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78-412: A bearskin is a tall fur cap derived from mitre caps worn by grenadier units in the 17th and 18th centuries. Initially worn by only grenadiers, bearskins were later used by several other military units in the 19th century. The bearskin cap continued to see use in battle during the mid-19th century, although by the 20th century, it was only used for parade dress. In the 21st century, the bearskin cap

156-588: A PETA advert targeting the British Ministry of Defence, showing the 23-year-old soul singer holding a teddy bear that covers her naked body, and features the slogan 'Bear Hugs, Not Bear Caps'. In January 2024, PETA launched a campaign against the use of real bearskin by the British and Canadian militaries and has called on both British and Canadian defence ministries to retire the headgear in favour of humane headgear sold by luxury faux furrier ECOPEL. PETA's claims that

234-687: A bearskin cap as a part of its ceremonial uniform. The unit was formed in 1995 through a merger of the Garderegiment Grenadiers and the Garderegiment Jagers. Although the two units were amalgamated, its jäger component does not wear bearskin caps, and its use is limited to only its grenadier component. Bearskin caps in the Netherlands Armed Forces originated from mitre caps adorned with a metal front plate badge, used by Protestant grenadier units. Bearskin caps were adopted by

312-669: A bearskin cap made out of alternative materials that matches the "natural properties of bear fur", and claimed that artificial fur failed to meet four of its five requirements. The claim has been disputed by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), who filed for judicial review of the Ministry of Defence's decision in 2022, claiming that the ministry had failed to adhere to its procedures and that artificial fur meets and, in some cases, exceeds its requirements. Between 2017 and 2022,

390-820: A coat, wrap, or shawl. The manufacturing of fur clothing involves obtaining animal pelts where the hair is left on the animal's processed skin. In contrast, making leather involves removing the hair from the hide or pelt and using only the skin. Fur is also used to make felt . A common felt is made from beaver fur and is used in bowler hats , top hats , and high-end cowboy hats . Common furbearers used include fox , rabbit , mink , muskrat , leopard , beaver , ermine , otter , sable , jaguar , seal , coyote , chinchilla , raccoon , lemur , and possum . " Fur-Bearing Animals ". New International Encyclopedia . 1905. Belgian Army The Land Component ( Dutch : Landcomponent , French : Composante terre ), historically and commonly still referred to as

468-667: A cyclist battalion, along with support units; it had a total strength of 4,500 all ranks with 12 guns, and was, in effect, little more than a reinforced brigade. In 1940, the King of Belgium was the commander in chief of the Belgian Army which had a mobilised strength of 610,000 troops. The army was composed of seven infantry corps and one cavalry corps. The corps were as follows: Each army corps had its own headquarters staff, medical and logistic support units, engineers and signal troops and corps-level artillery support. Each infantry division had

546-418: A different type of hair. Down hair (also known as underfur , undercoat , underhair or ground hair ) is the bottom – or inner – layer, composed of wavy or curly hairs with no straight portions or sharp points. Down hairs, which are also flat, tend to be the shortest and most numerous in the coat. Thermoregulation is the principal function of the down hair, which insulates

624-560: A divisional staff, reconnaissance unit, medical and logistic support units, engineers and signal troops. Active and first tier reserve divisions had two additional antitank companies. Infantry regiments numbered approximately 3,000 troops. Each active and first tier reserve regiment had 108 light machine guns, 52 heavy machine guns, 8 mortars and 12 antitank guns. Within the Free Belgian Forces that were formed in Great Britain during

702-488: A furred cap that was historically worn by hussars , and remains in use as a part of the ceremonial uniforms for British and Canadian hussar units. In addition to hussars, the busby also forms a part of the ceremonial uniforms for British and Canadian artillery units and select rifle regiments . Other units that wear the busby as a part of their uniforms include the British Royal Corps of Signals and Royal Engineers ,

