Guides & History

The Household Cavalry: Life Guards, Blues and Royals, and How to Tell Them Apart
The Household Cavalry: Life Guards, Blues and Royals, and How to Tell Them Apart
Two regiments, one division, and the most recognisable ceremonial uniform in Britain. The plumes, the tunics, and which is which. Read more...
Royal Navy Qualification Badges: Reading a Sailor's Sleeve
Royal Navy Qualification Badges: Reading a Sailor's Sleeve
Royal Navy sleeve badges say two different things at once — how senior someone is, and what they actually do. Here is how to tell them apart. Read more...
The Mercian Regiment: The Eagle That Covers Three Counties
The Mercian Regiment: The Eagle That Covers Three Counties
Formed in 2007 from the Cheshire, Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters, and Staffordshire regiments. What the eagle means and where the predecessors sit. Read more...
The Royal Anglian Regiment: Vikings, Poachers and Steelbacks
The Royal Anglian Regiment: Vikings, Poachers and Steelbacks
Formed in 1964 from the county regiments of East Anglia. Where the battalion nicknames come from and why the predecessor badges are still everywhere. Read more...
Genuine British Officers Chelsea Boots Black Leather Ceremonial Parade
Bulling Boots: How the Mirror Shine Is Actually Done
The glassy toe cap on parade boots is not luck and it is not spray. Here is the actual method, how long it really takes, and the mistakes that ruin... Read more...
Gifts for Film, Re-enactment and Costume Fans
Gifts for Film, Re-enactment and Costume Fans
Greatcoats, flying suits, sailors' hats, webbing and bomber jackets: gift ideas for re-enactors, costume makers and film fans. Read more...
Military Gifts Under £20: Stocking Fillers They Will Use
Military Gifts Under £20: Stocking Fillers They Will Use
Boonie hats, M59 caps, shemaghs, mess mugs, arctic socks and more: military gifts under £20 that get used, not put in a drawer. Read more...
Gifts for Ex-Servicemen and Women: Ideas They Will Actually Wear
Gifts for Ex-Servicemen and Women: Ideas They Will Actually Wear
Regimental stable belts, berets, badges, medal bars and more: Christmas gift ideas for veterans, sorted by what they will use. Read more...
Fusiliers: The Hackle, the Grenade, and What a Fusil Actually Was
Fusiliers: The Hackle, the Grenade, and What a Fusil Actually Was
Fusiliers guarded the artillery with a lighter musket, which is why their badge has a grenade on it. The hackle, the lineage, and how to identify them. Read more...
The Royal Irish Regiment: The Caubeen, the Hackle and the Harp
The Royal Irish Regiment: The Caubeen, the Hackle and the Harp
A headdress nobody else in the British Army wears, and a badge built around a harp. What the Royal Irish is and where its distinctions come from. Read more...
Collar Badges: What "Collar Dogs" Are and Why They Come in Pairs
Collar Badges: What "Collar Dogs" Are and Why They Come in Pairs
The small matched badges on a tunic lapel. What they are, why they face inwards, and why a single one is worth so much less than a pair. Read more...
Do All Cap Badges Have a Motto? What the Latin Actually Means
Do All Cap Badges Have a Motto? What the Latin Actually Means
A browsable translation guide to the Latin mottos hiding on British Army cap badges. Read more...
Army Chaplains: The Padre, the Badge, and the Officer Who Carries No Weapon
Army Chaplains: The Padre, the Badge, and the Officer Who Carries No Weapon
Every British Army unit has access to a chaplain. What the department is, what the badge shows, and why chaplains hold rank without commanding anyone. Read more...
Jungle's Story: From Market Stall to Your Wardrobe, Since 1978
Jungle's Story: From Market Stall to Your Wardrobe, Since 1978
How Jungle has been trading genuine British military surplus since 1978, and 150,000+ buyers later. Read more...
Bearskins: Why the King's Guard Wears a Giant Fur Hat
Bearskins: Why the King's Guard Wears a Giant Fur Hat
The genuine Waterloo history behind the bearskin cap — and why it was Napoleon's idea first. Read more...
Field Marshal to Private: A Plain-English Guide to British Army Rank
Field Marshal to Private: A Plain-English Guide to British Army Rank
The full rank structure from Private to Field Marshal, explained without the jargon. Read more...
The Household Division Explained: Which Guards Regiment Is Which
The Household Division Explained: Which Guards Regiment Is Which
Household Cavalry, Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards — who's actually who inside the Household Division, and why they're not just "the Army." Read more...
