Page "Pegasus" Paragraph 19

During World War II, the silhouetted image of Bellerophon the warrior, mounted on the winged Pegasus, was adopted by the United Kingdom's newly-raised parachute troops in 1941 as their upper sleeve insignia.

The image clearly symbolized a warrior arriving at a battle by air, the same tactics used by paratroopers.

The square upper-sleeve insignia comprised Bellerophon / Pegasus in light blue on a maroon background.

The insignia was designed by famous English novelist Daphne du Maurier, who was married to the commander of the 1st Airborne Division ( and later the expanded British Airborne Forces ), General Frederick " Boy " Browning.

According to The British Army Website, the insignia was designed by Major Edward Seago in May, 1942.

The maroon background on the insignia was later used again by the Airborne Forces when they adopted the famous maroon beret in Summer 1942.

The beret was the origin of the German nickname for British airborne troops, The Red Devils.

Today's Parachute Regiment carries on the maroon beret tradition.