Royal Northumberland Fusiliers Officers Barrack Cap 1938 - 40.

[leigh kitchen]

The info that I've got is that this Gosling Green & black (it's more of a brown in the photos I would think) & black cap is described (but not illustrated) in the Military Historical Society Special Booklet On Coloured Field Service Caps (Infantry) as being:

"Worn by officers, who were only allowed to wear in mess dress by orderly officers: no. 1 Blues & when in camp. It was not permitted for wear in public".

I'm also told:

"Regimental History of the Northumberland Fusiliers mentions this cap being worn 1938 to 1940 because after Dunkirk they re-designed a kharki model of the above side-cap which was worn throughout the Second World War."

Gosling Green was the facing colour of the old Northumberland Fusiliers, allegedly the name is derived from the term "goose **** green" used by the French as an insult to the regiment during the Peninsular War.

It appears that this was worn as a mess dress item item & other than that only by Orderly Officers & that it was a particularly short lived item of dress.

Does anyone know any more about this type of cap please, any photos about?

[leigh kitchen]

The badge, presumably an officers Full Dress collar dog.

[leigh kitchen]

Close up of badge, bit blurred.

[Graham Stewart]

It's actually a Torin cap as opposed to a Field Service Cap and was worn in the Northumberland's for many years as can be seen in this photo of Capt E.B. Eager who was kia November 1899. He's wearing his with the officers scarlet frock coat and in the Regimental History by Barclay it also shows a photo of the 2nd Bn, R.N.F. officers wearing theirs with Battle Dress and as far as I'm aware it could be worn in public as well as other forms of dress. The dark blue officers f.s.c. was the one to be found in blues only.

Graham

Edited December 8, 2006 by Graham Stewart

[Graham Stewart]

Officers 2nd Bn, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, March 1940 wearing their coloured Torin caps with B.D.

Graham.

[leigh kitchen]

Thanks, it looks like this cap on the 2nd Bn oficers, tho' Captain Eager appears to be wearing one in different colours.

I'm assuming that: "Regimental History of the Northumberland Fusiliers mentions this cap being worn 1938 to 1940 because after Dunkirk they re-designed a kharki model of the above side-cap which was worn throughout the Second World War" actually refers to the adoption of the plain khaki universal FSC rather than a khaki version of the Torin.

[Graham Stewart]

Leigh,

I'll try and do a blow up of the 2nd Bn officers and I also have one of these Torin caps in my collection. A list of coloured officers Field Service Caps was compiled from ACI & AO''s and Dress Reg's by B.L.Davis for his book "British Army Uniforms & Insignia of WWII", and no coloured F.S.C. is listed for the RNF, as they were already wearing the Torin at this time. At the same time neither are they listed in the alternate dress section which includes units wearing the Torin cap.

Agree with your observation of Eagers Torin, but believe the coloured welt to be either scarlet or gosling green. I have an almost complete run of St.Georges Gazettes and if my memory is correct and if I can find it, there is an illustration of the Torin being worn post-WWII.

I'm an MHS member too, so will look through the booklet, but I've looked through Barclay's History of the R.N.F. and can find no reference to the change in head-dress. It's one of those regimental peculiarities, which are lost in time, and although I've seen illustrations them wearing the blue F.S.C., it always seems to be worn with "blue patrols" only.

Post 1940 illustrations show officers in berets and S.D. caps, but I don't think I've seen them in a khaki F.S.C.

I'll keep looking.

Graham.

Edited December 10, 2006 by Graham Stewart

[leigh kitchen]

Thank you, I'd noticed that Davis had "missed" this cap out of his book although of course he includes a few Torins & tents of other units.

I have a small WWII book on coloured FSC (which I can't locate at the moment, I think it's Regimental Badges & Service Caps, 1941), it shows an all khaki cap, as I recall it's simply the universal FSC.

[Graham Stewart]

Leigh,

An interesting coloured postcard here of an a Major, 1st Bn, RNF in Korea 1950 wearing the Torin cap. The artwork is by Alex Baker who was commissioned by the Museum to do a series of postcards for them, using some of the many photo's that they have there. So although it isn't photographic proof it's an illustration taken from a photo in the Museum, which does give it some credence.

Graham.

[Graham Stewart]

Now we're getting somewhere. The two in Torin's are Major R.D. Brook, M.C. & Adj 1st Bn,R.N.F. and Major M.C.Speer 2i/c 1st Bn,R.N.F., taken in Korea. Note the other additional modes of head-dress worn by officers on campaign.

Graham.

P.S.

Think Brook was the subject for the postcard.

Edited December 9, 2006 by Graham Stewart

[leigh kitchen]

Thanks, nice photos - I did'nt realise that the cap was still in wear in the 50's.

It's a pity the tradition did'nt carry on post amalgamation into RRF.

..................And I've always wanted a Korea pair to RNF as well as a GSM for Aden, but have never actively sought them out.