Army returns to dark blue or khaki berets for Foot Guards and technical corps

[Furniture]

What if you are a member of a unit that has the new blue beret and you are not of that MOS? Will one wear that beret  à la armoured regiments?


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Not that I know of, unless arty decides to go that route. For the Int side it's just CA DEU Int/Met people.

 

[Calvillo]

The reasoning given is that those are speciality berets, and new blue one is a standard beret like the RCAF, RCN, and current CA green berets. It just replaces the green beret for some trades in CA uniform.

Not that I am questioning you personally but can one not argue that the blue beret is a specialty for ARTY, RCEME, RCCS and INT? It just happens that all but INT are Army-specific trades.

It would be funny if Navy and Air Force retaliate by issuing different color berets for their own INT.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Not that I am questioning you personally but can one not argue that the blue beret is a specialty for ARTY, RCEME, RCCS and INT? It just happens that all but INT are Army-specific trades.

It would be funny if Navy and Air Force retaliate by issuing different color berets for their own INT.

.... like Purple, because it's a 'Purple Trade' right?

 

[Furniture]

Not that I am questioning you personally but can one not argue that the blue beret is a specialty for ARTY, RCEME, RCCS and INT? It just happens that all but INT are Army-specific trades.

It would be funny if Navy and Air Force retaliate by issuing different color berets for their own INT.

That's the way it was described in the email from my CoC, since I'm stuck wearing a blue bag I just have to make sure my troops switch to the new beret at the right time.

 

[Navy_Pete]

.... like Purple, because it's a 'Purple Trade' right?

Back in the day when navy officers had trade stripes, the one for the engineering officers (now called marine systems engineering officers) actually was purple.  Each officer trade had their own colour. 

That went away at some point (unification), but there is still (a rather stupid) tradition where some engineering officers on the ships use a purple pen.

For whatever reason, Navy medical officers kept the red stripe.

Anyway, please don't go there, or we'll have more navy shenanigans like the stupid executive curl.  Unless I get to wear a cape (and maybe a tricorn) lets not feed the good idea fairies anything but warm Ovaltine.

 

[BDTyre]

Maybe we can bring back the dinner-plate sized battle bonnet balmorals for the Highland units since we're going back to older styles.  ;D

 

[Blackadder1916]

That went away at some point (unification), but there is still (a rather stupid) tradition where some engineering officers on the ships use a purple pen.

For whatever reason, Navy medical officers kept the red stripe.

While the elimination of many things are blamed on unification, the passing of distinction colours falls totally on the shoulders of the RCN (version one).  With the exception of two colours (scarlet for doctors and maroon for other medical branch officers) distinction colours were discontinued effective 31 Dec 1959.  The RN abolished theirs previously in May 1955.  The colours for medical types were retained, supposedly, due to a feeling that those who had a distinctive protected status under the Geneva Conventions needed to have visible identification.

 

[dimsum]

Anyway, please don't go there, or we'll have more navy shenanigans like the stupid executive curl.

At the risk of derailing this even further, I thought the curl was one of the less controversial buttons and bows reboots compared to the Army pips & crowns, and the RCAF pearl grey ranks and Aviator rank?

 

[Calvillo]

As well, I thought the readopting of the curl was the correct decision? Of the well-known maritime forces in the world that were using sleeve stripes as ranks, virtually all of them used either a variation of the curl or a device / insignia / star on or above the stripes. Only the then Maritime Command wore their stripes without anything.

 

[Navy_Pete]

It was more of the context of the time the curl rolled out; there was a big budget crunch rolling across everything, so there was maintenance holds on specific equipment for some ships, spare part purchases being delayed, and some sailing delayed until the next FY due to a fuel budget crunch. Personally I think I was running around at the time trying to see how we were going to keep ATH limping around without getting anyone killed, so left a pretty bad taste in my mouth. I remember that every time I see the curls and reminds me of misplaced priorities, so don't like them.

I think at the same time the stokers had a hold on their spec pay when it was under review (believe that took two years?) so it was extra good to see the officers get something. I would have preferred they spent the cash on parts and maintenance, which was the stuff that gave me lots of sleepless nights.