The Intelligence Corps: The Green Beret That Is Not the Marines'
The Intelligence Corps: The Green Beret That Is Not the Marines'
A cypress green beret, a rose on the badge, and a motto about knowledge. What the Intelligence Corps is and why its beret confuses people. Read more...
Cadet Kit: What You Actually Need to Buy (Spoiler: Not Much)
Cadet Kit: What You Actually Need to Buy (Spoiler: Not Much)
A practical guide for parents and cadets on the genuine surplus items worth having alongside issued kit. Read more...
Genuine vs Reproduction: Can You Actually Tell the Difference?
Genuine vs Reproduction: Can You Actually Tell the Difference?
How to actually tell genuine ex-issue military kit apart from a reproduction — the real, practical tells. Read more...
Costume Departments: Why Genuine Surplus Beats Another Rental Fee
Costume Departments: Why Genuine Surplus Beats Another Rental Fee
Why genuine military surplus is a practical sourcing option for costume departments — scale, authenticity and turnaround. Read more...
Crossed Clubs and Crossed Swords: The Army Physical Training Corps
Crossed Clubs and Crossed Swords: The Army Physical Training Corps
The PTI badge is one of the most recognisable qualification badges in the Army. What the crossed clubs mean and why physical training got its own corps. Read more...
The Royal Army Medical Corps: Soldiers Who Do Not Fight
The Royal Army Medical Corps: Soldiers Who Do Not Fight
The rod of Asclepius, a motto about adversity, and a protected status under international law. What the RAMC is and why its badge carries no weapon. Read more...
PLCE Webbing Explained: What All the Pouches Actually Do
PLCE Webbing Explained: What All the Pouches Actually Do
Personal Load Carrying Equipment looks like a pile of green pouches until you know the system. Here is what each part is, how it clips together, and what to buy... Read more...
MTP Combat Trousers British Army Multi-Cam Pattern Lightweight Camo Combats G1
Military Sizing: What's Really Going On?
Confused why military surplus doesn't come in S/M/L? Here's how genuine British Army sizing actually works, from jackets to gloves and buttons. Read more...
What Is a Battle Honour, and How Does a Regiment Get One?
What Is a Battle Honour, and How Does a Regiment Get One?
The names embroidered on a regiment's colours are not decoration. How battle honours are awarded, why only some are displayed, and what they tell you. Read more...
AWD to Rig 22: Why the Royal Navy Swapped to F1-Grade Fabric
AWD to Rig 22: Why the Royal Navy Swapped to F1-Grade Fabric
How the Royal Navy's everyday working uniform has evolved from AWD to the current Rig 22. Read more...
RAF Royal Air Force Vintage Wool Jacket Airforce Blue Grey Colour Serge WW2 Pattern World War 2
Don't Ruin It: How to Actually Look After Genuine Military Surplus
Practical care and storage advice to keep genuine wool, cotton and leather military surplus in good condition long-term. Read more...
British Army Vintage No2 Jacket Irish Dress Old Pattern WWII Fancy Dress
1940s Look, 2026 Budget: How Close Can You Actually Get to a WWII Uniform?
What's genuinely achievable if you want an authentic WWII look for an event, party or living history display — real originals, genuine period-pattern pieces, and where reproduction fills the gaps. Read more...
What's a Slouch Hat, and Which Forces Actually Wear One?
What's a Slouch Hat, and Which Forces Actually Wear One?
An Australian invention that the Gurkhas adopted over a century ago — and still wear ceremonially today. Read more...
Why is there a grenade on so many British Army cap badges?
Why is there a grenade on so many British Army cap badges?
Fusiliers, Grenadier Guards, Royal Engineers, RLC. One symbol, several completely different reasons. Read more...
What "Pattern" Means: 37, 58, 95 and the Rest of British Kit's Numbers
What "Pattern" Means: 37, 58, 95 and the Rest of British Kit's Numbers
British kit is described by pattern numbers that look like dates and mostly are. What the numbers mean and how to use them to date anything. Read more...
Hussars, Lancers and Dragoons: What British Cavalry Titles Actually Mean
Hussars, Lancers and Dragoons: What British Cavalry Titles Actually Mean
Three cavalry words that once described three different jobs and now mostly describe tradition. What each meant, and how to read cavalry insignia. Read more...
