Peter ? Air Force snipers????

[Peter Laidler]

It's most common to wear the hat of the units that you happen to be attached to. For example, Corps troops attached to the Guards wear their kakhi colourse beret and those attached to the Jocks wear the tan-o-shanters too. It's taken a turn for the worse recently because those attached to 16 Para Brigade are now wearing the Paratroopers maroon beret. Wearing the Maroon Beret was FIERCELY protected by real Paratroopers who have done 'P' Company AND passed the course AND been awarded their parachute wings AND were Airborne troops. (Yep, did P Company and the proper full course and got the wings but never went into Airborne forces and therefore never wore the coveted Maroon Beret..... Hence the wings but standard navy/black beret in the Sten gun book since you ask!) Alas, even those not even parachute trained now wear the maroon beret. Where were we........? Yes..., wearing the unit beret/hat was always acceptable.

Capt Shore does half indicate that he was RAF Regiment in the book but it was confirmed to me by Major McCaw who ran the sniping school at Bisley that he was RAF. He is believed to feature in a photo of sniping school personnel as wearing the usual combat stuff of the time but just visible in the cap is an RAF badge. Incidentally, the RAF badge could easily be mistaken for the Lovat Scouts badge too...., so don't be mislead.

Where were we? Ah, yes..., RAF snipers. And yes, made a phone call and they do attend the current sniper courses and are employed in 'hot climes'. They usually 'ply their trade' with and alongside Army snipers.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.