Maroon beret
The maroon beret in a military configuration has been an international symbol of airborne forces since the Second World War. It was first officially introduced by the British Army in 1942, at the direction of Major-General Frederick "Boy" Browning, commander of the British 1st Airborne Division. It was first worn by the Parachute Regiment in action in North Africa during November 1942.
Origins
The first British army unit to adopt the beret was the Armoured Corps in 1924.During World War II some British Army units followed the lead of the Armoured Corps and adopted the beret as a practical headgear, for soldiers who needed a hat that could be worn in confined areas, slept in and could be stowed in a small space when they wore steel helmets.
A popular story is that the maroon colour was chosen by Major-General Frederick Browning, after his wife, Daphne du Maurier, suggested that he use the colour which made up part of his horse racing colours. However, in a letter, now in the British Airborne Assault Archive, she wrote that it was untrue. Whatever its origin, the maroon beret was adopted by the British paratroopers in July 1942. Initially it was adorned with an Army Air Corps badge. This was replaced with the Parachute Regiment badge in 1943.
It was during the Western Desert Campaign that the Germans in the Africa Korps began to refer to members of the British Parachute Brigade as Rote Teufel after their maroon berets and their fighting skills.
Afghan Armed Forces
The maroon beret was worn by members of the Afghan National Army Commando Corps. As early as 1970, members of the Afghan Commando Forces also wore a maroon beret during certain combat operations and military parades, signifying their para-commando status and differentiating them from the rest of the Afghan Army. The maroon beret has most commonly been sighted in use by the 37th Commando Brigade under the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.Austrian Armed Forces
The maroon beret is worn by all members of the 25th Infantry Battalion of the Austrian Armed Forces, which is a mixed airborne/air assault unit.The Special Forces group of the Austrian Armed Forces also originally wore the maroon beret because of their airborne capability, but adopted an olive-green beret in 2003. In addition, the Austrian coat of arms is only used as cap badge until the successful completion of the basic selection course, after which Jagdkommando members wear a cloth version of the Kommandoabzeichen.
Argentinean Armed Forces
Maroon berets are worn by member of the Armed Forces Operational Command and, in the Argentinean Army, by the 601st Air Assault Regiment.Like all berets, its use is only authorized with the combat uniform.
Australian Army
Maroon berets were worn by parachute qualified members of the 3 RAR Parachute Battalion Group from 1985 – 2012, when the parachute role was performed by 3 RAR. In addition to the battalion, the Group included A Field Battery, Parachute Surgical Team, and Engineer and Signals elements. The beret was worn with the Royal Australian Regiment Badge by Infantrymen at the battalion, and individual Corps badges for other Corps members as appropriate. 2nd Commando Regiment now effectively perform the parachuting function formerly held by 3 RAR; they wear a Green Beret with a Commando Badge.Qualified parachutists posted to Parachute Training School wore the beret with individual Corps / Regimental Badges until a few years ago.
The beret is worn by any parachute rigger of RAAOC in a parachute rigger posting.
The beret was previously also worn by the Airborne Platoon Royal Australian Regiment 1951–1974, then the Australian Special Air Service Company. When the Special Air Service Regiment was formed this was replaced by the tan beret with SASR Badge.
Azerbaijan Army
The Republic of Azerbaijan special forces wear a maroon beret.Bangladesh Army
All members of the Bangladesh Army special forces 1st Para Commando Brigade Special Forces' battalions wear Maroon Berets with para commando cap badge. Besides all members of the Bangladesh Army Aviation Group, Army Medical Corps, Army Dental Corps and Armed Forces Nursing Services of Bangladesh Army wear Maroon Berets with respective cap badges. Besides, cadets of Mirzapur Cadet College, a military boarding school, are also entitled to wear maroon berets.Belgian Army
The Paracommando Brigade wear the maroon beret with various types of cap badges.Brazilian Army
In the Brazilian Army, the use of maroon berets and brown boots is restricted to the members of the Parachute Infantry Brigade one of the elite brigades of the Brazilian Armed Forces.British Army
Regiments wear distinctive headdress and cap badges which often reflect regimental history.Members of the Parachute Regiment and other arms serving in 16th Air Assault Brigade wear the maroon beret. A maroon beret does not mean the wearer is qualified as a military parachutist. Personnel qualified as military parachutists wear the Parachutist Badge. The beret is often called the "maroon machine".
Brunei Armed Forces
The Special Forces Regiment wear a maroon beret.Burkina Faso Armed Forces
Members of the Burkina Faso Armed Forces wear a maroon beret.Canadian Army
Jump-qualified personnel in parachute units of the Canadian Army wear the maroon, provided they are in a designated parachute position. These are as follows:- "C" and "Z" Batteries, 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
- "E" and "Y" Batteries, 2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
- 4 Troop, 12 Field Squadron, 1 Combat Engineer Regiment
- 5 Troop, 24 Field Squadron, 2 Combat Engineer Regiment
- 5 Troop, 53 Field Squadron, 5 Combat Engineer Regiment
- "M" Company, 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment
- "A" Company, 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
- "A" Company, 3rd Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment
- Instructors, packer/riggers and jump-slotted members of the Canadian Army Advanced Warfare Centre at CFB Trenton
- Parachute Company, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
Chilean Army
Czech Army
A maroon beret is worn by the 601st Special Forces Group, the 43rd Airborne Regiment and other soldiers with airborne specialization. Was formerly worn also by the soldiers of the 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade due to their original airborne capability before switching to entirely mechanized infantry role and therefore adopting the common Ground forces' khaki beret in 2023.Danish Army Special Forces
Danish Army Special Forces, Jægerkorpset wears the Maroon Beret with a brass emblem depicting a hunter's bugle on a black felt liner. The beret is issued after completion of 16 weeks of SF training. However, not before 1 year of additional satisfactory service in JGK is the wearer issued the shoulder patch "JÆGER" and may call himself by this name.French Army
The maroon beret is not worn by any active French military unit, however. Since 1957, nearly all French Army paratroopers wear a red beret; the sole exception among the conventional airborne forces being the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment, which retains the traditional green beret of the French Foreign Legion.Among the French special forces, the French Army's 1er RPIMa and 13th Parachute Dragoon Regiment operators respectively wear an amaranth beret and the standard red beret; the Commandos Marine of the French Navy retain their legacy green beret; while the Air Parachute Commando n° 10 of the French Air and Space Force wear a dark blue beret. The latter is also worn by the elite paratroopers of the Air Parachute Commando n° 20 and Air Parachute Commando n° 30, although unlike the CPA 10, they're not part of the special forces.