780-419: A layer of dry air next to the skin. The awn hair can be thought of as a hybrid, bridging the gap between the distinctly different characteristics of down and guard hairs. Awn hairs begin their growth much like guard hairs, but less than halfway to their full length, awn hairs start to grow thin and wavy like down hair. The proximal part of the awn hair assists in thermoregulation (like the down hair), whereas

858-454: A limited number of new bearskins to replace worn-out caps. The 1st Regiment "Granatieri di Sardegna" of the Italian Army wears bearskin caps as a part of its ceremonial uniform. During the 19th century, the cost and maintenance of the bearskin cap resulted in the headgear's limited use for only specific occasions, until the unit discontinued its use altogether. However, in the 20th century,

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936-491: A machine-gun company of six guns. An artillery regiment had three batteries of four guns. The nominal strength of a division varied from 25,500 to 32,000 all ranks, with a total strength of eighteen infantry battalions, a cavalry regiment, eighteen machine-guns, and forty-eight guns. Two divisions (the 2nd and 6th) each had an additional artillery regiment, for a total of sixty guns. The Cavalry Division had two brigades of two regiments each, three horse artillery batteries, and

1014-589: A major re-equipment programme for most of its vehicles. The aim was to phase out all tracked vehicles in favour of wheeled vehicles. As of 2010, the tank units were to be disbanded or amalgamated with the Armored Infantry (two infantry companies and one tank squadron per battalion). Forty Leopard 1 tanks were to be sold. As of 2013, only some M113 variants (Radar, recovery, command posts, and driving school vehicles) and Leopard variants (Recovery, AVLB, Pionier, driving tanks) will remain in service. The Leopard 1A5 tank

1092-652: A metal front plate or fur. Mitre caps with metal front plates were first adopted by the Prussian Army and were later adopted by other Protestant countries, although the trimming of mitre caps with fur became more prevalent in Roman Catholic countries. The earliest record of a bearskin-like cap being worn by soldiers in Europe was during the mid-17th century, although its widespread adoption did not take place until 1761, when French grenadiers began to wear tall fur caps resembling

1170-643: A part of their ceremonial/parade dress. Several units that retired the use of the headdress during the 19th century, including units in Italy and the Netherlands, also readopted it for ceremonial use during the 20th century. As of 2020, there were 14 countries whose militaries used bearskin as a part of their ceremonial uniforms. Some of these units wear bearskins made out of real bear fur, while other units use caps made out of synthetic fibres. In addition to military units, several civilian marching bands have also incorporated

1248-491: A price has to be paid for keeping up a custom which is rather old, it is true, but is practically a useless one save for the purpose of military display." In 2005, the Ministry of Defence began a two-year test of artificial fur for the hats. The army has already replaced beaverskin caps and leopard skins, worn by some of its soldiers, with artificial materials. However, in 2020, the Ministry of Defence stated that it could not find

1326-677: A social media campaign advocating for the replacement of the bearskin caps used by the Danish Royal Life Guards with an artificial alternative, given the bear's protected status within the European Union . Animal rights group PETA has publicly voiced its opposition against the use of real bearskin since 2002, and has held demonstrations against its use in the United Kingdom, including one at St Peter's Hill, near St Paul's Cathedral , in 2006. In February 2011, Joss Stone appeared in

1404-417: Is driven largely by camouflage. Differences in female and male coat color may indicate nutrition and hormone levels, important in mate selection. Some arboreal mammals, notably primates and marsupials, have shades of violet, green, or blue skin on parts of their bodies, indicating some distinct advantage in their largely arboreal habitat due to convergent evolution . The green coloration of sloths, however,

1482-462: Is dyed jet black and its fur is at least 8 centimetres (3.1 in) in length. The Royal Life Guards have approximately 600 to 700 bearskin caps in total. Given the limited number of bearskin caps, each headgear is used by approximately three different individuals each year. The bearskin caps last approximately 25 years with regular servicing and repairs, with the Royal Life Guards only ordering

