Cap Badges
All British Army formations have regimental or corps affiliations which come with emotional loyalties, preferences and distinctions. HSF formations were part of that system and some were transferred from one formation to another during their existence. Some HSF battery, squadron or company officers and soldiers wore the cap badge of their higher formation (regiment or battalion), while others wore that of their sponsor regular regiment. Two wore the cap badge of antecedent yeomanry regiments, according to agreed custom.
Regiments and Corps have an agreed precedence, rather like “alphabetical order”, in order to establish parity. The HSF batteries, squadrons and companies were listed by District in 1985, and this order is depicted on the Plinth at the centre of the HSF Grove at The National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas Staffordshire. Its order has been adopted as an Association order and may take no account of Regimental/Corps precedence. This may explain why references may not be displayed according to preference on this website. In some cases, lists on the website favour active Units above those with whom we have much less contact.
The Royal Navy, The Royal Marines & The Royal Air Force contribution.
The Cap Badges of The Royal Navy, The Royal Marines or The Royal Air Force are not shown on this page because all HSF formations were under Army command, despite having former Seamen/women, Royal Marines and Airmen/women serving amongst them.
There were no Royal Navy, Royal Marine, Royal Air Force, Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Marine Reserve, Royal Auxiliary Air Force Or Royal Air Force Voluntary Reserve equivalents. Personnel who served in these formations were required to enlist as a private soldier with an HSF Battery, Squadron or Company and were allocated an Army number.
Former Sailors, Royal Marines and Airmen/women often brought valuable skills and experience to the party.
Regimental Affiliations
Home Service Force batteries, squadrons or companies, commanded by a Major, operated under the command of a regular army or territorial army regiment or battalion, commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel. Each battery, squadron or company was raised in 1985 (or thereabouts) after the success of the four pilot companies raised in 1982. All HSF batteries, squadrons and companies were disbanded in early summer of 1992. For some, 10 years; but for most, 7 years of service a second time around. For all had served before in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, or as an Adult Cadet Instructor or (in a few cases) as an MOD Police Officer. They were, therefore, able to “hit the ground running“.
Modern cap badges formed since 1992 are shown at the foot of this page.
Details about regiments and corps will, where possible give regimental number and the agreed order of precedence for the army, which is used when listing military formations for administrative purposes in order to avoid the accidental inference of one regiment or Corps over another. Such preference is keenly followed in the British Army and credibility would be entirely lost if it were ignored.
No HSF soldier or officer ever wore the HSF logo or crest as his/her cap badge.
t is not a cap badge. Since formation, the HSFA has offered for sale, to its Unit Members, a cloth cap badge which some HSF veterans wear on their berets on suitable occasions. They are civilians, and as long as they are not attempting to pass themselves off as a serving solder or officer, they can dress as they like and where they like.
The MOD has never issued a medal for HSF service.
A bar was issued for purchase which was , apparently, to be worn on ribbons, but such detail has yet to be explored in detail. There are medals available for purchase for Territorial Army service (notwithstanding Efficiency and Decoration medals awarded officially). There is a current debate about the entitlement to an issued medal as recognition of wider service than is currently recognised. Arguments are strong and persistent on both sides.
Cap Badges of the Home Service Force
Below follows a hearty attempt at displaying regimental and corps cap badges worn by HSF troops. We hope we have not stepped on anybody’s toes.
The list is in no particular order and to rearrange them into officially agreed regimental/corp order of precedence, or, alternatively, into an HSF order as depicted on the HSF Grove Plinth at The NMA Alrewas would be a major task which will be attempted in good time. Better to publish.
- This page illustrates the cap badges of the regiments to which the HSF companies were affiliated.
- They span the whole range of the British Army from infantry regiments and corps.
- If you spot any mistakes please let the webmaster know and, if possible, supply the correct image in JPG format.
- Images embedded in Word documents (or similar) will go to the bottom of the pile.
- If we have misquoted regimental titles or company, battalion or regimental number, again, we humbly apologise.
- It is possible that officers and soldiers of Scottish Volunteer Regiments wore either the cap badge of that volunteer regiment (51st Highland Volunteers or 52nd Lowland Volunteers),….or….it is possible that they wore the cap badge of an antecedent regiment. We need confirmation from each Battalion please.
