Commando head dress inWW2 in North Africa

I have a photo of my father with a number of other commandos drinking tea with what I think are members of the Arab Legion in the North African desert in 1941/42. Most of the commandos are wearing Tam o Shanters. Was this the normal dress code or does it signify anything else?

Hi Bluey,

To best answer your questions it would be handy to know your father's name and which Commando Unit he was in and, of course, to see the photo!

However, with the information you have given us, I have to presume that he was in either No. 7 Cdo, No.8 Cdo or No.11 Cdo which, in early 1941, combined to form 'Layforce'...

No.7 Cdo formed 'A' Battalion Layforce (Lt. Col. J.B. Colvin)
No.8 Cdo formed 'B' Battalion Layforce (Lt Col. D.R. Daly)
No.11 Cdo formed 'C' Battalion Layforce (Lt. Col. R.R.N. Pedder)

The Green Beret had not been introduced by this date so the General Service Cap - which is very similar to a Tam O' Shanter - would have been the preferred head-dress, however, No.11 ( Scottish) Cdo would have stuck with the T O'S with the Black Hackle.

Nick

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 06/03/2019 19:49:27

Apologies Nick, slight correction. The GS cap wasn't introduced until Sep 43, they will almost certainly be wearing the TOS at that point.
Cheers
Paul

Okay, cheers Paul - at least I was half right!

My father's name was "Joe" Goldsmith and he was with No 8 Commando (B Battalion) until September 1941 when he joined the Middle East Commandos (No 6 Troop I believe) before ending up with 1st SAS. So far as the photo is concerned, I will find it and attach a copy.