of 29th April 1944.

In a series of submissions to the War Office Dress Committee these regiments asked for official authority to wear cap badge backings they were already wearing. As we now know some of the dates claimed for introduction are unrealistic, several of the backings not appearing until the introduction of the GS Cap.

The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry claim to have worn a tartan backing on the black beret since 1939
The Yorkshire Hussars and Staffordshire Yeomanry claim to have worn a red backing since 1941 'to set off the badge on the black beret'.
The Royal Ulster Rifles claimed to have worn a green backing to their cap badge since 1940
The Sherwood Foresters claimed to have worn a Lincoln Green 2 inch square since 1939
The Essex Regiment claim to have worn a Pompadour 1 and a half inch square since 1943
The Wiltshire Regiment a similar maroon square since 1943
The Guards Independent Parachute Company wore their Guards backing from formation on 1st July 1947
The 5th Parachute Battalion (later the 15th Battalion) wore a Hunting Stuart backing from August 1942
The 17th (DLI) Battalion a 2 inch circular green patch
The Inns of Court Regiment claim to have worn their embroidered Devil cap badge and a green beret since 1939
380th Anti-Tank regiment, RA asked to wear a leather peak to the SD Cap to conform with that worn by the King's Own Royal regiment
The Royal Fusiliers were authorised to wear a white hackle on the beret and slouch hat on 26th April 1950

Any photographic evidence of these would be interesting

Jon

[Mike Jackson]

These images came from the Staffs Yeo Museum - with authority to publish them in Militaria. Mike
Yeo.Staffs Yeo.22.jpgYeo.Staffs Yeo.09.jpgYeo.Staffs Yeo.04.jpg

[Mike Jackson]

And RUR:
RUR 6 AB Div.jpg

[Postwarden]

And the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry

Jon

[54Bty]

[QUOTE=Mike Jackson;354971]These images came from the Staffs Yeo Museum - with authority to publish them in Militaria. MikeQUOTE]

Thank you.
That is an interesting headband on the beret.

Marc

[Mike Jackson]

[QUOTE=54Bty;354978]

Originally Posted by Mike Jackson

These images came from the Staffs Yeo Museum - with authority to publish them in Militaria. MikeQUOTE]

Thank you.
That is an interesting headband on the beret.

Marc

Officers' private purchase beret I imagine. Here's a Fifes' caption competition - "Come up and see my Covenanter". No sign of tartan in those pre-beret days. Mike
H_015054 FFY 9 Armd Div.01.jpg

[Postwarden]

British Troops Austria General Order 440 of 29th July 1947;
Pending the introduction of coloured berets for all regiments and corps it has been decided to extend the issue of the khaki beret as authorised in ACI1408/1943. This will replace the GS cap gradually on a normal replacement basis. Stocks of GS Cap will be used up.

The badge to be worn by officers is that prescribed for wear on the undress uniform eg coloured forage cap. Bronze badges in possession may be worn pending further instructions, ORs badges are to be metal or plastic. Authorised distinctions may be worn on the GS cap or beret

List of Changes C4516 31st May 1951 Introduces the blue beret and rifle green beret. Rifle green to be worn by all LI and Rifle Regiments except Scottish and Irish Regiments.

List of Changes C4583 31st July 1951 Introduces a pocket on berets to make cap badge easier to fix. Future productions of all cap badges [less Scottish, Guards, Glosters back and R Signals) will have vertical shanks
C4591 of the same date introduces Berets, Green WRAC and Grey QARANC.

C9219 of 31st May 1959 Introduces the AAC blue beret

Jon

[54Bty]

Originally Posted by Postwarden

List of Changes C4583 31st July 1951 Introduces a pocket on berets to make cap badge easier to fix. Future productions of all cap badges [less Scottish, Guards, Glosters back and R Signals) will have vertical shanks
C4591 of the same date introduces Berets, Green WRAC and Grey QARANC.
Jon

Welsh Guards are not included, they have the shank.

The WRAC & QARANC berets are not the same as the other berets;
WRAC Beret is made from worsted green serge of four pieces seamed together, there is no seam on the edge where the crown and bevels meet, it is lined with black cloth and has a black headband.
QARANC Beret is the same except it is grey serge.

Marc

[Postwarden]

WRAC Beret

Jon

[jf42]

Would it be fair to say that the WRAC and QARANC headgear was more of a cap (or bonnet) than a beret?

[Alan O]

It looks like a WW2 GS cap - like a big beret in khaki serge.

[54Bty]

Originally Posted by jf42

Would it be fair to say that the WRAC and QARANC headgear was more of a cap (or bonnet) than a beret?

The original headdress posted above was more like a Bonnet or GS Cap, however the designation of it was Beret.

Marc

[jf42]

Originally Posted by Alan O

It looks like a WW2 GS cap - like a big beret in khaki serge.

The key distinction is that a beret is knitted in one piece, whereas bonnet-type caps (without peaks), such as the G.S. as well as the WRAC/QARANC headgear, are constructed from several pieces of cloth. The military 'Tam o' Shanter' is the classic form- even thought Scottish bonnets, now generally referred to as 'Balmorals,' are traditionally knitted in one piece.