A tactical recognition flash (TRF) is a coloured patch worn on the right arm of combat clothing by members of the British Army,JSP 336 (3rd Edition), Volume 12, Part 3, Pamphlet 15, BADGES, EMBELLISHMENTS AND HEADDRESS (now superseded by JSP 886) Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. A TRF serves to quickly identify the regiment or corps of the wearer, in the absence of a cap badge. It is similar to, but distinct from, the DZ Flashes worn by members of Airborne Forces.
TRFs should not be confused with formation signs or insignia, which are used to denote the formation (usually brigade or division or a higher headquarters) and are worn in addition to TRFs by a member of any regiment or corps serving in that formation.
Army Royal Armoured Corps Army Air Corps Royal Regiment of Artillery Royal Corps of Signals Corps of Royal Engineers See individual regiments Corps of Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers Royal Logistic Corps Intelligence Corps Royal Army Chaplains' Department Infantry See individual regiments Adjutant General's Corps Royal Army Medical Service Royal Army Veterinary Corps See branches Special Air Service Royal Corps of Army Music Royal Army Physical Training Corps Small Arms School Corps None No data Honourable Artillery Company (Corps of Drums only, Special OP Sqns none)
Royal Armoured Corps Regular Regiments Household Cavalry Regiment 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Royal Dragoon Guards Queen's Royal Hussars Royal Lancers King's Royal Hussars Light Dragoons Royal Tank Regiment Yeomanry Regiments Royal Yeomanry Royal Wessex Yeomanry Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry Queen's Own Yeomanry
Army Air Corps 1st Regiment, Army Air Corps 2nd Regiment, Army Air Corps 3rd Regiment, Army Air Corps 4th Regiment, Army Air Corps 5th Regiment, Army Air Corps No data No data No data 6th Regiment, Army Air Corps 7th Regiment, Army Air Corps 9th Regiment, Army Air Corps No data
Infantry Infantry Regiments Foot Guards Royal Regiment of Scotland Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (2014–Present) Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Worn on helmet, for shoulder TRFs see individual battalions Royal Anglian Regiment Royal Yorkshire Regiment Mercian Regiment Royal Welsh Royal Irish Regiment NoneSee individual battalions Parachute Regiment Royal Gurkha Rifles The Rifles See drop zone flash and Sub-units 1st Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers5th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers 1st Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment 2nd Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment 3rd Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment
Adjutant General's Corps Royal Military Police Military Provost Staff Military Provost Guard Service Army Legal Services Staff and Personnel Support Educational and Training Services
Overseas Forces Royal Gibraltar Regiment Cayman Islands Regiment Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment
Historic Historic Royal Scots Royal Highland Fusiliers King's Own Scottish Borderers Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons) Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 2nd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers King's Own Royal Border Regiment King's Regiment Queen's Lancashire Regiment Lancastrian and Cumbrian Volunteers Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (2006–14) Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire Green Howards Duke of Wellington's Regiment Tyne-Tees Regiment East and West Riding Regiment1st Battalion, Mercian Regiment2nd Battalion, Mercian Regiment3rd Battalion, Mercian RegimentCheshire RegimentWorcestershire and Sherwood Foresters RegimentStaffordshire RegimentWest Midlands RegimentRoyal Welch FusiliersRoyal Regiment of Wales1st Battalion, Royal Welsh2nd Battalion, Royal Welsh3rd Battalion, Royal WelshDevonshire and Dorset RegimentRoyal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire RegimentThe Light InfantryRoyal Green JacketsRoyal Rifle Volunteers7th Battalion, The Rifles Royal Mercian and Lancastrian YeomanryRoyal Hong Kong RegimentQueen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing CorpsRoyal Army Dental CorpsRoyal Army Medical Corps
Royal Air Force Royal Air Force Royal Air Force Police
Cadet Forces Tactical recognition flashes are not to be worn by Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAVs) or cadets of the Army Cadet Force and army section of the Combined Cadet Force irrespective of any affiliation to a Corps or Regiment. Cadets and CFAVs do wear county and contingent flashes of the Army Cadet Force and Combined Cadet Force respectively. All members of the RAF Air Cadets, staff and cadet, wear the RAFAC Cadet formation flash.
See also Unit Colour Patch - Australian equivalent Shoulder sleeve insignia - American similar equivalent Drop zone flash
References