1560-594: Is optional. Drum majors of the United States Marine Corps Band began to wear bearskins in 1859. The bearskins worn by drum majors in the United States Marine Corps Band are made from real black bear fur sourced from Canada, and are styled after the bearskin caps worn by British officers. The bearskins worn by United States Army Band drum majors are also styled after European patterns and were initially made from real bear fur, although

1638-454: Is retained by select military units as a prominent element of their ceremonial and full dress uniforms . Use of the bearskin caps evolved from mitre caps used by grenadier units. Grenadiers adopted the mitre cap in favour of wide-brimmed caps in the 17th century to provide them with greater mobility when throwing grenades . To prevent the mitre cap from sagging and to provide it with a more impressive appearance, mitre caps were adorned with

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1716-445: Is the result of a symbiotic relationship with algae. Coat color is sometimes sexually dimorphic , as in many primate species . Coat color may influence the ability to retain heat, depending on how much light is reflected. Mammals with darker colored coats can absorb more heat from solar radiation and stay warmer; some smaller mammals, such as voles , have darker fur in the winter. The white, pigmentless fur of arctic mammals, such as

1794-533: Is used for each headdress. The British Army purchased the caps from a British hatmaker which sources its pelts at an international auction. The hatmakers purchase between 50 and 100 black bear skins each year at a cost of about £650 each. On 3 August 1888, The New York Times reported that bearskin caps might be phased out because of a shortage of bear skins. The article stated that, at that time, bearskin hats cost £7–5s each (about 35 contemporary US dollars; £600 in 2007 pounds) and noted "it can readily be seen what

1872-689: The Belgian Army ( Dutch : Landmacht , French : Armée Belge ), is the land branch of the Belgian Armed Forces . The King of the Belgians is the commander in chief. The current chief of staff of the Land Component is Major-General Jean-Pol Baugnée. Dating back to Belgium's establishment in 1830, the Land Component is the oldest service branch of the Belgian Armed Forces, and is also

1950-468: The Department of National Defence claims that the bearskin caps used by its units are made from bear furs that are over 20 years old. The Canadian Forces Dress Instructions authorise the use of bearskins for all its foot guards and fusilier regiments. In addition to foot guards and fusiliers, two line infantry regiments are also authorised to wear a bearskin cap with their ceremonial full-dress uniform:

2028-648: The Irish Guards and the Welsh Guards when raised in 1900 and 1915 respectively. The standard bearskin for the British foot guards is 11 inches (280 millimetres) tall at the front, 16 inches (410 millimetres) to the rear, weighs 1.5 pounds (0.68 kilograms), and is made from the fur of the Canadian black bear. An officer's bearskin is made from the fur of the Canadian brown bear , as the female brown bear has thicker, fuller fur; officers' caps are dyed black. An entire skin

2106-717: The Royal 22 Régiment (R22R) and the Royal Regiment of Canada (RRegtC). Usage of the bearskin cap by the R22R is attributed to its historical regimental alliance with the British Army's Royal Welch Fusiliers , while the use of bearskins by the RRegtC is attributed to the regiment's historical lineage from The Royal Grenadiers of the Canadian Militia . Bearskins used by fusilier regiments and

2184-670: The Sphynx cat . Similarly, there are some breeds of hairless dogs . Other examples of artificially selected hairless animals include the hairless guinea-pig , nude mouse , and the hairless rat . Fur has long served as a source of clothing for humans, including Neanderthals . Historically, it was worn for its insulating quality, with aesthetics becoming a factor over time. Pelts were worn in or out, depending on their characteristics and desired use. Today fur and trim used in garments may be dyed bright colors or to mimic exotic animal patterns, or shorn close like velvet . The term "a fur" may connote