- It is highly likely that officers and soldiers of E (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry) Squadron wore that cap badge, by custom) and not that of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry which was their parent Yeomanry Regiment. Therefore the latter cap badge is not shown here. Again hard evidence of the contrary will be honoured. As this moment in time, we have no contact with veterans of this Squadron.
Z (Black Watch)(HSF) Company
1st Battalion The 51st Highland Volunteers
Perth, Kirkaldy & Dundee 
X (Highlanders) (HSF) Company
2nd Battalion The 51st Highland Volunteers
Aberdeenshire
Y (Highlanders) (HSF) Company
2nd Battalion The 51st Highland Volunteers
Elgin
W (A&SH) (HSF) Company
3rd Battalion The 51st Highland Volunteers
Stirling
F (R.Scots) (HSF) Company
1st Battalion 52nd Lowland Volunteers
Ayr
5 (R.Scots) (HSF) Company
2nd Battalion 52nd Lowland Volunteers
Edinburgh
G (KOSB) (HSF) Company
1st Battalion 52nd Lowland Volunteers
Dumfries & Stranraer
E (HSF) Company
2nd Battalion The Wessex Regiment (Volunteers)
Royal Berkshire, North Wiltshire and Portsmouth
D (HSF) Company
15th Battalion The Royal Army Ordnance Corps
……… and then becoming …….
D (HSF) Squadron
The Queens Own Mercian Yeomanry
remaining at Telford, Shropshire
H (HSF) Company
2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Volunteers
York
H (HSF) Company
3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Volunteers
(later amalgamating, in 1992, with the 4th Battalion)
Huddersfield & Halifax
H (HSF) Company
4th Battalion The Yorkshire Volunteers
(later amalgamating, in 1992, with the 3th Battalion)
Sheffield, Barnsley & Rotherham
F (HSF) Company
3rd (V) Battalion The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment
Nottingham(Beeston), Mansfield & Worksop
G (HSF) Company
3rd (V) Battalion The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment
Derby (Sinfin & Kingsway) and Chesterfield
E (HSF) Company
2nd Battalion The Mercian Volunteers
……… and then becoming …….
E (HSF) Company
3rd (V) Battalion The Staffordshire Regiment
Walsall & Tamworth, Staffordshire/West Midlands
F (HSF) Company
2nd Battalion The Mercian Volunteers
……… and then becoming …….
F (HSF) Company
4th (V) Battalion The Worcestershire & Sherwood Foresters Regiment
Worcester & Kidderminster
G (HSF) Company
5th (V) Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
Coventry, Warwickshire
S (St. Lucia) (HSF) Company
6th (V) Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
Newcastle upon Tyne
H (HSF) Company
4th (V) Battalion The Royal Green Jackets
West London
I (HSF) Company
5th (V) Battalion The Royal Green Jackets
Aldershot & Hampshire
300/301 (HSF) Squadron (V)
Royal Corps of Transport
Hull & Leconfield, East Yorkshire
302 (HSF) Squadron (V)
Royal Corps of Transport
South Cerney near Cirencester
A (HSF) Battery
103 Air Defence Regiment (V) Royal Artillery
Liverpool
347 (HSF) Signals Squadron (V)
11 Signal Regiment, Royal Signals
Catterick, North Yorkshire
348 (Inns of Court & City Yeomanry)(HSF) Signals Squadron (The Devil’s Own) Royal Signals
The City of London
E (HSF) Company
5th (V) Battalion The Queens Regiment
Kent & East Sussex
E (HSF) Company
6th/7th (V) Battalion The Queens Regiment
Surrey
5 (HSF) Company
10th (V) Battalion The Parachute Regiment
London
E (HSF) Company
5th/8th (V) Battalion The Kings Regiment
Manchester and Cheshire
E (HSF) Company
6th (V) Battalion The Light Infantry
Bristol & Somerset
F (HSF) Company
6th (V) Battalion The Light Infantry
Truro, Cornwall
E (HSF) Company
7th (V) Battalion The Light Infantry
Bishop Auckland, County Durham
H (HSF) Company
4th (V) Battalion The Kings Own Royal Border Regiment
Carlisle & Lancaster
A (HSF) Company
The Honourable Artillery Company
The City of London
B (HSF) Company
The Honourable Artillery Company
The City of London
E (HSF) Company
6th (V) Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment
Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire
F (HSF) Company
6th (V) Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment
Norfolk & Suffolk
E (HSF) Company
7th (V) Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment
Leicester & Lincoln
E (R.Wiltshire Yeomanry)(HSF) Squadron
The Royal Wessex Yeomanry
Old Sarum, Salisbury, Wiltshire
E (HSF) Company
3rd (V) Battalion The 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment
Runcorn & Stockport, Cheshire
C (HSF) Squadron
The Duke of Lancaster’s Own Yeomanry
Chorley, Preston & Wigan, Lancs
Many of the cap badges above are now consigned to history and replaced by those of new regiments or corps. In some cases HSF veterans (blooded or not) wore a number of cap badges, honour all of them and wear them with immense pride on parades and to reunions. Of course they are dismayed by amalgamations but have now got used to them.
