What a pleasure it is to read in two successive numbers of The Sunday Times of Malta that there are a number of enthusiasts about insignia of Malta’s only infantry regiment, disbanded (again) in 1972. It says something about the spirit of its soldiers, their families and hangers-on.

Notwithstanding the abrupt end of its existence, the KOMR, or Kelb Oħxon Mimli Ramel, as old soldiers used to call it, still have their sons and, yes, even their daughters, and a band of avid collectors at irregular intervals find something to resurrect if only in the memory of the carefree days in the territorials.

The Territorial Army was a wonderful leveller of men from all walks of life in ‘civvy street’ who would don the same uniform.

Men would dress up for a route march, a day on the ranges, an exercise, or platoon in the attack, or a parade, to be back a couple of weeks later in the factory, driving a bus, or in the office. Their ‘turnout’ appearance, smartness, bearing, initiatives, sport, teamwork, new friends made in those days stayed with us.

To return to the subject in caption, there is another battle dress shoulder title that has not yet been mentioned.

This is the printed cloth version, which one presumes cost less than the woven ones. There is one in my collection and also a similar one for the Royal Malta Artillery, with red lettering on a blue background.

It would be interesting if these different versions could be dated by reference to an official document like for example Battalion Routine Orders.

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