2262-530: The Sri Lanka Artillery wear a black bearskin cap as a part of its ceremonial uniform. The parade uniforms used by the grenadier component of the Swedish Army 's Life Guards , known as model 1886, includes a bearskin cap. The bearskin cap, known as model 1823, was once made out of real bearskin, although they have switched to using synthetic materials. The bearskin cap includes a front plate that depicts

2340-404: The coat of arms of Sweden and a white feather plume. Bearskins worn by officers will also include a yellow cockade and gold or silver cord. Bearskins worn by enlisted soldiers will include a red cockade and a white cord. The feathered plume is located on the left side of the headgear, with the cockade threaded into the wooden shaft of the plume. The cord is attached to the bearskin cap by a hook on

2418-499: The distal part can shed water (like the guard hair). The awn hair's thin basal portion does not allow the amount of piloerection that the stiffer guard hairs are capable of. Mammals with well-developed down and guard hairs also usually have large numbers of awn hairs, which may even sometimes be the bulk of the visible coat. Guard hair ( overhair ) is the top—or outer—layer of the coat. Guard hairs are longer, generally coarser, and have nearly straight shafts that protrude through

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2496-542: The fur industry as a furbearer . The use of fur as clothing or decoration is controversial; animal welfare advocates object to the trapping and killing of wildlife, and the confinement and killing of animals on fur farms . The modern mammalian fur arrangement is known to have occurred as far back as docodonts , haramiyidans and eutriconodonts , with specimens of Castorocauda , Megaconus and Spinolestes preserving compound follicles with both guard hair and underfur. Fur may consist of three layers, each with

2574-522: The muskox has guard hairs measuring 30 cm (12 in) as well as a dense underfur, which forms an airtight coat, allowing them to survive in temperatures of −40 °C (−40 °F). Some desert mammals, such as camels, use dense fur to prevent solar heat from reaching their skin, allowing the animal to stay cool; a camel's fur may reach 70 °C (158 °F) in the summer, but the skin stays at 40 °C (104 °F). Aquatic mammals , conversely, trap air in their fur to conserve heat by keeping

2652-548: The Army later switched to using synthetic materials after it faced objections from environmentalists for using real fur. The Second Company Governor's Foot Guard of the Connecticut State Guard state defence force wears a bearskin cap as a part of their ceremonial uniform. Criticism over the use of the headdress had emerged during the late 20th and 21st centuries. In 2023, a commentator for The New York Times questioned

2730-610: The Belgian Royal Escort, along with their bearskin caps, date back to 1939 when the unit was part of the Belgian Gendarmerie . Modelled after the Gendarmerie's pre-1914 uniforms, the uniforms featured a 3 kilograms (6.6 lb) bearskin cap adorned with a plume . Initially, Royal Belgian Escort captains wore bearskin caps with a white plume, while other unit members had caps with a different coloured plume. However, in 1997,

2808-602: The British Minister for Defence Procurement Lord Gilbert said that he wanted to see bearskins phased out as soon as possible due to ethical concerns. Similar sentiments were made in March 2005 by British Labour MP Chris Mullin , who called for an immediate ban on bearskins stating that they "have no military significance and involve unnecessary cruelty." In 2023, the European Commission 's representative to Denmark launched

2886-720: The Dutch Royal Marechaussee , and the First Company Governor's Foot Guard of the Connecticut State Militia. A sealskin cap is another furred cap similar to the bearskin cap, that is worn by the British Army's Royal Regiment of Fusiliers . Several units in the King's Guard of the Royal Thai Armed Forces wear pith helmets with heavy plumes that broadly resemble a bearskin cap as a part of their ceremonial full dress uniform. The colours of

2964-467: The Garderegiment Grenadiers in 1829. However, the unit ceased using the headgear in 1843. The unit readopted the 1829 bearskin cap design for use as a part of its ceremonial uniform during the inauguration of Juliana of the Netherlands in 1948. However, as opposed to bear fur, the caps were made out of the black-haired Chinese fur goats purchased in the United Kingdom. In 1970, the unit replaced its bearskin caps with ones made out of artificial fur. Use of

