Michael R

The upcoming selection of US Coast Guard Auxiliary caps are for wear by Junior Officers. Unlike regular Coast Guard Officers of all grades, the basic badge, buttons and chinstrap colour is silver rather than gold. Like their regular counterparts, there are discrepancies in colour shading for cap bands and badge fields ranging from a deep lighter blue to blue/black. item 7 This is a current style cap with an Auxiliary pattern cap device featuring an open winged eagle with up swept wings. The eagle is centered over a voided wreath of laurel and superimposed on its chest is a pair of crossed anchors all in silver. Superimposed over the central position of the anchors is a gold coloured disc with the Coast Guard shield at its center. Surrounding the shield, in gold on a blue enamel field is the wording "US COAST GUARD AUXILIARY".. The all metal insignia is retained on a shaped field by means of a single bolt and nut fitting. The badge field and cap band are of a medium deep blue colour. The badge is positioned very low on the backing field due to the hole in the field used to accommodate the bolt being wrongly positioned, ergo too low? The cap has a white winter cover. Item 8 Identical styled cap but with a high quality bullion wire embroidered cap device. The central disc is also wire embroidered but in gold. This also has a white cove but with darker blue band and field. Item 9 Another metal device but in this case worn on a tan summer cap and with a far lighter band and field. Note the positioning of the eagle device on its field relative to that on item 7. Item 9 A far earlier cap again with a metal cap device. This cap has a very dark, blue/black band and field. Note the alternative shape of the badge field more usually associated with the Regular officer's badge field. Possibly worn by an ex regular officer subsequent to a transfer to the Auxiliary??

From the US Coast Guard we move onto the US Coast Guard Auxiliary. Other than the last item, all of these caps all have summer tan covers and I am not certain of the r5anks which they represent?? Item 1 Is a fairly early cap with a gold crossed anchors metal badge centered on which is a disc bearing the Coast Guard shield insignia.The outer edge of the disc is coloured in deep blue enameling and bears the legend "Coast Guard Auxiliary" in gold. The badge reverse has a single bolt and nut fitting and is mounted on a semi circular dark blue field. The badge is titled "UNITED STATES COAST GUARD AUXILIARY". Item 2 This is a similar cap to Item 1 but has the badge anchors manufactured in silver bullion wire whilst the central disc is as per Item 1. The backing field in this case is dark blue but in the form of a square. The badge is titled "US COST GUARD AUXILIARY". Item 3 Again an early cap and almost identical to Item 1. However, the cap device is finished in silver coloured metal rather than gold but with a gold central disc and is titled "UNITED STATES COAST GUARD AUXILIARY". Item 4 A current style cap with identical badge and field to Item 1. The badge is titled "UNITED STATES COAST GUARD AUXILIARY". Item 5 An older cap with identical insignia to item 4 but on a square field as per item 2. The badge is titled "US COST GUARD AUXILIARY". Item 6 This cap has a white winter cover and a silver coloured badge as per Item 3. The badge is titled "US COST GUARD AUXILIARY". Any comments or opinions re the ranks, variety of colours and wording or the caps themselves would be very welcome. Please note Item 2 has been uploaded out of sequence.

Hi, And finally for the USCG caps and hats. Item 7 Is a Flag Rank Officer's visor with all metal cap device on a light blue field and cap band. A winter cap with white cover, the visor has th same outer arcs of oak detail as the Captain's visor but also has the addition of a further seven oak leaves on the iner portion of each side of the visor. A very attractive and quite scarce cap. Item 8 A winter , white cover female combination hat with an all metal device again on a lighter blue field and cap band. The hat is of a generic pattern with only the cap band pattern differentiating the various grades of officer wearer. the chinstrap is only worn by junior officers. Enlisted grades wear the same hat with whatever device is appropriate to to rank of its wearer. A small but interesting selection of US CG and US CG A cap and hat devices.

