British Army

14/20 Hussar Regiment - Eagle matches the German eagle, that holds a septer in one claw and an orb in the other with a crown on its head. This badge is identical to the eagle on the WW1 Pickelhaulbe.

26 Hussar Regiment - Very similar but has a Banner under it with XVI HUSSARS

Kings Dragoon Guards - Double-headed eagle with similar items in its claws as above and has a shield on its breast. Each head has a small crown and a larger crown is suspended between them.

2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys) - This eagle is a copy of the eagle mounted on the tip of the French flag that was captured at Waterloo. The eagle is perched with its wings almost folded. Eagle rests on a plaque marked WATERLOO and has beneath it a banner with its name.

Royal Dragoons - The cap badge for this regiment was not an eagle, however, its collar badges was an eagle very similar to the one for the Royal Scots Greys. This eagle has a laurel wreath hung around its neck and sits on a plaque marked "105". It is reported that this collar badge was sometimes worn as a cap device.

Lanarkshire Yoemanry - Double-headed eagle with regiment's name in Title.

Also, I think there was a cap badge for the American Eagle Squadron that was worn by the American fliers who joined for the RAF.

Custermen

In the Royal Marines (RM), NCOs from the rank of corporal are eligible to be commissioned. There are two types of commission available.
a] Corps Commission ,and
b] Special Duties Commission.

Corps Commissioned officers are put on the General List and can command combat troops, they are eligible to rise to the highest rank available, LT General.

Special Duties officers, known as SD, are on a separate list and are employed in other appointments such as Quartermaster, Transport officer or any other appointment that is not in command of combat troops. They normally rise to the rank of Major, all though I have heard of at least two individuals that reached LT Colonel.

In the army when an NCO (usually a Warrant Officer class one) is commisssioned, they are known as LE officer. LE means late entry. They fill the similar appointments as RM SD officers.

Tim Collins We go to liberate, not to conquer.

We will not fly our flags in their country

We are entering Iraq to free a people and the only flag which will be flown in that ancient land is their own.

Show respect for them. There are some who are alive at this moment who will not be alive shortly.

Those who do not wish to go on that journey, we will not send.

As for the others, I expect you to rock their world.

Wipe them out if that is what they choose.

But if you are ferocious in battle remember to be magnanimous in victory. Iraq is steeped in history.

It is the site of the Garden of Eden, of the Great Flood and the birthplace of Abraham.

Tread lightly there. You will see things that no man could pay to see

-- and you will have to go a long way to find a more decent, generous and upright people than the Iraqis.

You will be embarrassed by their hospitality even though they have nothing. Don't treat them as refugees for they are in their own country.

Their children will be poor, in years to come they will know that the light of liberation in their lives was brought by you. If there are casualties of war then remember that when they woke up and got dressed in the morning they did not plan to die this day.

Allow them dignity in death.

Bury them properly and mark their graves. It is my foremost intention to bring every single one of you out alive.

But there may be people among us who will not see the end of this campaign.

We will put them in their sleeping bags and send them back.

There will be no time for sorrow. The enemy should be in no doubt that we are his nemesis and that we are bringing about his rightful destruction.

There are many regional commanders who have stains on their souls and they are stoking the fires of hell for Saddam.

He and his forces will be destroyed by this coalition for what they have done.

As they die they will know their deeds have brought them to this place. Show them no pity. It is a big step to take another human life.

It is not to be done lightly.

I know of men who have taken life needlessly in other conflicts.

I can assure you they live with the mark of Cain upon them. If someone surrenders to you then remember they have that right in international law and ensure that one day they go home to their family.

The ones who wish to fight, well, we aim to please. If you harm the regiment or its history by over-enthusiasm in killing or in cowardice, know it is your family who will suffer.

You will be shunned unless your conduct is of the highest -- for your deeds will follow you down through history.

We will bring shame on neither our uniform or our nation. (On Saddam's chemical and biological weapons.) It is not a question of if, it's a question of when.

We know he has already devolved the decision to lower commanders, and that means he has already taken the decision himself.

If we survive the first strike we will survive the attack. As for ourselves, let's bring everyone home and leave Iraq a better place for us having been there. Our business now is north.

Answer

The Diemaco C7 and C8 rifles are effectively Canadian copies of the Colt M16/M4 rifles (respectively), which are currently standard issue for the United States forces. The Diemacos are supposedly of higher build quality than the Colt equivalents, which is why they have been used by UK Special Forces like the SAS. However, the M16 platform is now getting on for being a 50 year old design - making the platform considerably older than the SA80. This alone makes it unlikely the MOD would consider the Diemaco c8 as an option.

The G36 however, is a much newer weapon, only going into active service with the German Bundeswher in the mid/late-90's. It is accurate, sturdy and reliable. It has a built in scope and a folding stock, plus its magazines have a built in feature allowing them to clip together. If the MOD did want a replacement, certainly, the G36 would be a top contender.

However, the current L85A2 version of the SA80 is generally though of as a very decent weapon in its own right. The A1 version did have some problems, but this is why the MOD commissioned H&K to upgrade most of their stock to the A2 version, at a cost of around £400 per rifle. One advantage the SA80 has over both the above rifles is its bullpup design - this means the magazine and firing mechanism are located behind the trigger. This allows it to have a barrel length similar to the M16, but have an overall weapon length similar to the compact Colt M4. This means good range and accuracy, but in a compact frame.

I see no reason for the MOD to replace the SA80 before at least 2015.

MERC1911:can i just say that the g36c variable of the g36 is in use by the British SAS and so is the HKmp5/mp5k/mp5SD. the G36 does not have a built in scope but i think the SA80 does or at least every model comes with a scope

To answer you question alot simpler, 'if it ain't broke don't fix it'

The NEW British L85A2 is often considered to be the most accurate assault rifle in the world with its X4 optical scope. Being reliable the new L85A2 will fire off 30,000 rounds per fail which gives it top respect from across the globe.

It is also one of the most expensive assault rifles in the world by far beating the American M16 overall!

If you are familiar of the L86A1 LSW (light support weapon) it is important to know that nearly all parts on the L85A2 and L86A1 are interchangeable thus giving the two a greater ease of service as it cuts out the need for a variety of different parts for two different weapons. If you were to ask the average British soldier that question their jaw would drop to the floor, the troops have such respect for the weapon a replacement is out of the question!