Cap, Field Service (coloured): O/Rs, Royal Horse Artillery

Coloured Field Service Cap, having a dark blue curtain and folded peak with a red top. The upper edge of the curtain is decorated with yellow twisted cord and a white metal cap badge of The Royal Horse Artillery is fitted to the left side. Small crested Royal Artillery pattern buttons are fitted to the front. There is some minor mothing to the red portion of the cap but not unsightly.

This cap was worn by Bombardier Ronald Percival Grumbridge (1914 – 2005). Grumbridge enlisted into the army in October, 1940, and joined 3 Squadron, 12th Regiment, C Battery, Honourable Artillery Company (RHA) at Wantage. In November 1942 he landed at Algiers and served continuously in North Africa (1st Army) and later in Italy. Formed in 1940, the British 6th Armoured Division was in the thick of the action in North Africa from December 1942 in the climactic encounters with the Deutsches Afrika Korps. It received its baptism of fire in the battles after Operation 'Torch', the Anglo-American amphibious landings. Following Rommel's bloody defeat of the Americans at the Kasserine Pass in February 1943, 6th Armoured Division stabilised the Allied front line and pushed the Germans back into the path of the advancing Eighth Army. The division went on to take the surrender of Rommel's famous 90th Light Division and participated in the round up and capitulation of all Axis forces in North Africa in May 1943. Joining Allied forces in Italy for the great Operation 'Diadem' attack in May 1944, 6th Armoured Division took part in the fourth battle of Cassino. The division played a key role in the mighty River Po offensive of April 1945, which brought about the rapid collapse and surrender of all Axis forces in Italy. 12th HAC (Royal Horse Artillery) were equipped with M7 Priest self-propelled guns and were part of the Divisional Troops.