Moving swiftly on, some visors worn in the ranks of Commander and Captain and Commodore? Item 4 A senior officer's cap of the USCG with a tan cover and metal device as per previous caps.The cap band and badge field are of a lighter blue. Item 5 A similar cap but with a very high quality gold and silver wire badge on a darker blue field and band. This is a white cover winter cap. Item 6 A second "winter" cap but with an all metal cap device. The visors on these cap are, unlike junior officer's cap, covered in black cloth materiel. The materiel has seven oak leaves in an arc around the outer edge of each side of the visor. The embellishment can be in either silk or high quality two tone gold bullion wire.

Hi Peter, Thank you for your message and re Posh, I know full well that you were not having a dig, so apologies if I have given you the wrong impression!! Shall we start again???. Of all the regiments and corps' in the the British army, my two most respected are the RAMC and the RE. I feel that among collectors that there is a reluctance to credit them with the bravery that they deserve. To venture into no-mans-land with only a cloth armlet or tabbard in white with a red cross in order to try and perform miracles and rescues and no means of protection takes real heroism. Likewise with the RE, to build bridges etc under enemy fire and in advance of the fighting troops also takes cool courage. I was recently looking at a photo of a line of dead British troops and there was a young man with a large white tabbard an a big red cross. Chaplains are another outfit who deserve recognition!! Anyway, congratulations in portraying some of the bravest troops in any army, navy or air force!! With thanks, regards and best wishes Michael. PS, thank you for your kind comments.

Hi, Anyone interested in US Naval headdress and insignia?? I am starting a thread on US Naval Headdress commencing with the US Coast Guard and the US Coast Guard Auxiliary. I confess to a limited knowledge on the subject of the Coast Guard so I would be most grateful for feed back especially when I get the description or ranks wrong - and I will!! Thank you in advance. Regards and best wishes Michael R Item 1 USCG Junior Officer's Summer pattern tan visor cap. The cap device is of a very attractive bullion embroidered pattern comprising the US National Eagle in gold with the CG shield in silver over it's breast clutching a silver fouled anchor in a horizontal configuration. This is the current standard device worn on both the visor (in full size) and garrison (in miniature) cap. Note the cap band and device field are in a medium blue colour. Item 2 Officer's Winter cap with white cover and blue/black cap band and device field. The logic behind the two shades of blue is not known, at least by me!! In this case the cap badge is finished in silver and gold finished metal. This is a two part constructed badge which is held together and secured by a nut and bolt reverse fitting. Item 3 A second Winter cap but with a bullion embroidered eagle, shield and anchor and again with blue/black cap band and badge field. This is a far earlier cap than the previous items.

Some more soft caps and hats. Item 1 Is an Air Force Officer's fur hat in light grey with the large embroidered hat badge with a metal cockade in silver, very reminiscent of the old metal Luftwaffe cap badge. Item 2 Naval Officer's fur hat in dark blue with Gold embroidered badge and gold metal cockade. Item 3 Army field visor ca pin "rain" pattern camouflage with small embroidered roundel. Item 4 Female Naval Officer's "Pill Box" style hat in dark blue with an all metal gold cap device. Item 5 Female Naval Officer's "Garrison" style had in white with embroidered gold badge and cockade. The fore part of the cap is trimmed in gold piping. Item 6 All ranks combat hood in "Rain" pattern Camouflage.

Hi Long Thrust VI, Thank you for adding your comments to this thread and if you feel inclined, please feel free to add any of your collection to the thread. With thanks, regards and best wishes Michael R Hi Again Paul, Yes, please do add whatever you wish to display to the thread, the more the merrier!! Cheers Michael

Yes Paul, I like them too!!! Regards Michael This next Army cap is somewhat contentious!! I believe it to be a copy others say a private purchase variation. What say you???? Your opinions and reasoning would be greatly appreciated.