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HSF Veterans want to be seen as supporting modern formations and young soldiers, despite their own ailing health. They have spent a life time honing their feedback skills, so please welcome them and put some effort into making them feel welcome. Veterans do not take orders, but they will rally to the cause if the time comes.
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Notes:
1. Most HSF Companies were raised as part of a Territorial Army infantry battalion, of which four were Volunteer Regiments with their own cap badges, but amalgamating the territorials of a Division or Brigade of Regular Regiments. Other hosting infantry battalions wore the cap badge of their own Regular regiment.
2. There were two HSF Royal Signal Squadrons, one of which also bore the name of the Inns of Court & City Yeomanry (ICCY) and three Royal Corps of Transport Squadrons.
3. There were two HSF Yeomanry Squadrons each wearing the cap badge of their county Yeomanry Regiment.
4. There was one HSF Royal Army Ordnance Corps Company, from which all HSF personnel were transferred to another formation becoming a squadron of Yeomanry.
The Honourable Artillery Company, a Territorial Army Regiment which trains also in the infantry role, had two HSF Companies.
The Home Service Force Association 
I don’t think anyone from the HAC has been here before. The HAC HSF Companies were No1 and No 2 and not “A” and “B”
looking for HSF lapel badge
Hi, you have the Shropshire (HSF) as E Company and E Squadron when it should read D Company and D Squadron as an ex serving member of the Shropshire (HSF) from its beginning to its demise I can confirm the correct details.
Roger,
I stand corrected. I’m not sure Bob had spotted that, so I may have escaped. Thanks.
Shropshire HSF Coy/Sqn now changed to “D”.
My sources gave the HAC Coys titled “A” and “B”, but we have subsequently had feedback insisting that this was “1” and “2”. I have seen some independent reference to both, so there may have been change during the life of the Coys. In view of this, I may have to write to the HAC to obtain clarification.
no mention of 5 royal anglian H.S.F. based in Peterborough,with platoons in Wellingborough & Corby .
Trevor, Thanks for this input. The reason for there being no mention of Peterborough, Wellingborough or Corby with 5th Bn The Royal Anglian Regiment, is that we have received no information, so far, from anybody who served in that Company. Off the top of my head, I think the 5th Bn had two HSF Coys? 5 Coy & 6 Coy? I have been in touch with one or two HSF Veterans who served with them, but have not been sent any info. It is possible that information was submitted to The HSFA’s first Chairman, Peter Rowe, and its 2nd Acting Chairman Rev. Phill Wallace-Pugh, and may be “buried” within the collection of material aimed at the compilation of the HSF Book (as a project). Unfortunately, that Project has not moved on very much at all. The good news is that I now have the material in my possession and will search it for information regarding the 5th Battalion. I am extremely keen to receive any news, information or pictures regarding that, and in particular, anything you might be able to help with…even if it’s only memories. I will email you.
I apologise for the delay in dealing with this subject. I have had a few things going on at home, but hopefully I can address the website housekeeping a little better. The Royal Anglians Museum at Duxford is one place I have to write to to sdk what they know about the HSF.
