Histoire du ruban Britannique ou Tally cap

Ribbons, Cap, Lettered. (Cap tallies)

The standard gold wire on silk cap ribbon was introduced in 1868. Prior to this date the ships name had been hand painted onto ribbons or caps in a variety of ornate and non uniform styles. The ribbons remained pretty much unchanged until February 1918 when yellow silk lettering was introduced as a wartime economy to conserve stocks of gold wire. The use of silk lettering was quite short-lived as in August 1919 gold wire lettering was re-introduced.

In 1924 it was announced that in future all cap ribbons worn by the crews of submarines were to bear the individual designation of the respective submarine instead of the H.M. SUBMARINES. ribbon previously used.

Naval Uniform Regulations stated that the cap ribbon lettering was to be 1/2” in height with a ribbon of black silk 1 3/16” wide and 45” long. This length allowed the ribbon to be used on both the Class II cap and the sun helmet. After the abolition of the use of cap ribbons on the sun helmet in 1943 the length of the ribbon was reduced to 37”.

Plain H.M.S. tallies without any ships name were introduced in March 1939 for use by boarding crews, the requirement being brought about following Royal Navy operations during the Spanish Civil War and in the Far East during the Sino-Japanese conflict. The ribbons were to have silk or gold wire lettering and were to be issued for boarding operations only, being withdrawn after use.

In January 1940 it was announced that plain H.M.S. tallies were to be issued on fleet auxiliary vessels such as trawlers and other small craft as well as on shore establishments where manning levels were not sufficient to justify the expense of producing named tallies. Shortly after in the spring of 1940 a new cap ribbon was authorised for use by members of the Patrol Service. Bearing the lettering H.M. PATROL VESSELS.

In September 1942 it was announced that despite stocks still being available individual named ribbons were no longer to be issued for the period of the war and that in future only ribbons lettered H.M.S. would be provided. After March 1943 only H.M.S. cap ribbons were to be worn in the Fleet. These were rayon lettering on rayon ribbon.

The rules governing the use of named ribbons applied to H.M. Submarines, and by July 1943 the named ribbons were no longer in use. However, while named ribbons had been abolished men in possession of H.M. SUBMARINES. cap ribbons could continue to wear them until they were worn out. Submariners were authorised the use of a new economy pattern ribbon bearing only the lettering H.M.S/M. The economy ribbon was unpopular and it is now very rare.

As well as the official admiralty issue cap ribbons a number of commercial patterns were available for purchase from Naval Outfitters. Typical examples include the lettering H.M. DESTROYER., H.M. CRUISER., FLEET AIR ARM., H.M.T.B. and H.M.M.T.B., but many other variations were available. The Admiralty forbade the commercial sale of ribbons other than H.M.S. in late1942.

B.R.827 stated that ‘The cap ribbon must be worn so that the ‘H.M.S.’ is directly over the nose. It must be tied in a reef bow over the left ear.’ B.R.827 and uniform regulations were universally ignored with the bow almost always being tight-up to the HMS and worn over the left eye.

In 1946 named cap tallies were re-introduced except for Submarine and Minesweeper crews who were to be provided with tallies lettered H.M. SUBMARINES and a new H.M. MINESWEEPERS tally. Lettering was to be yellow rayon on a rayon ribbon. Production of the new named tallies was a very slow process due to economic turmoil and extreme shortages of materials and manpower. As late as 1948 the supply situation was still so severe that few named tallies were available and H.M.S. tallies were still in widespread use. In 1951 the situation had improved and gold wire lettering was re-introduced. From July 1951 Class II ratings received 1 gold wire and 1 rayon lettered cap tally on entry or change of ship. The new ribbons bore no dot at the end of the name.