3042-469: The Italian 1st Regiment "Granatieri di Sardegna" , eventually discontinued the use of the headgear altogether during that century. The British continued to use the headdress during peacetime manoeuvres until the introduction of khaki service dress in 1902. Immediately before the outbreak of World War I in 1914, bearskins were still worn by several British, Belgian, Danish, German, Russian, and Swedish units as

3120-926: The King's Guard. Drum majors in military bands maintained by the United States Air Force , the United States Army , the United States Coast Guard , the United States Marine Corps , and the United States Navy are authorised to wear bearskins. However, drum majors in the United States Army only wear bearskin caps for a "handful of assignments", while the wearing of bearskins by drum majors in United States Air Force bands

3198-520: The Land Component consists of almost 10,000 active military personnel (as of 2019). After the 2018 reforms, the ground forces are organised as follows: Belgian Army Staff (the HQ of the Land Component) It oversees and plans all activities and operations of the land component. The service capacity comprises the following units: Some of the regiments in the Land Component, such as the 12/13th Battalion of

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3276-555: The Line , have names consisting of multiple elements. This is the result of a series of amalgamations that took place over the years. The 12/13th Battalion was created in 1993 as a result of the merger of the 12th Regiment of the Line Prince Leopold and the 13th Regiment of the Line . The rank insignia of commissioned officers . The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel . The Belgian Army went through

3354-413: The Ministry of Defence purchased 498 bearskin caps for use by its units. New data obtained through a records request submitted by PETA reveals that the cost of bearskins worn by the King's Guard has increased from £1,560 each in 2022 to £2,040 in 2023. The Ministry of Defence purchased 24 new bearskins in 2023 and 13 in 2022. Over the past decade, the ministry has spent more than £1 million on bearskins for

3432-600: The Prussian mitre cap. The purpose appears to have been to add to the apparent height and impressive appearance of these troops both on the parade ground and the battlefield. These fur caps developed into the colossal bearskin caps worn by the French Imperial Guard . The British Grenadier Guards adopted the headdress after their victory at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, with other British units and European militaries adopting

3510-501: The R22R have their unit's cap badge at the front of the bearskin, while those of foot guards and the RRegtC do not have cap badges. The following is a list of regiments whose members are authorised to wear a bearskin cap with their full dress uniform , along with the colour used on the unit's plume: In addition to these units, the drum major of the Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada 's pipe band are also authorised to wear

3588-588: The Royal Life Guards are manufactured by Rützou saddlery at a workshop based in Taastrup . Rützou purchases its raw materials from a fur company based in Glostrup , which sources its furs from black bears in Canada. After the furs are acquired by Rützou, they are sent abroad to be dyed and tanned before they are returned to Rützou for processing and adaptation. The bearskin cap weighs approximately 2 kilograms (4.4 lb). Its fur

3666-401: The army had been authorised by the government in 1912, providing for a total army of 350,000 men by 1926: 150,000 in the field forces, 130,000 in fortress garrisons and 70,000 reserves and auxiliaries. At the outbreak of war this reorganisation was nowhere near complete and only 117,000 men could be mobilised for the field forces, with the other branches equally deficient. The Commander-in-Chief

3744-758: The bearskin cap as a part of their uniforms. The Pipes and Drums Band of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment are authorised to wear a bearskin cap as a part of its ceremonial dress. Two units in Belgium use the bearskin cap, the Belgian Royal Escort of the Belgian Federal Police , and the Regiment Carabiniers Prins Boudewijn – Grenadiers of the Belgian Armed Forces Land Component . The uniforms of

3822-465: The bearskin. The headgear was first adopted by the Royal Danish Army 's Royal Life Guards in 1805. The Royal Life Guards typically wear bearskin caps as a part of their uniform when performing public duties like at Amalienborg . However, on exceptionally warm days, they will be authorised to wear an alternative headgear to mitigate discomfort and prevent overheating. The bearskin caps used by

