British Army Myths, Legends and Useless Regimental Information

Discussion in 'British Army Units - Others' started by Drew5233, Oct 13, 2010.

  1. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    From another thread I decided to start one covering useless information relating to all the regiments of the British Army 'Then and Now'.

    Regarding The Royal Corps of Signals their Corps colours signify that they provide communication on Land, Sea and Air (Green, Navy Blue and Sky Blue)
    [​IMG]

    The Cap Badge Nickname 'Jimmy' is thought to have come from a rather good regimental Boxer in the 20's/30's.

    The Capbadge is of the Roman Messenger God Mercury
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_(mythology)

    I believe I know a few more but I'll wait for others ....

    ... So what does your regimental colours signify?
     
  2. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    4th Queen's Own Hussars

    Regimental Colours
    • Garter Blue: The primary colour of the Regiment is garter blue. This dates from 1685 when The Queen Consort's Regiment of Dragoons, later the 3rd Hussars, wore the Queen's livery with Garter Blue feathered hats. It has been in continuous use ever since.
    • Green: The use of green dates from 1748 when it was the facing colour of Princess Anne of Denmark's Regiment of Dragoons, later the 4th Hussars. It has a tenuous association with Ireland, which remains the Regiment's smallest recruiting area. Officers and Senior Ranks wear green jumpers and all ranks wear berets. Officers can be distinguished by their distinctive tent hats (the only item of army headress worn without a cap badge other than with combat uniforms).
    • Yellow: The traditional Light Cavalry colour is yellow, which has been used by all of the Regiments predecessors
     
  3. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Scaleys?
    Leaky Radios? Or 'Scale E?'

    Grandad was in the Sigs for c.40 years, and I don't recall much obvious skin disease. :D
     
  4. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Scaleys?
    Leaky Radios? Or 'Scale E?'

    Grandad was in the Sigs for c.40 years, and I don't recall much obvious skin disease. :D

    'Scaley Backs' comes from WW1 when the Signallers carried batteries for the radios on their back to wireless sets near the front line. The batteries leaked acid onto their backs burning them - hence the name.
     
  5. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    That is indeed the legend, but there is some suggestion of it actually being to do with Signallers being on a raised pay scale.
    Hmm, did we have a thread on this?

    Ah, only a brief reference here:
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/188566-post29.html

    I recognise that avatar ;).
     
  6. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I think:

    'From the Mud and the Blood to the Green fields of the Somme.'


    Brown for the Mud, Red for the Blood and Green for the Fields
    [​IMG]
     
  7. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Mud and the Blood to the Green fields

    That one's more verifiable, being recent history.
    The Story goes that Elles & Hardess-Lloyd could only find a limited selection of coloured material in a French(?) Drapers when creating 'unit identity' stuff for the new corps, and that Fuller placed the "Through Mud & Blood to the Green fields Beyond" interpretation on it as a bit of quick-thinking. (Possibly when explaining it to Haig? - would have to check details though, shooting from the hip somewhat.)
     
  8. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    There's nothing like a good well researched answer to a query is there?

    I think:

    'From the Mud and the Blood to the Green fields of the Somme.'


    I'm off to work....before it gets sold off.
    :)
     
  9. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I wonder if someone has published a book with all these in?
     
  10. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Another one I seem to remember is the RRF's Hackle being dipped in blood.

    [​IMG]THE HACKLE
    The distinctive red and white Hackle, worn by all ranks in the Regiment, was handed down from the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. The Hackle was awarded in recognition for the defeat of the French at the Battle of St Lucia in 1778. The white hackles were removed from the French dead by the Fusiliers. In 1829 King William IV ordered the white plume to be worn by all line infantry regiments, and in order not to take away from the Fifth (Northumberland) Regiment of Foot's battle honour, their plume was distinguished with a red tip making the plume red over white.

    Regimental History - British Army Website
     
  11. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    As I have always known the RTR colours represented - from the mud - through the blood - to the green fields BEYOND - in the case of the 2nd Batt - it started with - from the sands of the desert...through the mud ...etc.
    light brown for sands - deeper brown for the mud....red .....green .... etc
    Cheers
     
  12. Stormbird

    Stormbird Restless

    Since thread starter insisted on British Army etc I'll hereby SPAM the thread with some truly useless information from the Royal Norwegian Guards (into which I have been lately been provided some really deep insight):

    Their parade dress to this day includes a bowler style hat, which was copied in the 1860s from the Bersaglieres, an Italian unit which impressed the Swedish Princess Louise so much that she insisted on the Norwegian Royal Guards to have exact copies.
    (And if somebody was unaware that Sweden and Norway were really close at that time: Back to your history books.)
     
  13. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    Couple about the Royal Hampshires. The Regiment wears a red Minden rose in its head- dress on 1st August every year. This is in memory of the 37th Foot who picked roses as they returned from the famous Battle of Minden in 1759 when six battalions of British Infantry advanced against and, for the first time, attacked massed squadrons of cavalry and defeated them.The Royal Hampshire's are known as the "Tigers" because of the Bengal Tiger which the soldiers wear on their cap badge, awarded to 67th South Hampshire Regiment by King George IV For 21 years active service in India, 1805-1826. Regimental History
     
  14. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  15. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    I love this sort of fun thread and enjoy hearing the supposed basis of a tradition (even if it sometimes turns out to be complete bo****ks).
    My ex-Int Corps mate would kill me if he saw this:
    Badge of the Int Corps, Tudor rose in a laurel wreath, known by some as 'a pansy resting on it's laurels'.
    I have also heard about the 'scaleys' dating back to WW1 batteries.
    What about the Guards cuff buttons being there to stop them wiping their noses on cuffs whilst on guard?

    Mike
     
    Drew5233 likes this.
  16. Stormbird

    Stormbird Restless

    Since I suppose you all could hardly wait :wink: to see the mentioned hat, here it is:
    _
    HMKG hat.jpg
     
  17. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    The 16th/5th Lancers were called the Scarlet Lancers as this goes back to a royal argument between King and Queen - the King wanted them in Blue to match all other Lancer regiments - the Queen fancied red - the Queen won that arguement and the idiotic Colonel of the Lancers toasted the Queen before the King - the King - in spite sent the Lancers to India for the next 24 years without leave !
    Chers
     
  18. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    The name Sapper was given to men who tunnelled under the walls of castles during medieval times. They then filled the holes with branches, wood and then put tree pitch on the wood to help keep the fire burning which then softened up the ground etc causing the wall to cave. The term Sapper thus came from the person that applies the Tree Sap.
     
  19. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    No they don't as they don't exist anymore.
    The PWRR does now among others.
    Minden Day - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    I am well aware of the fact that the Hampshires no longer exist in name as a regiment, I did not intend to give the impression that they did......... I was merely quoting a historical fact;) relating to the then Royal Hampshire regiment which was correct.:D
     
  20. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    Andy, never heard that about origin of 'Sapper' - I thought it was due to concealed trenches heading towards enemy lines (known as saps) being contructed by engineers.
    SB, I have seen the Royal Norwegian Guard several times on TV, including the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Very impressive, especially as they are conscript National Service troops. Last time I saw them there were quite a few females with haircuts at least as short and sharp as the guys.

    Mike
     

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