Red and blue tactical recognition flash of the Royal Artillery.

A tactical recognition flash (TRF) is a coloured patch worn on the right arm of combat clothing by members of the British Army, 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 CorpsArmy Air CorpsRoyal Regiment of ArtilleryRoyal Corps of SignalsCorps of Royal Engineers
See individual regiments
Corps of Royal Electrical & Mechanical EngineersRoyal Logistic CorpsIntelligence CorpsRoyal Army Chaplains' DepartmentInfantry
See individual regiments
Adjutant General's CorpsRoyal Army Medical ServiceRoyal Army Veterinary Corps
See branches
Special Air ServiceRoyal Corps of Army MusicRoyal Army Physical Training CorpsSmall Arms School Corps
NoneNo data
Honourable Artillery Company
(Corps of Drums only, Special OP Sqns none)

Royal Armoured Corps

Regular Regiments
Household Cavalry Regiment1st The Queen's Dragoon GuardsRoyal Scots Dragoon GuardsRoyal Dragoon GuardsQueen's Royal Hussars
Royal LancersKing's Royal HussarsLight DragoonsRoyal Tank Regiment
Yeomanry Regiments
Royal YeomanryRoyal Wessex YeomanryScottish and North Irish YeomanryQueen's Own Yeomanry

Army Air Corps

1st Regiment, Army Air Corps2nd Regiment, Army Air Corps3rd Regiment, Army Air Corps4th Regiment, Army Air Corps5th Regiment, Army Air Corps
No dataNo dataNo data
6th Regiment, Army Air Corps7th Regiment, Army Air Corps9th Regiment, Army Air Corps
No data

Infantry

Infantry Regiments
Foot GuardsRoyal Regiment of ScotlandPrincess of Wales's Royal RegimentDuke of Lancaster's Regiment (2014–Present)Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
None See individual battalions
Royal Anglian RegimentRoyal Yorkshire RegimentMercian RegimentRoyal WelshRoyal Irish Regiment
None See individual battalions
Parachute RegimentRoyal Gurkha RiflesThe Rifles
See drop zone flash
Infantry Battalions and Sub-units
1st Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers5th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
1st Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment2nd Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment3rd Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment

Adjutant General's Corps

Royal Military PoliceMilitary Provost StaffMilitary Provost Guard ServiceArmy Legal ServicesStaff and Personnel SupportEducational and Training Services

Overseas Forces

Royal Gibraltar RegimentCayman Islands RegimentTurks and Caicos Islands Regiment

Historic

Historic
Royal ScotsRoyal Highland FusiliersKing's Own Scottish BorderersHighlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons)Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
2nd Battalion, Royal Regiment of FusiliersKing's Own Royal Border RegimentKing's RegimentQueen's Lancashire RegimentLancastrian and Cumbrian Volunteers
Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (2006–14)Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of YorkshireGreen HowardsDuke of Wellington's RegimentTyne-Tees Regiment
East and West Riding Regiment1st Battalion, Mercian Regiment2nd Battalion, Mercian Regiment3rd Battalion, Mercian RegimentCheshire Regiment
Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters RegimentStaffordshire RegimentWest Midlands RegimentRoyal Welch FusiliersRoyal Regiment of Wales
1st Battalion, Royal Welsh2nd Battalion, Royal Welsh3rd Battalion, Royal WelshDevonshire and Dorset RegimentRoyal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment
The Light InfantryRoyal Green JacketsRoyal Rifle Volunteers7th Battalion, The RiflesRoyal Mercian and Lancastrian YeomanryRoyal Hong Kong Regiment
Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing CorpsRoyal Army Dental CorpsRoyal Army Medical Corps

Royal Air Force

Royal Air ForceRoyal 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.

The Air Training Corps' tactical recognition flash, worn by all air cadet staff and cadets, introduced in 2023.

See also