Army cap

[collin]

Hello. while clearing my late father in laws house we found a black army cap with red piping and the badge of Royal Army Ordnance Corps which was his brothers unit as dad was in the Pay Corps. All the photos show them in khaki so we are wondering why the cap is black and how did he get to keep it? We found  letters about returning army property. It is surprising the amount of work that went into making a cap. I tried to attach a photo of it but it won't do it. Thank you

[NSWP]

Hello. while clearing my late father in laws house we found a black army cap with red piping and the badge of Royal Army Ordnance Corps which was his brothers unit as dad was in the Pay Corps. All the photos show them in khaki so we are wondering why the cap is black and how did he get to keep it? We found  letters about returning army property. It is surprising the amount of work that went into making a cap. I tried to attach a photo of it but it won't do it. Thank you

This would be the one RAOC side cap of the era. Why did he keep it? Memento or perhaps told the Quartermaster it was damaged or lost?

[collin]

Yes thats it

[NSWP]

Yes thats it

The caps were called forage caps or side caps to my knowledge.  Some other corps/regiments also had dark coloured caps, Royal Engineers had a dark one.  I was at the Army Apprentice College, Chepstow 63-66.  Most of our instructors were RE or RAOC NCO's.  Ammunition Technicians trained there, hence the RAOC involvement, but most of the trades were RE.  My father served in the British Army 1940 to 1962, Northamptonshire Regt and later on amalgamation with East Anglian Regt. I cannot recollect him as a Colour Sgt and WO2 later ever wearing the side/forage cap. But I had pics of him in WW2 wearing khaki one as was the norm then. All the best to you.

[collin]

Thank you, really interesting to know