Coloured FS caps period guide

[Michael Ryan]

A few more chips!! Cheers MR

[Jerry B]

A few more chips!! Cheers MR

Hi Michel, what is the middle burgundy/red and white piped example with the grenade badge?

[Michael Ryan]

Hi Jerry, Sorry for my delayed reply, an oversight on my behalf!!! It happens when you get past your sell by date!! The cap is cherry red with primrose yellow crown piping and was worn by the Lancashire Fusileers, officers. Hope this is of interest.
Appologies once again
Best wishes and a Happy New Year regards MR

[Michael Ryan]

The caps at #22 are:

1. Army Dental Corps Officer KC.
2. Ditto, with badge variation.
3. Lancashire Fusileers Officer.
4. Royal Engineers Officer.
5. Royal Artillery Officer.

Sorry for delay in ID'ing these caps.
Cheers MR

[Michael Ryan]

Hi All, A few more chips to view.
Cheers Michael R

[Michael Ryan]

The chips are:

1. Lincolnshire Regiment Officer.
2. 16/5th Lancers Officer.
3. Queen's Regiment Officer.
4. Royal Army Ordnance Corps RAOC Officer QC.
5. Royal Flying Corps Officer KC.

[Michael Ryan]

hi Jerry and Hi Luc, Re your conversation about the grey piped chip. May I respectfully suggest that it may be Army Catering Corps. Their facings and cap welts are grey and, I would imagine that, their FSC piping is probably also grey????
Cheers MR

[Jerry B]

You could be correct Michel, though certainly with my example it has all the traits that I would associate with a FS cap from before WWI, though as you I am sure know very well, there is much that is not known about some of these and variations can be somewhat confusing and little understood.

[Michael Ryan]

Hi Jerry, Thank you for your reply. From my limited research and knowledge, I believe that the only organisation to wear the current style FS cap prior to WWI was the RFC (probably because it could be tucked into a pocket or belt when wearing the flying helmet??) and not the Army as an entity. Similar caps were also worn, like the torin and Austrian caps etc., prior to WWI but these caps were not identical to the WWII and current style caps. Circa 1937 is when the FS cap was introduced as a "General Pattern" item, Army wide, and subsequently, the coloured FS cap was introduced. Apparently, the FS cap was a derivative of the glengary which was previously (and currently) worn by Scottish regiments. Please feel free to contradict me if you have better information than me.
Cheers again MR

[Jerry B]

Hi Michel,

here is a late Victorian photograph of members of the Welsh or Mon wearing the pre WWI FS cap. They were introduced circa 1890-5 and worn until the introduction of the Brodrick cap, though some units such as Yeomanry continued to wear them into the WWI period. Also let us not forget the Kitchener Blue uniform which also included a blue FS cap and that worn by the 17th Lancers during the Boer war.

Sorry if they are out of order.