How to Measure Your Head for a Beret or Peaked Cap
How to Measure Your Head for a Beret or Peaked Cap
Military hats are sized in centimetres. How to measure your head in one minute, read the size, and choose between two sizes. Read more...
The Commando Jumper: Why Britain's "Woolly Pully" Is Still So Popular
The Commando Jumper: Why Britain's "Woolly Pully" Is Still So Popular
The heavy wool crew-neck with patches on the shoulders and elbows. What it is for, the Army, Navy and RAF versions, and how to choose one. Read more...
The Naval Reefer Jacket: Why the Peacoat Never Goes Out of Style
The Naval Reefer Jacket: Why the Peacoat Never Goes Out of Style
Double-breasted, anchor buttons, heavy wool. Where the sailor's reefer jacket came from, and how to wear one now. Read more...
The MA1 Bomber Jacket: From Jet Pilots to Every High Street
The MA1 Bomber Jacket: From Jet Pilots to Every High Street
Why the MA1 has a knitted collar, an orange lining and a pocket on the sleeve, and how to pick the right one. Read more...
Combat Trousers for Work and Everyday: How to Pick the Right Pair
Combat Trousers for Work and Everyday: How to Pick the Right Pair
Six pockets, adjustable waist and tough fabric. Which pattern, which size and genuine issue or military-style, explained in plain English. Read more...
Winter Warmers: The Military Surplus Kit That Actually Keeps You Warm
Winter Warmers: The Military Surplus Kit That Actually Keeps You Warm
Thermals, wool jumpers, balaclavas and proper gloves: the cold-weather kit soldiers rely on, and how to layer it for a British winter. Read more...
Christmas Gifts for Military History Fans (That They Will Actually Use)
Christmas Gifts for Military History Fans (That They Will Actually Use)
Stable belts, berets, badges, bomber jackets and stocking fillers: gift ideas for veterans, cadets and collectors, sorted by who you are buying for. Read more...
What to Wear to a Remembrance Sunday Parade
What to Wear to a Remembrance Sunday Parade
Medals, berets, blazers and ties: a plain guide to dressing for Remembrance Sunday, whether you served or you are marching for someone who did. Read more...
King's Crown or Queen's Crown? How to date a British badge in seconds
King's Crown or Queen's Crown? How to date a British badge in seconds
The single most useful skill for anyone buying British military insignia — and it changed again in 2022. Read more...
Regimental Mascots: The Goats, Wolfhounds and Ponies on the British Army's Payroll
Regimental Mascots: The Goats, Wolfhounds and Ponies on the British Army's Payroll
Several British regiments parade with an animal, and the animals hold official status. Where the tradition came from and which regiments keep it. Read more...
Rank Slides and Epaulettes: What They Are and How to Read One
Rank Slides and Epaulettes: What They Are and How to Read One
The fabric tube on the shoulder that carries rank. What the colours mean, why some go on the chest, and what to check before buying. Read more...
Pace Sticks, Drill Canes and Swagger Sticks: What's the Difference?
Pace Sticks, Drill Canes and Swagger Sticks: What's the Difference?
Three different ceremonial sticks, three different jobs — and one that actually does real maths. Read more...
The Yeomanry: Britain's Volunteer Cavalry and Why the Names Are So Odd
The Yeomanry: Britain's Volunteer Cavalry and Why the Names Are So Odd
Raised locally, mounted on their own horses, and still going as part of the Army Reserve. What the Yeomanry is and why its insignia is so varied. Read more...
British Army Slang Decoded: Scran, Stag, Gash and Buckshee
British Army Slang Decoded: Scran, Stag, Gash and Buckshee
A glossary of the words British soldiers actually use, where they came from, and why so many of them are Hindi. Read more...
British Army Gloves: Which Pair Is Actually for What?
British Army Gloves: Which Pair Is Actually for What?
Combat, contact, Northern Ireland, MK2, leather, wool — the glove listings are full of names that mean something specific. Here is what each is for. Read more...
What the Scottish regimental tartans actually signify
What the Scottish regimental tartans actually signify
Black Watch, Gordon, Cameron of Erracht, Mackenzie. Which tartan belonged to whom, and what survived 2006. Read more...
The Glosters and the Back Badge: The Only Regiment That Wore Two
The Glosters and the Back Badge: The Only Regiment That Wore Two
One British regiment wore a badge on the back of its headdress as well as the front. Here is why, and what happened at the Imjin River. Read more...