Hi, Sticking with the RAF Medical Services and PMRAFNS, the following boards are a bit of a variety. All four boards have a representative and ubiquitous Red Cross Armlet at the base. Board 5 Features flying suit patches all of which bear the Caduceus Of Mercury flanked by outstretched wings and the Queen's Crown. These patches are encountered in a variety of colours including OG subdued and sand etc. most also have a name and squadron details etc. Board 6 Left side are two Number ! Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron RAF patches. Right side are a number of sleeve wings for non-commissioned Flight Medical Attendants. Center are junior Airmen and Airwomen shoulder rank slides. to the left with metal insignia and to the right with gold thread embroidered insignia. The ranks are Leading Aircraftman - LAC. Senior Aircraftman - SAC and Junior Technician - JT (Now obsolete as a rank and badge). Board 7 Left side are a variety of PMRAFNS shoulder mudguards. Right side are more mudguards over a PMRAFNS Nursing Sister's name tag as worn on the Ward Dress Uniform. Beneath that is a Nurse Training School badge. Center are sliders for the ranks of Corporal - JNCO, Sergeant - SNCO and Chief Technician. Board 8 Left RAF Medical collar insignia and a tie pin. Right more collar insignia. Center are sliders for the ranks of Flight Sergeant and Warrant Officer. Hi Paul, Thank you once again for your kind comments. I see no reason why you should not add some of your non-British Medical collection to this thread. If people like Medical associated militaria then what difference does it make where they find it. It is still Medical. Please feel free to join in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Regards Michael

Continuing with the Senior Officer's caps, The next two are Air Force for the ranks of Major to Colonel inclusive. The Air Force appears to have greater control over the colour shading of their caps which tend to be of a greater degree of uniformity.

Hi, Moving swiftly on, the next selection belong to the RAF Medical and Dental Services and the PMRAFNS. Board 1 Three armlets as worn by RAF Medical personnel. The insignia embroidered in light blue on a white field comprises the Caduceus Of Mercury flanked by outstretched wings and ensigned by The Queen's Crown. The center armlet is identical to the others but the reverse is stamped with a property stamp saying that it belongs to RAF Hospital Ely which was located in Cambridgeshire prior to its closure. Board 2 Top row comprised PMRAF (Princess Mary's RAF Nursing Service) Ward uniform badges. Left vertical row are shoulder bars worn by trainee nursed in their first and second years of training. Center are reflective jacket titles for RAF Doctors and nurses. Upper right is a mudguard (Shoulder badge) for a hospital train, probably an Army badge and lower right is a Flight Nurses desert pattern arm badge in copper silk on a sand field. Board 3 Medical Service Geneva (Red) Cross brassards and the PMRAFNS badge as worn with civilian cloths. Board 4 A variety of Red Cros armlets. Blood Group notifications for wear on either the combat jacket shirt or helmet. Medical Emergency Response Teams(MERT) badges

An a couple more. Two patterns, late in light grey and early in dark grey. Both have early pattern dark grey backed cap badges. Item two is missing its cockade.

Hi, Back to the Bundeswhehr Army. The next few caps are for Senior or Field Grade Officers in the ranks of Major to Colonel inclusive. Both have the standard Army Officer's pattern cap device on a light grey field and have a floppy crown. the shading of both the covers and of the cap bands vary. Regards MR

Hi Paul, Thank you for your comments and stand by, there are more to follow!! Cheers Michael Semper Fid!!

