Beret, Royal Wessex Yeomanry, worn by General Sir Richard Shirreff, 2010-2015

Brown beret with unit badge on square black patch.

The Royal Wessex Yeomanry was raised as an auxiliary regiment in the 1790s, along with many others, to meet the potential threat of invasion from the forces of Revolutionary France. It is now an armoured regiment of the British Army Reserve. The brown beret worn by the regiment from 2003 is similar to that adopted by the King's Royal Hussars following mechanisation, and the black patch represents the unit's affiliation with the Royal Tank Regiment.

General Sir Richard Shirreff was Honorary Colonel of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry from 2010 to 2015. Shirreff was commissioned into the 14th/20th King's Hussars in 1976. He served in the Gulf War (1990-1991) and, as a lieutenant-colonel, became Commanding Officer of the King's Royal Hussars in 1994. Promoted to Brigadier in 1998, Shirreff commanded 7th Armoured Brigade in Kosovo in 1999 and, as a major general, became Chief of Staff at Land Command in 2003. Following a period as commander of 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division Shirreff took command of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in 2007. Knighted in 2010, he became Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe in 2011. Shirreff retired in 2014 with the rank of general.