I see no mention of any welsh (NSF) I was in e.company 3rd battalion royal reg of wales from February 1986 formed from Cardiff and Brecon
Delighted to hear from you Tony. I will check and correct this error. The Website needs updating anyway as it has stood for too long.
In recent weeks I have received messages from a someone who served with 302 (HSF) Sqn RCT, based at South Cerney with 29 MC Regt RCT; and also somebody who served with E (HSF) Coy 5/8 Kings from Warrington.
I have also made contact with a guy who served with the RWF HSF Coy. He was based in Wrexham, although he lives over the border in England.
This is all good news because none of these Coys/Sqns were represented within the HSF Association. It is vital to keep in contact, if only to hear the stories that you have to tell.
I warn you, many of the stories are very similar, as HSF personnel and their experiences were very similar all over Great Britain.
I am very keen to know all about your Company, as we have no information in our files. Where were the Platoons based? What years was the Company in service for? How did you get on with your Parent/Sponsor Battalion? Did your Company train on its own, or with the remainder of the Bn? Did you have your own G1098, PSIs, accommodation, or where you blistered onto TA Coys?
I was in Zulu Coy. HSF 51st Highland Volunteers after service with the RAF in Aden,Singapore and Oman and thought the HSF was a brilliant idea started up by Mary Sandeman’s Dad after she had a pop hit with Japanese Boy. My regards to Major Bert Macrae and the Jocks of the Black Watch in the HSF. I enjoyed every minute playing my bagpipes for them.
Charles, Thank you for this comment. You have reminded me of the pop singer Aneke, whose origin I did not know previously. Thanks to the internet I can now see that she was (and is) a Scot, from your neck of the woods? I can also see that she’s attractive and single, so there’s hope for me yet? Thanks for confirming your unit as Z Coy 1/51st Highland Volunteers, and I know you planted a stone up in the hills somewhere? I hope to visit it when I can. I haven’t spoken with Major Bert McCrae for sometime now (letter or email) but there are others who keep me updated. You have explained elsewhere on this site what the connection between Mary and the HSF was (or might have been), which is intriguing. I will leave readers to find your other post. I will send you an email, so you can keep me posted on your news, and offer to send you circulated news as it occurs. It continues to be one of my ambitions to visit and meet as many HSF veterans as possible.
E Coy HSF 3rd V Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers . North Wales
Thanks for this, John.
I am already under orders to correct a serious omission, namely that all three Welsh HSF Companies are missing from the list on the website.
A grave error for which I apologise.
It has taken me a little time this summer to get near to the job, but I hope to make alterations within the next few weeks.
I am keen to learn everything possible about those three Companies, including locations and activities.
PWH
Hello all you ex HSF members,Douglas Anderson,(exRAOC) 6yrs acme out in 1967,Then 6 years E Coy ^light infantry based at Bath,Now living in the far north of Scotland..Do not think there are many of us left these days.but i enjoyed my time ,
Reading your comments section I was a l/cpl in 302 SQD at south Carney,from formation u ntill 6 month be for we were de mobbed,we had a fantastic bunch of lads from all branches of the military we worked off eachothers strengths and made a formidable fighting force.Just ask 22 S A S we stuffed them on more than one occasion so sad when it all ended sad to say we all went our own way and lost contact.Martin Hall VR ex 302/29reg R C t
Hello Martin,
Blimey. Another one!!…… Unless you are one of the others whose names I couldn’t remember.
South Cerney is a nice place to be based, with all that RAF real estate, and an MC Regt to look after you. I suppose you spent most weekends handing out ice creams to squaddies packing (and repacking) their kit? I spent 2 weeks at 29MCR in between jobs, back in summer 1974, just before the Turks invaded Cyprus!
No email address for you has come through to me, so I’ll have to dig around a bit more later, as I’m already late for something. Keep me posted please.
Sorry Martin. email found!
Hello Douglas,
We have corresponded, haven’t we?
I am sorry I couldn’t publish your comments before Remembrance Sunday or Armistice Day, but things got in the way of my getting to my computer.
I hope you are fine and that the weather is kind. I know that you are well prepared up there.
Keep safe my friend.