Description

Royal Regiment of Wales (21st/41st Foot) Cap Badge

This Sale is for the Cap Badge as formerly worn by the Royal Regiment of Wales (21st/41st Foot).

Brand new and unissued staybrite/anodised Beret badge, approx. 43mm high in a Silver & Gold finish, complete with it's mounted lug's and Brass split pin, and made by Firmin.                         

NSN: 8455-99-138-0531         

Guaranteed new and unissued, in mint condition. 

Brief Regimental History

The Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/41st Foot) was an Infantry Regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. It was formed in 1969 by the amalgamation of two other Regiments:

• The South Wales Borderers
• The Welch Regiment

Few Regiments of the British Army have a tale to tell as varied and exciting as the Royal Regiment of Wales - from the time it served in Ireland as long ago as 1689, throughout Marlborough's campaigns, the American War of Independence, until the present day. It is now recognised for its modern professionalism and its distinct Welsh flair.

The Regiment has taken part in every major campaign and war, winning high praise wherever it has gone. In its long record of cheerful courage, whatever the odds, the Royal Regiment of Wales and its predecessors have won 29 Victoria Crosses, Britain's highest award for gallantry, and over one hundred Battle Honours.

History

Amalgamation - 1969

Prince Charles was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of the new Regiment in early 1969, his first Army appointment. The amalgamation parade of the two Regiments took place on the 11th June 1969 in Cardiff Castle, in front of Prince Charles. The point of formation of the new Regiment is taken as the point at which Prince Charles placed the new Royal Regiment of Wales green Goat-coat upon Taffy the Goat-mascot, replacing the Welch Regiment's red one. The Goat-coat had been worked by the Royal College of Needlework. Postcards of Prince Charles in the new Regiment's uniform taken at the occasion were still on sale in Cardiff in 2006.

It is said that the then Regimental Sergeant Major, WO1 Gordon Amphlett - later Colonel Gordon Amphlett MBE, MVO - was awarded his subsequent MVO decoration - a personal Royal honour -for the effectiveness and good humour in teaching the young Prince to salute and for his preparedness and poise for the parade.

Later in the year, on the 1st of July 1969, the Prince went to Caernarfon, North Wales, where his mother HM The Queen created him Prince of Wales. Charles wore the uniform of Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Regiment of Wales for the ceremony. The newly-formed Regiment lined the route on the day at Caernarfon.

Assistant Military equerries to Prince Charles were regularly drawn from the Regiment, notably Lt Christopher Elliott in 1970-2. Lt Elliott went on to a distinguished Military career, one-time youngest Commanding Officer as a Lt Col in the Army, retiring as Major-General and Colonel of the Regiment. 

1969-1979

The 1st Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/41st Foot) had a short existence in military terms, just over 36 years. Within two months of amalgamation, the Battalion was serving in Northern Ireland and was one of the first units to be deployed.

In August 1969 units of the 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Wales became the first British Troops to be deployed in Belfast with A & B Companies taking control of the Lower Falls Road on the night of August 15. C Company had been deployed some days earlier in Derry. 

From 1969 to 1973 the Regiment was posted to Osnabrück in West Germany, returning to Northern Ireland on two occasions for short tours. On one occasion, Lance Corporal Bennett was awarded the George Medal for bravery while under fire.

The Battalion returned to Belfast in 1973 for two years as the Resident unit then in 1975 it was posted for two years in West Berlin.

In 1977 the Battalion were brought back to the UK and posted to Aldershot, also during this period they spent time in Belize and Hong Kong as well as on exercise in Germany and a further tour in Northern Ireland. The Battalion re-enacted the defence of Rorke's Drift as part of the Centenary Events at the Cardiff Castle Tattoo in 1979, probably the best known event in their history.

Six months into this tour the Battalion was on Public Duties mounting Royal Guards at Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London.

Towards the end of 1979, 25 soldiers were to play a significant role during Operation Agila, which monitored the fragile ceasefire in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) prior to and during the first all-party elections.

1980-1989

The "Troubles" in Northern Ireland continued to dominate life in the Battalion’s history during this period.

1981 - Of particular note was its deployment to Belfast for an emergency tour in May 1981. The death of hunger-striker Bobby Sands when soldiers found themselves patrolling the streets of the city alongside the 1st Battalion The Royal Welch Fusiliers, with further operational tours in the province of Northern Ireland during 1983-84 and 1986-87.

1982 - The Regiment was posted to Lemgo in West Germany to begin a six-year tour of duty as a Mechanised Infantry Battalion. 

1985 - Battle-group training took place at CFB Suffield in Canada for six weeks.

