Rob Parry
12-24-02, 03:08 PM
The commandos were formed during the early years of WW2. During the early days of the Commandos, the men continued to wear their own regimental headdress and cap badge. There were 79 different ones in No 1 Commando alone! Towards the end of 1942 the officers of this Commando decided that matters should be regularised and that a beret would be most practicable. The Royal Tank Regiment had worn a black beret for many years and the recently formed Parachute Regiment had chosen a red one. No 1 Commando's flash was a green salamander going through fire which gave a choice between green, red and yellow. Green was deemed to be the most suitable and a local firm of tam-o-shanter makers in Irvine (Ayrshire, West Scotland) produced a beret made from some green cloth of the colour worn today.