The British Army has unveiled the cap badge of The Ranger Regiment.
Who are The Ranger Regiment?
The Ranger Regiment is an important contribution of the Army’s new global posture and was established as part of Future Soldier, the biggest transformation of the British Army in over 20 years.
It is part of the newly established Army Special Operations Brigade. It will be routinely deployed alongside partner forces around the world to counter Violent Extremist Organisations and hostile state threats.
The Regiment, initially announced earlier this year, will stand-up on 1 December 2021, commencing cadres and training for its four battalions.
The Ranger Regiment cap badge
The Ranger Regiment is very proud of its new cap badge which takes inspiration and spirit from the Peregrine Falcon; fast, agile and fiercely loyal to its partner, it operates around the world in all environments including deserts, mountains and cities. It has been designed to demonstrate a new capability for the Army.
It follows a long history of birds being used as emblems and logos around the world. Peregrine derives from the medieval Latin word ‘peregrinus’ which means wanderer. It is the most geographically dispersed bird of prey and can be found on every continent, less Antarctica. The Peregrine Falcon is also the fastest bird on the planet, with a diving speed of over 200 miles per hour.
While many regiments have a cloth badge for officers and a metal badge for soldiers, everyone serving in the Ranger Regiment will wear a metal badge, irrespective of rank.
Beret and Belt
An unique gun-metal grey colour has been chosen for the regimental beret and stable belt, taking inspiration from the Peregrine Falcon’s grey plumage.
Stable belts will fasten at the front with a round metal buckle bearing the Peregrine Falcon insignia from the cap badge.
Army Special Operations Brigade Heritage
The Army Special Operations Brigade will contribute to collective deterrence by training, advising and if necessary, accompanying partner forces across the world.
The design for the Army Special Operations Brigade formation flash is inspired by the badge of the Special Service Brigade. The Special Service Brigade was a formation of the British Army during the Second World War.
On 17 July 1940, Prime Minister Winston Churchill issued a directive to wage irregular warfare. This established the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and a Directorate of Combined Operations, and in the Autumn of 1940 a Special Service Brigade was formed to command the numerous new Army and Royal Marines commando units. The staff of this new Brigade wore a flash featuring two Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knives.
Members of the new Army Special Operations Brigade will wear the updated version of the wartime Special Service Brigade flash in acknowledgment and recognition of this shared heritage and history.
Click here to discover more about Future Soldier.