WW1 Royal Naval Division RND Cap Tally Ribbon Hat Band

A rare and original First World War period 'Royal Naval Division cap tally ribbon', gold wire embroidered lettering on almost full length silk ribbon. Good condition, service wear, gold wire toned. Length Approx 35 inches, so a little shortened with the swallow tail ends squared off.Worn by sailors of the Royal Naval Division circa 1915-16. At the outbreak of WWI, Winston Churchill was First Lord of the Admiralty and announced the formation of the Royal Naval Division to be sought from naval reservists and to be used as infantry. After an initial period of action on the Belgium coast in the defence of Antwerp the division was withdrawn to England for training and refitting, at which stage they were issued with khaki army uniforms but with the addition of a khaki sailors cap fitted with a Royal Naval Division cap tally, the reason for this was to identify the sailors as individuals apart from the army. The Royal Naval Division went on to distinguish itself in the Gallipoli campaign along the western front as the 63rd Royal Naval Division.Comm JoPa (1)