Commonwealth jump wings & Para regt cap badges

[JamesM]

To add to Laurence's initial post, but a little older!!

Cheers,

James

[ChrisB]

Ooooh... the last one looks a bit funny... is it Kiwi Recon ?

Nothing quite as exotic, it's the "NZ Force South East Asia (NZFORSEA) or Kiwi patch. The printed patch was in existence from 1974 to 1989 when the NZ force left Singapore. The patch was also used by our peace keeping troops in Afghanistan in 1989 and Iran/Iraq (UNIIMOG) 1989-91. There is also a latter embroidered version.

Cheers

Chris

[ChrisB]

Chris,

Not a clue I'm afraid. Got them all given years ago and they been in the loft ever since. I was sure there was a set of N.Z.S.A.S. wings also, but can't seem to find them, as I recall them being different to ours.

Any suggestions from our Commonwealth chums?

Graham.

Here's a set of Kiwi SAS wings (sorry not a great photo). These ones date from 1989. I think they are the same as the UK ones. I do know that one difference is that till 1989 the kiwi wore a burgundy (para) beret rather than the sand one.

Cheers

Chris

[leigh kitchen]

And since Great Britain is part of the Commonwealth...

The 2 Para Regt badges appear to be repros.

Para wings - top right are Royal Marine, left 2nd down RAF, right 2nd down RN, left 4th down is Rifle Brigade or Kings Royal Rifle Corps (I always confuse the black facings of one & the red facings of the other) & 2nd King EDwards Gurka Rifles I think.

I should know somw of the others but can't place them.

[leigh kitchen]

I also have these:

The white metal "tropical" wings I believe are repro, as far as I'm aware they were only produced in yellow metal.

There was a bit of a flood of the yellow metal SAS wings & para wings onto the market in the early 80's, in a thick bendy metal, I have one of each but I don't know if they're genuine.

[Jim Maclean]

Definitely agree on the cap badges being repro.

Top right of the para wings is/was worn on RN No2s/4s, can't ever recall seeing bootnecks wearing it. The blue on white below it is worn on No 6 tropical dress, though I believe the uniform numbering system has recently been changed. Worn in the RN on the left cuff.

Edited February 1, 2007 by Jim Maclean

[Laurence Strong]

This is great. Thanks guys

@James M

Are the Selous Scout wings un-issued or do you know where they came from.

@ Chris

The New Zealanders don't where their wings on the front of the tunic?

Edited February 1, 2007 by Laurence Strong

[JamesM]

This is great. Thanks guys

@James M

Are the Selous Scout wings un-issued or do you know where they came from.

Hi Laurence,

Yes, the wings are issue and numbered, and, I know who they belonged to!!

Cheers,

James

Edited February 1, 2007 by JamesM

[Laurence Strong]

The 2 Para Regt badges appear to be repros.

Are you talking about the top left? And which one's are the Gurka one's?

Edited February 1, 2007 by Laurence Strong

[leigh kitchen]

Definitely agree on the cap badges being repro.

Top right of the para wings is/was worn on RN No2s/4s, can't ever recall seeing bootnecks wearing it. The blue on white below it is worn on No 6 tropical dress, though I believe the uniform numbering system has recently been changed. Worn in the RN on the left cuff.

The red on blue wings are worn by RM on the wooly pully I think - I got some from a Commando unit in NI years ago, & I think a pair from a RM Commando (a Falklands MM winner from the Arctic & Mountain Cadre or whatever it was called & whose sister was at uni with the ex mrs).

[leigh kitchen]

Are you talking about the top left? And which one's are the Gurka one's?

Top left cap badge looks a definite, top right a probable to me.

The black on red wings are in the colours worn by 2nd Ghurkas, I'm not sure but possibly by Junior Solders too - certainly back in the 70's they ("The Junior Mafia") used to wear black on red rank chevrons, presumably to prevent the more mature looking kiddies messing adult squaddies about by trying to pull rank & give orders.

I've sussed it now - the KRRC wore black on red (I always mix up their colours with those of the Rifle Bde).

Edited February 3, 2007 by leigh kitchen

[Jim Maclean]

The red on blue wings are worn by RM on the wooly pully I think - I got some from a Commando unit in NI years ago, & I think a pair from a RM Commando (a Falklands MM winner from the Arctic & Mountain Cadre or whatever it was called & whose sister was at uni with the ex mrs).

