Fovant Cap Badges

During World War I, military units were based throughout Salisbury Plain for training before deployment to the front. Several regiments were based in Fovant and the neighbouring parishes, and soldiers of these regiments carved the designs from their regimental cap badges into the sides of the local chalk downs. Covered over during World War II, these badges were maintained and cared for by the local communities and the Old Comrades Association. A Fovant Badges Society was created in 1961.

Seven cap badges can be seen on Fovant Down today: 6th Battallion, City of London Regiment; the Australian Imperial Force Badge; the Devonshire Regiment; the London Rifle Brigade; the Post Office Rifles; the Royal Corps of Signals; the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry; and the Wiltshire Regiment. Another two, those of the 7th Battalion, City of London Regiment and the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, have been allowed to grow over. There was also an emblem of the YMCA, which has also been allowed to grow over.