1988 - The Battalion returned to the United Kingdom to Warminster in Wiltshire as the School of Infantry’s Demonstration Battalion.

1989 -  In March the Regiment held its Tercentenary Parade at Cardiff Castle to celebrate the formation of the Regiment.

1990-1999

1990 - The Battalion arrived in Hong Kong where it they were deployed to the Sino-Hong Kong Border and also carried out anti-smuggling operations with the Police. The opportunities to Travel, to play Sport and to participate in Adventurous Training were numerous and overseas deployments took members of the Battalion as far as Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Borneo and Malaysia.

1993 - Three years later the Battalion returned to Britain to be stationed at Tern Hill in Shropshire. From there a Company group was deployed to the Falkland Islands and South Georgia on an operational tour. Other Companies visited Italy and Jamaica as part of exchange visits.

1994 - Early into the year, the Battalion changed roles and began an intense period of Northern Ireland training prior to its deployment to Ballykelly in County Londonderry as a Resident Battalion. In July that year on 25th anniversary of the appointment of The Prince of Wales as Colonel-in-Chief, a memorable Parade and the Regimental Garden Party was held in Cardiff Castle at which His Royal Highness was asked to cut the first slice of a large Regimental Birthday cake. 

Regimental Public Duties

1996 - In 1996, the 1st Battalion, of the Regiment became the first Line Infantry Battalion to be posted as a Regular Public Duties unit based at Hounslow Barracks, London. Amongst its other duties, it provided the Queen's Guard at Buckingham Palace. The Welch Regiment in early 1969 pre-amalgamation, under its Commanding Officer Lt-Col Lionel Harrod - a former Guards officer - had spent six weeks on the same Public Duties in London, providing the Guards at Buckingham Palace, St James' Palace and the now defunct duty at the Bank of England.

1998 - The 1st Battalion moved to Paderborn, Germany, to take up an Armoured Infantry role, equipped with Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicles, in 1st (UK) Armoured Division, part of NATO’s Allied Command Europe (ACE) Rapid Reaction Corps.

1999-2006

1999 - Deployed operationally to Bosnia (Op PALATINE).

2001 - Deployed operationally to Kosovo (Op AGRICOLA).

More recently, the 1st Battalion has been involved in two six-month operational tours in Iraq, which involved leaving the families in Paderborn.

2004 - The Tercentenary of the Battle of Blenheim in 2004 was marked by a special Dinner in London attended by the Colonel-in-Chief accompanied by his future wife.

It was also announced on the 16 December 2004 by Geoff Hoon and General Sir Mike Jackson, as part of the reorganisation of the infantry, that the Royal Regiment of Wales would be amalgamated with the Royal Welch Fusiliers to form The Royal Welsh.

As a result of the Ministry of Defence’s 2005 paper on ‘Future Infantry Structures’, and discussions between the Colonels of Regiments within The Prince of Wales’s Division, it was announced  that the 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/41st Foot) would form the 2nd Battalion of a new larger Regiment with the title ‘The Royal Welsh’.

2005 - The Battalion returned to the United Kingdom, based at Tidworth.

Amalgamation

1st March, 2006 - St David's Day, the National Day of Wales saw the formation of a new large Infantry Regiment in the British Army called ‘The Royal Welsh’. This change of structure for Wales united the Regular and Cadet Battalions of The Royal Welch Fusiliers and The Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/41st Foot) and the Territorials of The Royal Welsh Regiment.

The occasion was marked by a ceremonial march-past of the City Hall in Cardiff, where the Right Honourable The Lord Mayor, Councillor Freda Salway, with Regiment’s new Colonel, Brigadier RJM Porter MBE, took the salute.  In all, 900 Regular and Territorial Army soldiers, Cadets and comrades paraded with their Colours, Branch Standards, the Regimental Goats, the Pioneers, Bands and Drums.  A forecast of poor cold weather meant that the focal point of the day, a Regimental Muster around a Drumhead Service, was held indoors in St David’s Hall, rather than the more public Roald Dahl Plâs as planned.  This poignant service was conducted by the Army’s Chaplain-General assisted by the Brigade and Battalion Chaplains.  The service was an opportunity to give thanks, before Almighty God and the people of Wales, for the antecedent Regiments; for their traditions, their ethos and the men who have served so faithfully down the years.  It was also a chance to remember and honour sacrifices they had made in times of conflict to ensure peace.