Hi Again, Some more QARNNS rank and other insignia. Hope they are of interest. Regards MR they are: Board 5 Chief Nursing Officer. The badge is identical in all detail to that worn by a Superintending Nursing Officer save for the outer boarder which is now executed in gold rather than red. The central line of badges are variations of the Enlisted hat badge and the Officer's hat badge. The Enlisted hat badge is of a design unique to the QARNNS. The Officer's badge is identical to the standard RN Officer cap badge but executed in red silks rather than gold wire and has the monogram of HM Queen Alexandra replacing the fouled anchor. Board 6 Principal Nursing Officer. The rank insignia is identical to that of the Chief Nursing Officer with only the addition of a small horizontal gold bar at the base of the badge. Top line second item from the left is both unusual and rare in that it also featured the Royal Cypher in gold. The Royal Cypher may only be worn by the Matron in Chief of the QARNNS when appointed as Honorary Nursing Sister to HM Queen Elizabeth II. I would speculate that the original wearer may have been acting as Matron in Chief or possibly held an appointment as an ADC. To further compound the issue, the Royal Cypher worn by RN Officers per see is finished in silver not gold?? If anyone can add an opinion to this mystery, I would be very pleased to hear from them. Board 7 Matron in Chief. The rank insignia worn by the Matron in Chief is identical to that worn by a Chief Nursing officer but with a double outer gold boarder. The silver EIIR Royal Cypher denoted the appointment of Honorary Nursing Sister to HM the Queen. The third pair in the upper row would be worn, probably by a newly appointed Matron in Chief, who has not yet been appointed to Honorary Nursing Sister to HM the Queen. The lower row are variation Officer's badges. Board 8 Are identical to those detailed above but executed in silver rather than gold and include the word "Reserve". These are worn by reserve personnel. Board 9 In 1982, in preparation for the introduction of male officers, the Nursing Officers' ranking system was changed. The titles "Sister" and "Matron were dropped and replaced with standard naval ranks but with the addition of the Royal Cypher of HM Queen Alexandra surmounting the rank insignia. In addition to the two rank structures detailed above, the earlier structure in use was: 1. Nursing Sister 2 Senior Nursing Sister 3 Superintending Nursing Sister 4 Matron 5. Principal Matron 6. Matron in Chief

Peter, Thank you for your message but I must take exception to the word "posh" Interesting perhaps. I intend posting more medical insignia so please keep watching. Unless I am greatly mistaken, The RAMC has more recipients of the VC than any other corps or regiment in the British Army. Very brave people!!!! With thanks, regards and best wishes Michael

Having spoken to Paul, Coast Guard, it transpires that we share an interest in Medical insignia so I thought that other members may also shore our interest?? Some medical insignia to view! Hope you find them of interest Regards and Best Wishes Michael R To start the first set of rank insignia is that of Royal Navy Nursing Officers. Although part of the RN proper, they have their own Service title. Queen Alexandra's Royal Navy Nursing Service commonly referred to as QARNNS. Their ranks and RN equivalents are: 1. Nursing Officer. Sub Lieutenant RN 2. Senior Nursing Officer. Lieutenant RN 3. Superintending Nursing Officer. Lieutenant Commander RN 4. Chief Nursing Officer. Commander RN 5. Principal Nursing Officer. Captain RN 6. Matron in Chief. Commodore RN Rank is worn on the Nursing Tippet, as sliders on epaulettes and as shoulder boards. Board 1. Nursing Officer. The badge either embroidered in silks or gold wire comprises the Monarch's crown in this case the Queens or King Edward Crown surmounting the monogram of HM Queen Alexandra superimposed on a ship's anchor itself surmounting a gold outlined white disc onto which is centered a Geneva (red) Cross. The other badges are RN blazer badges. Board 2. Senior Nursing Officer. As above with the addition of a small red bar at the foot of the badge. Bottom left is a sealed pattern and the third badge in bears the Kings or Imperial Crown in use until 1953. The upper row are QARNNS Nurses cap badges L to R Junior Rates, Petty Officer, Chief Petty Officer, PO and OR. Board 3. The QARNNS badge on this board are all variations of those on board 2. Board 4. Superintending Nursing Officer. The badge is identical to those on board 1 but with a red round top boarder. All bear the Queen's Crown. The two cap badges are worn by QARNNS Warrant Officers are are as per the the CPO badge but with a larger wreath. Your comment are welcome.

Some Luftwaffe Company officer's caps. All are of standard patter with minor variations of shade and insignia. The first cap is a fairly early item and of a more "floppy" style. Hope they are of interest. And a couple more. Once again, only minor variations.