3900-431: The black-and-white pelage of many mammals which are able to defend themselves, such as in the foul-smelling skunk and the powerful and aggressive honey badger . In arctic and subarctic mammals such as the arctic fox ( Vulpes lagopus ), collared lemming ( Dicrostonyx groenlandicus ), stoat ( Mustela erminea ), and snowshoe hare ( Lepus americanus ), seasonal color change between brown in summer and white in winter

3978-412: The ceremonial uniform and the bearskin cap continued by the grenadiers after the unit was amalgamated with the Garderegiment Jagers. The bearskin cap used by the unit features a copper front plate shaped like a half-sun. A white plume is attached to the left of the bearskin cap, although the cap used by the unit's commander will feature a unique plume to indicate rank. An orange cockade is also placed on

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4056-713: The defence of West Germany. There were also two reserve brigades (10th Mechanised Brigade, Limbourg , and the 12th Motorised Brigade, Liège ), slightly bigger than the four active brigades, which were intended as reinforcements for the two divisions. Interior forces comprised the Para-Commando Regiment in Heverlee , three national defence light infantry battalions (5th Chasseurs Ardennais, 3rd Carabiniers-cyclists, and 4th Carabiniers-cyclists), four engineer battalions, and nine provincial regiments with two to five light infantry battalions each. (Isby and Kamps, 1985, 64, 72) After

4134-516: The design of the bearskin caps was standardized, and red plumes were used on all caps regardless of rank. The Royal Belgian Escort continued to wear these uniforms after the Gendarmerie was merged with other police units to form the Federal Police in 2001. Bearskins were worn as part of the field uniform of the Régiment des Grenadiers of the Belgian Army until 1908. After that year the fur headdress

4212-512: The end of the Cold War, forces were reduced. Initial planning in 1991 called for a Belgian-led corps with 2 or 4 Belgian brigades, a German brigade, and possibly a U.S. brigade. However, by 1992 this plan was looking unlikely, and in 1993 a single Belgian division with two brigades became part of the Eurocorps . The Land Component is organised as 1 Brigade and 1 Special Operations Regiment. In total,

4290-418: The gene HR can lead to complete hair loss , though this is not typical in humans. At times, when a hairless domesticated animal is discovered, usually owing to a naturally occurring genetic mutation, humans may intentionally inbreed those hairless individuals and, after multiple generations, artificially create hairless breeds. There are several breeds of hairless cats, perhaps the most commonly known being

4368-565: The headdress in the years after. The headdress continued to see military service during the mid-19th century, with British foot guards and the Royal Scots Greys wearing bearskins in battle during the Crimean War . However, by the mid-19th century, the expense of acquiring bearskin caps and the difficulty in maintaining them in good condition led to some military units limiting the use of the headdress for specific occasions. Some units, like

4446-476: The largest extant terrestrial mammals, the elephant and the rhinoceros , are largely hairless. The hairless bat is mostly hairless but does have short bristly hairs around its neck, on its front toes, and around the throat sac, along with fine hairs on the head and tail membrane. Most hairless animals cannot go in the sun for long periods of time, or stay in the cold for too long. Marsupials are born hairless and grow out fur later in development. Humans are

4524-576: The largest of the four branches, with approximately 10,000 active military personnel and over 2,000 reservists as of 2022. The Belgian Army was established in 1830 after Belgium gained independence from the Netherlands after the Belgian Revolution . It was initially expected that as neutral buffer state with borders guaranteed by France , Britain , and Prussia , Belgium could avoid the need for an expensive permanent military, relying instead on

4602-421: The layer of softer down hair. The distal end of the guard hair is the visible layer of most mammal coats. This layer has the most marked pigmentation and gloss , manifesting as coat markings that are adapted for camouflage or display. Guard hair repels water and blocks sunlight, protecting the undercoat and skin in wet or aquatic habitats, and from the sun's ultraviolet radiation. Guard hairs can also reduce