Interesting, I spent my last two years (77-79) in the mob with the RM and they all wore army type wooly pullies with the army type wings. Only ever knew one MAWC guy who was with the section at Poole. The only Cdo unit I can think of that would have them would be 148 Bty RA whose radio ops were all matelots but you never saw them in blue anyway. Interesting! Incidentally the RN never wore them on the blue wooly pully or any other trade or SQ badge, only rank badges. Interestingly I noticed Camilla's beau at I think last years Remeberance service wearing his Para wings army fashion on his frock coat on the right upper arm. Perhaps this is because he already wears aviators wings on his left cuff but may be because he do what he likes. Only time I've ever seen the wing worn this way by a matelot apart from the aforementiontioned radio ops who dressed like squaddies anyway.

As to the cap badge, time to dig out the die flaw pics again Not to mention the slider is dodgy on a K/C badge and probably on a white metal Q/C though I do think I've seen the staybright with a slider.

Edited February 1, 2007 by Jim Maclean

[Jim Maclean]

Not a bad little set that came with a pair of Q/C collars, shame about the bad wing on one of the collars

[Jim Maclean]

OK not strictly Para but does anyone have any ideas on this SAS badge. Whose, when etc.? Two lug fasteners on the back.

[leigh kitchen]

.......

As to the cap badge, time to dig out the die flaw pics again Not to mention the slider is dodgy on a K/C badge and probably on a white metal Q/C though I do think I've seen the staybright with a slider.

Slider's are ok on St. Edwards Crown staybrites, I don't know what the score is re the KIngs Crown version though - still have'nt got one of those.

[ChrisB]

This is great. Thanks guys

@James M

Are the Selous Scout wings un-issued or do you know where they came from.

@ Chris

The New Zealanders don't where their wings on the front of the tunic?

Hello Laurence,

Not the para wings. They are worn brit style on the right shoulder.

Here are my only Brit jump wings.

Cheers

Chris

[Laurence Strong]

Thanks for the info Chris

[Graham Stewart]

Plus these N.Z. wings.

Graham.

While going through another thread came across the above wings in this link. It would appear they were also worn in the 1960's by Australians in Vietnam. See this link and the brassard section on Australian uniforms.

http://www.dsgrant.com/home.html

Graham.

Sorry technical hitch here.

Edited February 4, 2007 by Graham Stewart

[Graham Stewart]

These are the one's I mean. A technical hitch meant I couldn't post them in a quote panel. Anyway as said they can be found in the Australian uniform link that I added, just look for the section covering brassards.

The link takes you to an Australian members Vietnam collection.

Graham.

PS,

The "tactical recognition flash", as they're now called, below the wings on the above brassard is that worn by the Guards.

Edited February 4, 2007 by Graham Stewart

[Laurence Strong]

Thanks for the link Graham

[Tiger-pie]

A couple of Aussie types.

Edited February 4, 2007 by Tiger-pie

[Laurence Strong]

Thanks for the post Tigerpie, are the embroidered one for Mess kit?

[Jim Maclean]

Slider's are ok on St. Edwards Crown staybrites, I don't know what the score is re the KIngs Crown version though - still have'nt got one of those.

That was what I thought about the staybrites, I'm not keen on the slidered King's Crown versions for no other reason that they don't seem to come up with the 'vet obtained' stuff.

Hope you enjoyed the holiday.

[Tiger-pie]

Thanks for the post Tigerpie, are the embroidered one for Mess kit?

Yes, that is the SASR mess dress wings. Across the top is the ARA wings, Commando, Commando Subdued, RAN work dress wings, SAS mess dress, SAS subdued, RAN metal badge for dress uniform (commonly know as the "squashed moth").

Regards;

Johnsy

Edited February 5, 2007 by Tiger-pie

[leigh kitchen]

Hello Laurence,

Not the para wings. They are worn brit style on the right shoulder.

Here are my only Brit jump wings.

Cheers

Chris

Guards Independent Para Comapny brassard I believe, disbanded 1975, about the time that those chevrons came into use. One of theuir sergeants was the tallest man in the British army at about that time.