The cap badge of the Infantry Glider Troops, represents a brave bunch of men, whose legacy is a humbling one.

After WWI the Treaty of Versailles prevented the Germans from any pilot training and so large numbers of gliding schools were established.

• At the outbreak of WWII, the Germans used gliders to good effect in the initial invasion of France. The casualty rate was always going to be high though, gliders were difficult to land in unknown territory, in battle conditions.
• It wasn’t until 1942, that Winston Churchill decided to form a British glider force made up of 5000 gliders and crewed by infantry soldiers.
• These were not small gliders, they were capable of carrying 25 men and kit but trying to land these delicate silent machines was very difficult and took tremendous skill and bravery.
• It was assumed that loss of life would be high and it was but it was no higher than the loss of Paratroopers and so the gliders were used in a number of theatres including the invasion of Sicily, where casualties were very high, the Battle of Normandy and in Burma.
• If any of your family was a member of the Airborne Services then a visit to the Imperial War Museum Duxford is essential, where the full history of the Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces is dramatically depicted.

Infantry Glider Troops Cap Badge

At Intriguing History we have had the privilege of curating a collection of British Army cap badges and we welcome any input from those who no doubt will know much more than we do but it’s a start.