Any religious symbolism will be removed from the cap badge of members of the Royal Army Chaplains’ Department, which was formed in 1796.
Either a Maltese Cross or Star of David can be found at its centre, yet plans to make the department more “diverse and multicultural” will see any symbol shorn.
The new proposed military badge will also see the motto “In This Sign Conquer” removed too. Instead, there will now be a reference to King Charles. The symbol will consist of two entwined initials being ‘C’ for his first name and ‘R’ for his title of Rex, Latin for king. The letters will sit beneath an image of a crown.
The move has sparked outrage from military bosses as former head of the Army, Lord Dannatt, believes the Royal Army Chaplains’ Department is being imperilled, stating “is nothing sacred anymore?”.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: “It’s very disappointing to see the removal of the Maltese Cross and the Star of David.
“These are important religious symbols which are at the heart of what the Royal Army Chaplains’ Department has always stood for.
“Of course, there is a moral dimension to soldiering, but there is also a spiritual dimension, and we water this down at our peril.
“If the Army now wants a welfare service, that’s fine – but don’t let us muddle up a welfare service with a spiritual service.”
The Ministry of Defence (MoD), which has 60,640 full-time civilian employees, has made no official announcement of the change. However, it has made clear its eagerness to abandon Judeo-Christian traditions in the Royal Army Chaplains’ Department.
Writing on their website, the MoD says: “The Royal Army Chaplains’ Department is an increasingly diverse and multicultural organisation which recruits both religious and non-religious personnel,” adding that it will accept applications from those who are “in good standing with their relevant belief or faith community”.
An Army spokesman told the Daily Mail yesterday that “no decisions’” had yet been taken about the badge.
However, the spokesman added: “The Army regularly reviews its uniforms and insignia to ensure we remain a modern and forward-looking organisation while retaining our connection to the centuries of tradition that have shaped and sustained us.”
