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Someone has asked the following questions about the above photograph recently published in the Gallery...View here
The CSM in the front row is Ralph Davies 28, but why is he wearing a hackle with a cloth cap badge?
The photo was taken in Tidworth 74 - 76. Is it a company team or a battalion 1st or 2nd XV?
I may be wrong here but in 1975 I was a Jnr Soldier & I watched a parade in Caernarvon Castle I believe it may have been presentation of new Colours, I'm sure the WOs wore Hackles in their Berets then!! and I thought it was a bit strange as none of the Royal Welch WOs wore them with No 2s at the Depot ?? :wideeyed:
Definately 2nd XV, taken the same time as the 1st XV I posted a little while ago. Bwonco was getting a tad slower and the waskerly wabbit got dwopped from the firsts.
Ralph Davies was a Csgt when I left Tidworth to go to the Welsh Depot in April 1974 so it is entirely possible (though I might be entirely wrong here!) that he had been promoted to WO2 very shortly before the photo was taken and had not had time to obtain the WO cap badge. I don't remember any WOs, in my time with 1st Bn nor at Welsh Depot, wearing a hackle, so there has to be a logical explanation as to why Ralph is wearing one in this foto. Local rank - and didn't want (hadn't had time yet) to spend money on new cap badge?
AFTERTHOUGHT - I just saved the picture outside the forum and zoomed right in to Ralph's head. I don't believe it but it looks to me as if he isn't wearing a cap badge at all, just a hackle pinned to the front of his beret!
Another thought is that Ralph has his NI cap badge which is painted matt black. I tried to zoom in but it loses definition, but there does seem to be a badge of sorts. Can someone get hold of Ralph and ask him?
I have the the original photo here, it is definate cloth cap badge.
The reason for the question is not to embarrss the person but purely just to find out if there was a reason for it at the time.
Thanks for the replies so far keep them coming, perhaps we could start to name the players and we could add them to the photo.(and the guys in uniform)
Whilst he was CO 1RWF, which is when this photo was taken, Brig Vivian directed that WO2s should wear hackles. The custom stopped when Maj Gen Llewellyn took over as CO.
Names as follows:
Back Row:Dai 14, ?, Oatley, Sankala, Paul Hinge, Pete Coleman, Den Braham, REME, Carnell, Joe Grant, Jones ??, Doug Pope
Seated: Mervyn Smith, Dai Williams 72, ?, Ralph Davies, Tony Corbett, CO, David Ross, Bronco, ?
Thats not me in the pic. I think his name was Rees?
You are right Dai it is Clive Rees or Cliveyyyyyy to his pals and next to the CO is Evans 70 not Dai Ross.
Bob, Dai Ross was in the 1st XV photo taken at the same time. I posted it a little while back. I think we only got in the 1st XV because we were much better looking than everyone else in the squad. Just look at the 2nd XV photo it speaks for itself.
I'm just wondering now, why was I in the second team photo. I'm sure I was better looking than Tom 15