Continuing with junior officer's caps Item 3 is again a later pattern cap in light grey with a dark grey cap band of a ribbed materiel rather than smooth. The light grey is several shades paler than Item 2 and the cap device is of the older style executed on a dark grey field. Item 4 is an earlier dark grey cap but with an inter changeable cover. The cover is piped in white, the badge is executed on a dark grey field and I believe this to be for wear by Military Police officers? If I am wrong on this description, please let me know as I am here to learn. Many thanks. The final cap that I will show in this section, Item five is again of a later pattern cap in light grey with an earlier style cap badge executed on a dark grey field. The cap is identical to Item two but of a higher build standard with a very high crown. The National roundel is of the metal type and is probably a replacement??

A minor change to the visor caps worn by Bundeswehr Army officers. Both caps are for wear by junior or company officers. Item one is an early dark grey cap with silver piping and dark grey backed officer's pattern cap device. Item two is is the later light grey cap of identical style to one but manufactured in light grey materiel with a dark grey cap band. The badge, although in style, identical to item one, is executed on a light grey field.

Hi, Three more Enlisted Ranks caps to view for those interested. They are a later patter pattern light grey signals cap with bright yellow piping and two Air Force caps. The first is the current pattern cap with golden yellow piping followed by an earlier cap with grey piping.

Hi Colin, Thank you for your latest post and the information concerning the disposal of the effects of the conspirators following their execution and of course your recommendation for Peter Hoffmann. At the risk of repeating myself, congratulations on your outstanding thread and of course the input of all of your other contributors. Probably the best thread on any of the Forums that I have had the pleasure of reading. Keep it up!!!!!!!!!!!!! With thanks, regards and best wishes Michael R

Hello Uwe, Thank you for your message. I will agree to disagree with you but no more. Gordon's photos clearly show chaplains wearing BW uniforms in varying styles both protective, combat and every day. The cap is clearly German military. Badges from China I have no idea. Certainly, from a quality point of view they are far superior to some of the other badges that I have which are or were worn by the BW?? So perhaps they are Chinese, too good for German?? Finally, the below passage clearly states that "They are members of the Bundeswehr". They are paid by the Bundeswehr and wear uniforms but no ranks. As is the case in the British forces and German, chaplains are independent, non combatant and not soldiers however they do participate in exercises and no doubt on the battlefield and will be subject to most military laws etc. Civilians in uniform perhaps or as you would have it not in uniform. In any event, I like them so hay ho!! By the way, if I an correct, then you have no need to apologize. Although a little heated, this is none-the-less only a discussion. And as I said earlier, the fact that you can find no evidence of their wear, is not in its self proof that such items are spurious. With thanks regards and best wishes Michael R The military chaplains are (usually for at least 6 years) from their national churches and diocesesoptional for this service. They take part in exercises and Bundeswehr operations abroad. The military chaplains have no military rank, are not soldiers or combatants , and are under the special protection of the international law of war. They are members of the Bundeswehr, federal officials on time and be paid out of the Bundeswehr budget. There are so-called denominational state offices, the State may exceptionally consider the religious view or an agreement of the ecclesiastical authority in the occupation; This is constitutionally by Art. 140 GGin conjunction with Article 141. WRV justified. [5] In use, wear military chaplains - like the soldiers - the battle dress with a cross instead of rank insignia.

Hi, As a sister thread to the Bundeswehr cap insignia, I have decided to try an NVA thread along similar lines to see if anyone is interested. Your comments, be they critical or affirmative, are welcome and any input you feel would be helpful would be appreciated. Cheers Michael R The first four items are all "soft" caps and hats. They are all Army and the first three are for female wear. The first is an officer's dress "pill box" style hat without visor. Item 2 is an enlisted "garrison" style hat again without visor. Item three is a cold weather visor cap badged to an officer and finally, a male's visor "field" cap. In my experience, most NVA items of headdress are not rank orientated. The rank group usually shown by the cap/hat badge.