Formation

Cap Badge of the Royal Welsh 

The Royal Welsh consists of two Regular Battalions, plus a TA battalion, and was created through the merger of two single Battalion Regiments. The former regiments formed part of the Battalion Title (in brackets):

• 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh (Royal Welch Fusiliers) (ex 1st Battalion, the Royal Welch Fusiliers (23rd Foot)) – a Light Infantry Battalion based since August 2008 at Dale Barracks, Chester. This follows a two year tour in Cyprus. Under Army 2020, this will be the only Royal Welsh battalion in the Regular Army and its new role will be as an Armoured Infantry Battalion, under 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade.
• 2nd Battalion, The Royal Welsh (Royal Regiment of Wales) (ex 1st Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/41st Foot)) – an Armoured Infantry Battalion based at Lucknow Barracks, Tidworth. The Battalion is set to be scrapped as part of the Army 2020 Defence Review.
• 3rd Battalion, The Royal Welsh (TA) (ex Royal Welsh Regiment) -TA Battalion which incorporates the Regimental Band.

The Regiment's Cap Badge is a representation of the Prince of Wales's feathers (formerly the Cap Badge of the Royal Regiment of Wales), while the Hackle of the Royal Welch Fusiliers is worn by all NCOs and Other Ranks. HM The Queen is the new Regiment's Colonel-in-Chief. 

Latest news - The 2nd Battalion, The Royal Welsh (Royal Regiment of Wales), is to be scrapped as part of the Army 2020 Defence Review. A more recent news report stated that "it will in fact be the 1st Battalion which will disappear, being dissolved into the 2nd Battalion with the latter then being renamed as the 1st.".

Recent MoD announcements

It was, with some sadness, that it was announced by the Secretary of State for Defence on Thursday 5 July 2012 as part of the Army's 2020 Strategic Defence and Security Review that 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh would be removed from the Order of Battle and absorbed into the rest of The Royal Welsh but not before autumn 2013. Subsequently, it was announced that 1st and 2nd Battalion would merge to form a single battalion that would be stationed at Tidworth in Wiltshire. New Colours would be presented to the Regular and Territorial Battalions of The Royal Welsh at Cardiff on Tuesday 15th July 2014.

After the restructuring and reorganisation of the Army in 2006, the Royal Welsh is one of three Regiments to trace its lineage and draw its recruits primarily from Wales. 

Regimental Goat

The Goat Mascot and Goat Major of the Royal Regiment of Wales, 1999.

With the Royal Welch Fusiliers, the Royal Regiment of Wales was one of two British Regiments to have a Goat as its mascot. The Regiment's Goats were always named Taffy plus a Roman numeral to show the succession, and are traditionally selected from the Royal Herd kept at Whipsnade Zoo, an outstation of the London Zoo. It's fitting that the two Regiments with Goat-mascots have now combined as one. The soldier in charge of the Mascot is styled as the "Goat Major", who, unlike what the rank suggests, is a Corporal.
 

Colonels of the Regiment

Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/41st Foot) Colonels of the Regiment

• 11 June 1969 - Lieutenant-General Sir David Peel Yates KCB CVO DSO OBE

• 25 September 1977 - Major-General LAD Harrod OBE

• 1 January 1983 - Major-General LAH Napier CB OBE MC DL

• 1 October 1989 - Brigadier KJ Davey CBE MC DL

• 1 October 1994 - Brigadier D de G Bromhead CBE LVO

• 22 October 1999 - Major-General CH Elliott CVO CBE

• 1 November 2004 - Brigadier RHT Aitken

 Order of Precedence

Regimental Motto

• 'Gwell Angau Na Chywilydd' (meaning 'Death Rather Than Dishonour') adopted for the 41st Foot by Lieut.-Col. Sir Edmund Keynton Williams in 1831.

Titles to date

• The Royal Regiment of Wales (24th/41st Foot)
• 2nd Battalion, The Royal Welsh (Royal Regiment of Wales)

Regimental Marches

Regimental Marches were formally approved for all Regiments in 1882. All Marches of the constituent Regiments (24th, 41st, 69th) have been adopted by the Royal Regiment of Wales, although the primary Quick march is “Men of Harlech” (Quick march of the 24th, Slow march (different tempo, obviously...) of the 41st) and the Slow march is “Scipio”( adopted in 1969 - no association with prior units). 41st’s former Quick march was “Ap Shenkin”.

RRW Vesper Hymns are associated from the 41st during its First Afghan War (1842) period... “Sun of My Soul”, “Spanish Chant”, and “Vesper Hymn”.  

The Royal Regiment of Wales - Regimental Journal

The Regimental Journal, The Men of Harlech, of the Royal Regiment of Wales was published in May and November each year. The first edition of the journal for the newly formed Royal Regiment of Wales appeared in November 1969. The final edition No. 72 was published in the Spring 2006.  

Alliances

•  Canada – The Ontario Regiment (RCAC)
  
•  Pakistan – 4th Battalion, The Baloch Regiment 

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