Beret Badge 1936 - 1952

The badge worn on the beret by the Royal Horse Artillery is this oval Garter with the Sovereign’s crown above and the royal cypher in the middle. The unit title is on a scroll beneath. This badge dates from 1936 after George VI came to the throne. The badge was taken into use by E Battery serving in India in 1936, worn on the Wolseley helmet. As well as the beret, this badge was worn, and still is (with the E II R cypher), on the lapels of the OR service dress, and on the waist-belt clasp. Officers have an embroidered version on their berets. The forage caps, both khaki and no.1 dress, have the RA badge.
When E Battery returned home from India in 1938 many of the gunners continued to wear the cypher badge on the red and blue field service caps with their blue patrols for walking out where it was much admired. When the introduction of battle dress was imminent in 1938-39 the CO of 1st Regiment RHA, liking the badge, approached the Officers Commanding the other RHA Regiments to see if they would agree to the adoption of the badge by the whole of the RHA, to be worn on the khaki field service cap which was being introduced with the battledress. All of them agreed, but before official recognition could be applied for, or received, war broke out and the matter had to be shelved. However, the badge was introduced unofficially, in white metal for other ranks, and an embroidered version for the coloured field service cap worn by officers.
In 1948 official recognition of the cypher badge was finally given, but not in white metal. The officers had to have gilt badges and other ranks had brass. And it was to be worn only on the beret. But the 2nd Regiment RHA, serving in Britain, was the only unit to wear the brass/gilt badge; all the other regiments were abroad and purchased their own silver/white metal badges.

Regimental Details | Badges