Royal Marine Badge

[JR]

When wearing the blue beret in the days long gone, the tendency was that the badge was situated between the left ear and eye,but upon wearing the green beret a more jaunty angle was adopted,looking at most phots going back into the mists of time the badge on the Green Beret was more over the left eye,'Sticks' put a more nautical meaning to it?.Aye JR

[Sisyphus]

Andy

Not sure about the original 43 Cdo but when they were stationed in Stonehouse in, I think 1967, they looked like 'normal' beret wearing booties.

[Andy O'Pray]

Hi Sisyphus,

I served with 43 cdo 64/66 and we didn't wear our berets in any peculiar fashion, but I recall seeing photographs of the WWII 43 cdo and they appeared to wear the cap badge half way between the eye and ear. Having said that, were they not the ones who shaved their heads and painted their skulls with luminous paint prior to attacking German positions?

Aye - Andy.

[Sisyphus]

Hi Sisyphus,

we didn't wear our berets in any peculiar fashion,

Andy,

Wasn't it always the cap badge "one inch above the left eye" for everyone? At least between 1965 and 1974??

Shaved heads and luminous paint? New one on me?! No doubt something to do with shortage of eqpt and no tinhats being available - shades of Gulf War II

oops, sorry - you said 'peculiar' - I read it as 'any particular fashion'

[chunky from york]

In the Regiment, the habit tends to be to wear the badge between the left eyebrow and ear.

I think it is caused by working European troops (except of course the French,who pull their beret down on the 'wrong side), and the influence of the Parachute Regiment

They have a quite wide cap badge and tend to wear it with the end of the wing over the eye and the body of the badge further round to port.


Just my observation,

[Andy O'Pray]

I have sent Jay through a photograph, which I have requested that he put on this thread. It shows two Royal marines officers. One of them being Lt. Col. Martin, accepting the Japanese surrender at Penang. You will note that the cap badge was worn between the left eye and ear.

Sisyphus is correct that the cap badge should be worn one inch above the left eye. Oh sh@t, now I am going to have DL's jumping all over me and lecturing me on all the correct measurements.

Aye - Andy.

[rabby]

They should have kept the cap comforters used by the Commandos in WWII, would have all this bother!!

[Beast]

Posted on behalf of Andy O'Pray


Note position of cap badge, 2 RM officers 1945.

[JR]

Ah,Frank back to the days of the blue peak cap (winter wear) when the flat top of the peak hat had to be brushed in a certain way,depending on what division?,now that is going back into the mists of time.Aye JR

[Sisyphus]

Officers' dress has always been full of 'affectations' (if that's the word) A bit like 'bugger grips' and other such foppish indicators of eccentricity.

Their way of showing their 'superiority' over the other-ranks who have to conform to the standards laid down in regs.

[sneaky beaky]

There seems to be two threads here, one about "changing of cap badges", and the other about "the position of the cap badge". I know the SBS are changing their cap badge and the excuse given (For that is what it is) is that is an incentive for ranks to aspire to something different. ( i.e. like passing the Commando Course!). Personally I think that is a load of b*****s. I was proud to wear the G&L. Of course the situation is now complicated by the fact the anyone can join the SBS as long as they can pass the combined SAS/SBS selection course. (Army/Navy/RAF). They do not have to do any commando training!! That begs the question, how can they wear the Green Lid. And from there the Cap badge seems irrelevant. I think an earlier correspondent said that the SBS are one step away from becoming the new Boat Troop of the SAS. When that happens then the RM will form a new team called the SBS because they need them. God forbid the day.
I was always taught to wear the cap badge 1" above the left eye with the band parallel around the head. Anything else is an affectation. Officers can't be trusted to do the right thing anyway, especially when it comes to setting an example to their men in terms of dress sense.
I seem to have seen a lot of pictures recently of RM's wearing their badge above the left eye. Do they really want to look like Para's?
These are two subjects really wind me up.
Sneaky

[gash-hand]

You've just answered your own question mate, the SBS cap badge is being changed from the globe and laurel on a green lid to its own unique badge since the SBS is no longer made up solely of Royal Marines.

The SBS was never just made up solely of RM's, its open to ranks of the RN as well - not too sure if they had to do the commando course after being badged though - anyone else know?