4680-423: The left. The front of the cap also equipped with a black leather visor. Drummers of the unit's military band wear bearskins adorned with a white cotton tassel positioned at the center of the cap's front, while their sousaphonists do not have a white plume on their bearskins. The ceremonial uniforms worn by one company from the 1st King's Immemorial Infantry Regiment includes a bearskin cap. The military band of

4758-527: The long cloth caps worn by grenadiers were discontinued, and bearskin caps were introduced. Following the Battle of Waterloo, all members of the newly named Grenadier Guards were permitted to wear the bearskin. This privilege had previously been restricted to the grenadier company of the regiment. In 1831, this distinction was extended to the other two regiments of foot guards ( Coldstream and Scots ) in existence at that date. Bearskins were subsequently adopted by

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4836-616: The occupation of Belgium between 1940 and 1945, there was a land force formation, the 1st Belgian Infantry Brigade . An additional three divisions were raised and trained in Northern Ireland , but the war ended before they could see action. However, they joined the initial Belgian occupation force in Germany, I Belgian Corps, whose headquarters moved to Luedenscheid in October 1946. Of the 75,000 troops that found themselves in Germany on 8 May 1945,

4914-476: The only primate species that have undergone significant hair loss. The hairlessness of humans compared to related species may be due to loss of functionality in the pseudogene KRTHAP1 (which helps produce keratin ) Although the researchers dated the mutation to 240 000 ya, both the Altai Neandertal and Denisovan peoples possessed the loss-of-function mutation, indicating it is much older. Mutations in

4992-488: The part-time militia of the existing Garde Civique (Civil Guard); however, the need of a regular full-time army was soon acknowledged, and the Belgian Army was promptly established. According to the Law of 16 August 1873, the Belgian Army was to consist of: Note: A battalion (864 men) consists of four companies of 216 men Note: A squadron had approximately 130 horses Note: A battery has 6 guns A major reorganisation of

5070-640: The plumes vary depending on the units of the wearers. The majority of the units authorised to wear the bearskin cap are from the Royal Thai Army and Royal Thai Air Force , although two Royal Thai Marine Corps battalions are also entitled to wear the headdress. In addition, the Royal Security Command 's two guards regiments wear pith helmets with black plumes as their full dress headdress. Fur The fur of mammals has many uses: protection, sensory purposes, waterproofing, and camouflaging, with

5148-591: The polar bear, may reflect more solar radiation directly onto the skin. The term pelage  – first known use in English c.  1828 (French, from Middle French, from poil for 'hair', from Old French peilss , from Latin pilus ) – is sometimes used to refer to an animal's complete coat . The term fur is also used to refer to animal pelts that have been processed into leather with their hair still attached. The words fur or furry are also used, more casually, to refer to hair-like growths or formations, particularly when

5226-464: The primary usage being thermoregulation. The types of hair include Hair length is negligible in thermoregulation, as some tropical mammals, such as sloths, have the same fur length as some arctic mammals but with less insulation; and, conversely, other tropical mammals with short hair have the same insulating value as arctic mammals. The denseness of fur can increase an animal's insulation value, and arctic mammals especially have dense fur; for example,

5304-400: The raw materials used to make the headgear is sourced from hunting bears with bait in Canada. However, the manufacturer of bearskin caps for the Danish Royal Life Guards, which also acquires bearskins sourced from Canada, claims that the culling of bears is necessary to regulate its population and that the hunt is monitored by biologists and approved by the World Wildlife Fund . A busby is

5382-437: The right side of the headgear. Use of the bearskin cap was adopted by all Foot Guards, and several other regiments, including the Royal Scots Greys and its successor unit, the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards . Drum majors of fusilier regiments will also generally wear a bearskin or artificial bearskin cap. British bearskin caps were a form of headdress that evolved from mitre caps worn in the 18th century by grenadiers. In 1768,