This one is for a whole community of trades, so not too bad, but personally think any uniform thing specific to officers should be shelved until all operational kit is sorted.

 

[FJAG]

Any chance of you scanning and posting those?

Cheers,
Dan.

Here are two that show a bit of that.

This is of 7th Toronto Regt RCA on parade in 1965. I'm not in the picture as it was taken a couple of months before I joined. The dress is battle dress and you'll note some folks in forage caps and others in berets. The practice at the time was that you wore the beret until you graduated your recruit course and gun layer's course (essentially until qualified DP1) and then were issued the forage cap and your white lanyard and layer's trade badge for your sleeve.

This one's my graduation photo in 1970 and is a bit unique. As officer cadets you wore the same uniform as other ranks until you completed your basic arty officers course at which time you were issued with officer's TWs. Our graduation took place at exactly the time that CF Greens were being issued (although for officers you were given the cloth and had to have the uniform tailored as it wasn't yet available on the shelf). On top of that we went directly from officer cadet to lieutenant without being 2nd lieutenants. As a result I'm wearing OR TWs, an OR forage cap and a Sam Browne belt with my lieutenant's pips. That lasted for six weeks until my Greens were ready. (Note the Mobile Command patch on the shoulder)

Fun times.

:cheers:

 

[exspy]

Here are two that show a bit of that.

Wolf,

Thanks for the photos and info. Always glad for details from the old Army (Harrumph!).

Quick question: That doesn't look like Moss Park Armoury to me. Is it?

Cheers,
Dan.

 

[mariomike]

That doesn't look like Moss Park Armoury to me. Is it?

Fort York.

 

[FJAG]

Yup. The three predecessor regiments of 7th Toronto (29th Field, 42nd Medium and 1st Locating Regiment) were originally at University Street Armory (29th and 42nd) and Falaise Armoury (1st). When University was shut down in 1963, the 29th moved into temporary accommodation at 87 Richmond Street East and the 42nd moved into Falaise. In March 1965 the title of 7th Toronto was re-instituted, the 29th, 42nd and 1st went onto the supplementary order of battle and all the personnel concentrated at the Richmond Street location. (I remember as a recruit on work details moving the gear and office furniture of the 42nd and 1st out of Falaise to Richmond.) The picture is of the 7th, as reformed, at its first formal parade and because Richmond had no parade square it was held at York. We moved into Moss Park in May of 1966.

:cheers:

 

[Rifleman62]

Can't remember where the QOR of C were during this period. It was a cobblestone floored  bldg where they paraded before going to the NW rebellion. I was a Pioneer on the opening pde for Moss street Armoury. Lived in TO Sep 65 to Nov 66.

 

[mariomike]

There was an armoury on University Ave. ( where the court house is now ) from 1891 until it was demolished in 1963.

 

[Rifleman62]

The QOR moved out to this warehouse bldg.

 

[mariomike]

For anyone interested,

Fates of former armouries 
https://navy.ca/forums/threads/111568.25
4 pages.

For reference to this discussion,

I wanted to put in a picture of the first armoury I paraded at when I joined the 7th Toronto Regiment back in 1965. They had just moved everyone out of the old University Avenue Armouries and put us into a temporary armoury at 87 Richmond Street East until the Moss Park Armouries were built.

Unfortunately its a car park lot now  :'(

Do you recall the old Falaise Armoury down on Queen's Quay? I think there was an RCA Medium Regt there until very early 70's.

Quite a bit of discussion about the Toronto armouries ( and others ) in that thread.

 

[FJAG]

Can't remember where the QOR of C were during this period. It was a cobblestone floored  bldg where they paraded before going to the NW rebellion. I was a Pioneer on the opening pde for Moss street Armoury. Lived in TO Sep 65 to Nov 66.

When University shut down in '63, the QOR moved into Richmond St with 29th Fd/7th Tor until Moss Park opened in'66.

:cheers:

 

[Rifleman62]

Richmond St, remember now. Thanks.

Don't remember seeing you Wolf.  ;D First time was when you where RSSO of 26 Fd Regt, RCA, then on several Black Bears. Remember you translating the German Bde Comd's (??) points on debrief. Then later as a Legal O.