ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS (AIRBORNE)

As we know the last CO of 23 PFA secured an assurance from the first CO of 16 CSMR that the ‘Airborne Medical Services’ maroon and blue lanyard and stable belt would be carried on by the new unit.

We now have confirmation that this happened with only a buckle change. The 'Pegasus' motif of 23 PFA being replaced by the 'Striking Eagle' motif of 16 Air Assault Brigade.

With thanks to Ernie Yeomans

The original 23PFA belt was maroon with 2 thin pale blue stripes & had the pegasus buckle. When 5 Airborne was disbanded & formed into 16 Air Assault Brigade in 1999, so were it's components units. 23PFA was merged & turned into 16 (Close Support) Medical Regiment. At this time the outgoing CO of 23PFA got an agreement from the new incoming CO of 16CSMR to keep & carry on the unit belt & lanyard colours.

As command of 16AAB was now under the RAF joint services command, they changed the Airborne symbol from Pegasus to the 'budgie' much to everyones annoyance & disgust, so the belt was now maroon with 2 pale stripes & the budgie buckle.

In 2015 when more restructuring was done, 16AAB came back under Army command & they promply got rid of the Budgie & brought back Peggy. So now 16CSMR wear exactly the same stablebelt & lanyard as did 23PFA 15.5 years earlier.