5460-717: The severity of cuts or scratches to the skin. Many mammals, such as the domestic dog and cat, have a pilomotor reflex that raises their guard hairs as part of a threat display when agitated. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals; however, several species or breeds have considerably reduced amounts of fur. These are often called "naked" or "hairless". Some mammals naturally have reduced amounts of fur. Some semiaquatic or aquatic mammals such as cetaceans , pinnipeds and hippopotamuses have evolved hairlessness, presumably to reduce resistance through water. The naked mole-rat has evolved hairlessness, perhaps as an adaptation to their subterranean lifestyle. Two of

5538-413: The skin dry. Mammalian coats are colored for a variety of reasons, the major selective pressures including camouflage , sexual selection , communication, and physiological processes such as temperature regulation. Camouflage is a powerful influence in many mammals, as it helps to conceal individuals from predators or prey. Aposematism , warning off possible predators, is the most likely explanation of

5616-410: The subject being referred to exhibits a dense coat of fine, soft "hairs". If layered, rather than grown as a single coat , it may consist of short down hairs, long guard hairs , and in some cases, medium awn hairs . Mammals with reduced amounts of fur are often called "naked", as with the naked mole-rat , or "hairless", as with hairless dogs . An animal with commercially valuable fur is known within

5694-611: The unit reintroduced the bearskin cap as a part of their ceremonial uniform. The bearskin caps used in the Italian military were once made out of real fur, although they later switched to synthetic materials. Members of the Kenya Army Band in the Kenya Defence Forces wear bearskin hats made out of synthetic fibres as a part of their full dress uniform. The grenadier component of the Grenadiers' and Rifles Guard Regiment wears

5772-518: The use of the headdress after three members of the British Bands of the Household Division fainted during a rehearsal while in full dress uniform wearing woollen uniform and a bearskin, remarking how it was "soldiering on in our old, wrong clothes" in the light of climate change . Several politicians have voiced their opposition to using the headgear due to its use of real bear furs. In 1997,

5850-723: The vast majority had been recruited after the liberation of Belgium. During the Korean War , Belgium provided combat troops for South Korea and became part of the United Nations Forces . During the Cold War , Belgium provided the I Belgian Corps (HQ Haelen Kaserne, Junkersdorf, Lindenthal (Cologne) ), consisting of the 1st Infantry Division in Liège and 16th Mechanised Division in Neheim-Hüsten , to NATO 's Northern Army Group for

5928-810: Was King Albert I , with Lieutenant-General Chevalier Antonin de Selliers de Moranville as the Chief of the General Staff from 25 May 1914 until 6 September 1914 when a Royal Decree abolished the function of Chief of Staff of the army. In this way the King secured his control of the command. In addition, there were garrisons at Antwerp, Liège and Namur, each placed under the command of the local divisional commander. Each division contained three mixed brigades (of two infantry regiments and one artillery regiment), one cavalry regiment, and one artillery regiment, as well as various support units. Each infantry regiment contained three battalions, with one regiment in each brigade having

6006-661: Was retained only for parade wear until the outbreak of war in August 1914. Its successor unit, the Regiment Carabiniers Prins Boudewijn – Grenadiers uses the headdress as a part of its ceremonial dress. The bearskin caps used by the Canadian Armed Forces are of black fur and include a coloured plume on the side of the bearskin and a gold-coloured chin strap. The materials used by Canadian bearskin caps are sourced from black bears hunted in Canada, although

6084-470: Was retired on 10 September 2014. 56 of the tanks were sold, about 24 will stay as historic monuments or serve as a museum pieces; the rest will be phased out or used for target practice. In 2008 a sale of 43 Leopard 1A5(BE) to Lebanon was concluded, but as of 2018 was not finalized due to "the absence of licensing for export from Germany." In the strategical defense vision report of the Belgian government, it

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