New Zealand Army berets #2

When Kayforce, the New Zealand military contribution to the Korean War, was mobilised, the khaki beret was reintroduced as the standard headdress for all of Kayforce.

KayForce khaki beret, Artillery

In 1955, the New Zealand Special Air Service was formed, and they adopted the British airborne maroon beret as their official headgear. Despite the British SAS adopting a beige sand-coloured beret in 1956, the NZSAS retained the maroon beret until 1986.

NZ SAS Beret

As a result of questions raised at the 29 November 1983 Army Dress Committee meeting on the design of berets, a study was initiated. This study resulted in a redesigned beret with less cloth in the crown and a cloth headband instead of the traditional leather headband.

NZ Regt/ RNZIR Rifle Green Beret

The New Zealand Army boldly moved on 16 August 1999 when CGS Major General Maurice Dodson issued a directive to adopt a “one army” beret. The directive aimed to create a sense of unity and pride among all soldiers and to simplify the number of coloured berets in the NZ Army. This resulted in the rifle green beret, previously reserved for the RNZSigs, becoming the standard beret for all officers and soldiers, except for the NZSAS, who retained their sand beret.

RNZMP Blue Beret

The transition to the “one army” beret was met with resistance, mirrored in 2001 when the United States Army moved to a “one army” beret for all soldiers, highlighting the powerful effect that symbols such as coloured berets can have on morale and unit pride.