Gorget A gorget , from the French " gorge " meaning throat , was originally a band of linen wrapped around a woman ' s neck and head in the medieval period , or the lower part of a simple chaperon hood . The term subsequently described a steel or leather collar designed to protect the throat , a set of pieces of plate armour , or a single piece of plate armour hanging from the neck and covering the throat and chest . Later , particularly from the 18th century onwards , the gorget became primarily ornamental , serving only as a symbolic accessory on military uniforms , a use which has survived to the modern day in some armies . The term may also be used of other things such as items of jewellery worn around the throat region in a number of other cultures , for example wide thin gold collars found in Ireland from the Bronze Age . As part of armour . Most Medieval versions of gorgets were simple circular neck protectors that were worn under the breastplate and backplate set . These neck plates supported the weight of the plate armour worn over it , and many were equipped with straps for attaching the heavier armour plates . In a suit of fully developed armour of the 15th century the gorget was a set of four or more overlapping circular plates flexibly attached together , the top and bottom plates of which went under the helmet and breastplate respectively , protecting the gap between these rigid pieces . Cheaper versions were just a single plate , joined to its back piece at the sides . Later , Renaissance gorgets were large pieces with a collar and extending down over the chest , protecting it and the heart . These were not worn with a breastplate as part of a full set of armour but instead were worn over clothing . Some gorgets of this period were " parade " pieces that were beautifully etched , gilded , engraved , chased , embossed , or enamelled and very expensive . Gradually the gorget became smaller and more symbolic , and became a single crescent shape worn on a chain , which became increasingly longer so that the gorget no longer protected the throat in normal wear . The Japanese ( samurai ) form of the " gorget " is known as a . As part of military uniforms . As early as 1688 , regulations provided for the wearing of gorgets by Swedish army officers . For those of captain ' s rank the gorget was gilt with the king ' s monogram under a crown in blue enamel , while more junior officers wore silver - plated gorgets with the initials in gold . During the 18th and early 19th centuries , crescent - shaped gorgets of silver or silver gilt were worn by officers in most European armies , both as a badge of rank and an indication that they were on duty . These last survivals of armour were much smaller ( usually about three to four inches in width ) than their Medieval predecessors and were suspended by chains or ribbons . In the British service they carried the Royal coat of arms until 1796 and thereafter the Royal cypher . Gorgets ceased to be worn by British army officers in 1830 , and by their French counterparts 20 years later . They were still worn to a limited extent in the Imperial German Army until 1914 , as a special distinction by officers of the Prussian Gardes du Corps and the 2nd Cuirassiers " Queen " . Officers of the Spanish infantry continued to wear gorgets with the cypher of King Alfonso XIII in full dress until the overthrow of the Monarchy in 1931 . Mexican Federal army officers also wore the gorget with the badge of their branch as part of their uniform until 1947 . This practice ended in 1947 but the gorgets are still used by all units when on guard duty . Recently the Mexican army ' s new 2010 model dress uniforms have re - incorporated the gorgets . Gorgets in Sweden . The gorget was discontinued as a rank insignia for Swedish officers in the Swedish Armed Forces as of 1792 , when epaulette s were introduced . However , use of the gorget was revived in 1799 , when the Officer of the day was given the privilege of wearing a gorget which featured the Swedish lesser coat of arms . It has since been a part of the officer ' s uniform ( when he or she functions as " Officer of the day " ) , a custom which continues to this day . The same use of the gorget also continues in Norway , worn by officers / corporals responsible for guard changes , and " Inspecting Officers " ( officer of the day ) . Gorget patches . The scarlet patches still worn on each side of the collar of the tunics of British Army general officer s , and senior officer s . There are two types , the first Red with a Crimson centre stripe , is for Colonels and Brigadiers , Red with a Gold centre strip for General Officers , they now signify an Officer of the General Staff , to which all British Officer are appointed on reaching the Rank of Full Colonel , the historic colour differentials are no longer worn . Air officer s in the Indian and Sri Lankan air forces also wear gorget patches with one to five stars depending on their seniority . RAF officer cadet s wear white gorget patches on their service dress and mess - dress uniforms . Very similar collar patches are worn by British army officer cadets at Sandhurst on the standup collars of their dark - blue " Number One " dress uniforms . These features of modern uniforms are a residual survival from the earlier practice of suspending the actual gorgets from ribbons attached to buttons on both collars of the uniform . Such buttons were often mounted on a patch of coloured cloth or gold embroidery . The functional gorget today . Recent advances in protective armour have led to the gorget being reintroduced into the US Army and Marine Improved Outer Tactical Vest and Modular Tactical Vest systems respectively . Other uses . The state flag of South Carolina may feature a stylized gorget in its upper - left quadrant , although this is a matter of controversy . The term also refers to a broad patch of metallic - looking iridescent feathers on the throats of many male hummingbirds . In colonial Australia gorgets were given to Aboriginal people by government officials and pastoralists as insignia of high rank or reward for services to the settler community . Frequently inscribed with the word " King " along with the name of the tribal group to which the recipient belonged ( despite the absence of this kind of rank among indigenous Australians ) , the " breastplates " , as they came to be known , were highly regarded by those who received one .