The Black Beret

The traditional headdress for Royal Australian Armoured Corps has been the Black Beret. The black beret has its origins with the British Royal Tank Corps going back to 1918.  General Elles, together for Colonel Fuller came up with the idea of a black beret for the Royal Tank Corps after being influenced by the 70th Chasseurs Alpines, who wore a black beret at the time. Black was selected as the colour because it was least like to show oil stains, something which tank crewmen of that time (and now for that matter) could appreciate. It was approved for wear with the Royal Tank Corps by HM King George V on 5th March, 1924.

Examples of khaki berets worn during WW2 - note the left one has a small badge and the other a large badge and both also have colour patches on them  (Courtesy - D.Tocock)

The Black Beret remained the exclusive distinctive headdress of the Royal Tank Corps until its practical value was recognised by others and its use was extended to the whole of the Royal Armoured Corps in 1940.

In July 1944 LTCOL T E Williams (GSO1 Armoured Corps) at AHQ proposed that Australian Armoured Corps personnel be issued Black Berets instead of the khaki which had been worn since the Corps was first formed in 1941.   

 WW2 Tank Crewmen wearing (a slightly oversized) khaki beret - Note the small  Rising Sun collar badge on the beret.

This was approved by Chief of General Staff Lt-General J Northcott on 3rd August 1944.

Shortly afterwards, the Commander 4 Australian Armoured Brigade, BRIG D. Macarthur Onslow recommended that a chrome plated Commonwealth (Rising Sun) hat badge be worn by Armoured Corps personnel on the Black Beret instead of the ordinary copper oxidised badge.   This, he said, would give the Corps a distinctive badge which would also serve as a link with the other Armoured Corps in British Commonwealth Forces which all wore a silver badge.   The proposal was approved in 1945.

This RAAC Beret is worn by CPL Sean Clement SC (Star of Courage)
(www.army.gov.au)

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CPL Kevin Alexander - PWLH. Shown wearing the black beret on operations with 1 APC Squadron, South Vietnam 1966
(www.awm.gov.au)

The Black Beret has been worn by Royal Australian Armoured Corps troops since 1948 on parade and ceremonial duties, in barracks and also out bush on operations. It continues to be worn to this day, however during during the 1990s (circa 1992) the slouch hat with emu plumes was adopted for parades and ceremonial occasions due to the greater protection offered against the sun. It is still worn when in barracks and continues to remain a proud symbol of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps.

2nd/14th Light Horse (QMI) on parade on ANZAC Day 1991 - note the emu tuft in the black beret

An interesting black beret - worn by a RAAC soldier in Vietnam as part of the AATTV - note the South Vietnamese Tank Badge (Courtesy B Hughes)