Lets see your British Army Dress/forage Caps and chat!!!

[Michael Ryan]

Hi Fellow Collectors etc. The latest two caps to surface which I am very pleased with. There is an interesting story behind these two caps as told by the daughter of the original owners. The QAIMNSR (Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve) cap belonged to her mother, a lieutenant Nursing Sister based presumably at the British Military Hospital Alexandria in circa 1942. Her uniform jacket is by a London maker but the cap, as can be seen from the manufacturer's label, was made in Alexandria. The cap badge appears to be in sand cast silver and is devoid of markings.

The FSC belonged to her father, an officer in the 12th (Prince of Wales) Lancers who were shipped into Egypt in 1941 as a Reconnaissance Unit with 1st Armoured Division and fought at the second battle of Alamein in October 1942 before fighting as a Corps level reconnaissance unit in the Italian campaign.

Although I can not state this as a matter of fact, I am under the impression that he was wounded during the North African campaign, met then subsequently married the lady mentioned above?? His Dress uniform is ranked to Second Lieutenant but I think that he probably finished the war as a Captain??

The QAIMNSR cap is not named however the uniform jacket is. The 12th Lancers cap has the owner's initials as can be seen in the photograph and the uniform is fully named. A desert love story!!

Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve Officers Cap











12th (Prince of Wales) Lancers Field Service Cap

[Michael Ryan]

Hi All, A couple of additional items of headdress. Again, an interesting story behind these two items. They were purchased directly from the QARANC Nursing Major who wore them and came with his No2 Dress uniform. The Major started his military career in the Royal Army Medical Corps RAMC and retired from the army. He then rejoined but as a Nursing Officer in the Qeen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps before finally retiring as a major. His cap is as it should be however, his beret sports a repro, a private purchase badge rather than an officer's or staybright badge. Whilst stationed at Goose Green with 1st Royal Scots I went to the PRI to buy some of their AA TOS badges and was advised that the did not have any however they did have some bi-mital badges a handful of which I purchased. On return to the UK, I tried to trade a couple out to a dealer friend who immediately said "I do not trade in repro"! He accepted where they came from but still counted them a wrong. My question is, if the troops are wearing them with the approval of their NCO's and officers, when does a wrong badge become a "private purchase" right badge???

Cheers Michael

FO 684 Number 1 Dress visor cap for a male Nursing Officer Major of the QARANC.



FO 685 And his beret.

[BobS]

Michael,
I wonder if the initials A.M.H. inside the 12th Lancers sidecap are for A.M. Horsbrugh-Porter, a Captain in the 1938 Army List, and a Lieut.Col., DSO in the 1952 list?

BobS

[Michael Ryan]

Hi Bob, Long time no speak!! No Bob, His surname was Harvey and he was a 2nd Lieutenant in 1941 according to the label in his uniform. His uniform has no ribbons nor has it been up ranked from new so I am drawn to the conclusion that after his time in Africa, he never wore it again as it shows very little wear. Perhaps he was wounded and invalided out of the Army and the war? His wife's cap and uniform show a lot of wear so she was probably in the Army for a lot longer?

Cheers Michael

[BobS]

Thanks, Michael. Harvey is listed as an officer in the regiment in 1941, according to " History of the XII Royal Lancers" by P.F.Stewart.
No listing thereafter.

[Michael Ryan]

Hi Bob, Thank you. The more I think about this man, the more I am drawn to the possibility or even probability that he was a casualty and then discharged from the Army, thus missing the remainder of the war and wearing his uniform again?????

Cheers Michael

[BobS]

Hi Bob, Thank you. The more I think about this man, the more I am drawn to the possibility or even probability that he was a casualty and then discharged from the Army, thus missing the remainder of the war and wearing his uniform again?????

Cheers Michael

Hard to say, Michael, as the regimental history only lists the year an officer joined the regiment. Harvey is not listed anywhere else in the book, and is not in the 1952 Army List, the closest postwar list I have.
I'm guessing a "hostilities only" officer, who may well have been wounded, and sent to light duty, or invalided out of the army.

[Michael Ryan]

Hi Bob, I am hoping to make contact with his daughter and if I succeed, I will try and get to the bottom of this enigma and add the results to the thread.
Cheers Michael

[Michael Ryan]

A couple of recent additions to the old hat rack.

OR 560 Standard Parachute Regiment issue beret. It turned up without a badge and the only spare I had is a bright shiney one. Officers??











GO 694 Lord Lieutenant of an English County dress cap. The county concerned is Hertfordshire and the incumbent was Brigadier General Thomas Walter Brand, 3rd Viscount Hampden. He was a long serving LL having served from 1915 to 1952. The Viscount, born in 1869, also served in the Second Boer War and World War 1 with the Hertfordshire Regiment until January 1915. On promotion to Brigadier General, he was appointed Commander 126 (East Lancs) Brigade at Galipoli and then Commander 185 (2/1st West Riding) Brigade at the Battle of Cambrai and subsequent battles of 1918. Between 1935 and 1939 he was Colonel of the 10th (Prince of Wales Own) Royal Hussars and died in 1958. A cap with a rich history!!

[Michael Ryan]

Hi All, A quick puzzle for you of you don't mind? Whilst rooting around in boxes in my garage, I came across a bunch of chipbags, sorry FS caps without insignia which I must have put away several years ago. As yet I have failed to identify the following three. I have my ideas on them but am hoping, with your assistance, to positively ID them. Your assistance please!!

Cheers michael R

OR 245 Duke of Wellington's Regiment. All elements very dark blue(VDB). Crown peak and curtain pipe red. GS KC buttons.



OR 248 Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) 1942 -1947. Crown white. Body and peak red. Curtain VDB. Crown and curtain piped yellow. GS KC buttons.



OR 247 West Kent Yeomanry or Suffolk Hussars. Crown and body red. Peak and curtain VD Green. No piping. Plain high dome AA buttons, gold.

Identification of the above FS Caps courtesy of Bananamafia!!!!!!!!!!! With Thanks MR