Where did maroon come from?

[chalk1]

Just curious. Does anyone know how maroon and sky blue bacame the colours of jumpers?

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Because of British General Browning‘s wife, and the traditional colours worn by horse jockeys.

I‘m not kidding.

 

[chalk1]

...Care to elaborate?

 

[Roger]

Browning, who was also a qualified glider pilot, did much to create the image of the British airborne forces, having decided in the summer of 1942 that airborne troops ought to possess their own form of defining headwear, as opposed to the tradition of men wearing the berets of their former units. It has been said that his wife, the author Daphne du Maurier, had chosen the colour of maroon. Browning assign the artist, Major Edward Seago, to design an emblem for the airborne forces. The result was the famous insignia, taken from Ancient Greek myth, of the warrior Bellerophon riding Pegasus, the winged horse.

 

[chalk1]

Ah. Many thanks, Trap.

 

[chalk1]

And Mike, too.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Yep.

The maroon and blue came from racing silks

"As a point of interest, light blue and claret were the prewar point-to-point racing ‘silks‘ used by Major General F.A.M. "Boy" Browning. Frederick Browning had been appointed General Officer Commanding Airborne Forces in November 1941".

Ms. du Maurier made the final selection between blue and maroon, as Trap very ably pointed out.

Reference: BRITISH ARMY UNIFORMS AND INSIGNIA OF WORLD WAR TWO by Brian L. Davis

 

[chalk1]

Cool. Thanks again, gents.