Infantry Branch Cap Badge

[ballz]

Can anybody shed some light on that "Infantry Branch" cap badge? Who gets those? I thought if you were infantry you would, no matter what you did or where you went, be part of one of the three regiments and therefore wear that regiment's cap badge?

 

[Michael OLeary]

The Infantry Branch badge is worn by those who have not yet been badged into their regiments.  In the Reg F soldiers are "badged" on completion of Basic Infantry Training, and officers are badged on completion of Infantry Officer training before their first posting to a battalion.

 

[ballz]

The Infantry Branch badge is worn by those who have not yet been badged into their regiments.

So I won't be going straight from cornflake to regimental cap badge?

officers are badged on completion of Infantry Officer training before their first posting to a battalion.

I thought as soon as you completed degree and all 4 phases of training that's when you got sent to battalion?

I am obviously wrong somewhere here... Do you wear the Infantry Branch badge while you are in training aka Phase 2,3,4, and then you've completed phase 4 so you get sent to battalion and get your regimental cap badge?
Or do you wear the cornflake for all your phase training, and then between the end of Phase 4 and getting sent to battalion, you wear the Infantry Branch badge for (what must be?) a brief period of time?

 

[Nfld Sapper]

The info Mr. O'Leary posted refers to Regular Force only (I believe)

 

[Michael OLeary]

So I won't be going straight from cornflake to regimental cap badge?

No.  Infantry soldiers are badged on the graduation parade from Basic Infantry Training.

I thought as soon as you completed degree and all 4 phases of training that's when you got sent to battalion?

I am obviously wrong somewhere here... Do you wear the Infantry Branch badge while you are in training aka Phase 2,3,4, and then you've completed phase 4 so you get sent to battalion and get your regimental cap badge?
Or do you wear the cornflake for all your phase training, and then between the end of Phase 4 and getting sent to battalion, you wear the Infantry Branch badge for (what must be?) a brief period of time?

Unless things have changed, the Branch badge is worn after BMQ/BOMQ. I can confirm that officers receive the regimental badges on completion of Phase IV in a semi-formal badging ceremony (traditionally done before the graduation Mess Dinner held before the graduation parade, so they are correctly badged on parade).  Individual experiences may differ.

 

[Michael OLeary]

The info Mr. O'Leary posted refers to Regular Force only (I believe)

I suspect most Reserve units do not bother with the Branch badge because it creates unnecessary visits to the Clothing Stores, and it would seldom be worn during Basic Infantry Training anyway.

 

[ballz]

The info Mr. O'Leary posted refers to Regular Force only (I believe)

That I am...

No.  Infantry soldiers are badged on the graduation parade from Basic Infantry Training.

Unless things have changed, the Branch badge is worn after BMQ/BOMQ. I can confirm that officers receive the regimental badges on completion of Phase IV in a semi-formal badging ceremony (traditionally done before the graduation Mess Dinner held before the graduation parade, so they are correctly badged on parade).  Individual experiences may differ.

Hmmm... I hope this means when I show up for CAP they'll have a brand new shiny badge to replace my cornflake... I better not get my hopes up though, I had already accepted I'd be wearing it for a while. I am off to PM Peta-Petamen...Petamenco? Anywho, thanks for the info Michael and NFLD_Sapper, much appreciated as always.

 

[Dog]

Unknown if it's different for officers or not, but for myself, I ditched the cornflake after I graduated SQ, got my infantry capbadge then, and wore it during BIQ.... which I promptly abandoned and reverted back to my cornflake when I transferred to the Engineers.

You always knew which courses in Meaford BIQ's and which were not.... once you had that red and white enamel on your head, you found yourself getting jacked up from further distances than before, but that seemed to be the only difference.

 

[Trinity]

This has been a bone of contention here in Wainwright for some.

For a while the Infantry cap badge was issued after SQ (now called BMQ Land).  This has stopped and the badge is now issued on halfway through the infantry DP1.  Many on Pat/Parr up here who were issued the cap badge were told to put the cornflake back on even though they were SQ(BMQ L) qualified.

 

[X Royal]

A historical point of view. 1978/79
Tri-Service hat badge issued a few weeks into basic (Cornwallis) after saluting test.
Infantry hat badge issued about 1/3 way through TQ3 (CFB London).
Regimental hat badge issued on TQ3 graduation parade (CFB London).

 

[marshall sl]

I went on the SRR in 90 and was issued this badge. If I wanted to wear Regimental accoutrement's(I was a Seaforth) I was told to  get them from the Unit.  Still have it never wore it.Have the crossed Enfeild color dogs as well