76272- 28OLD soldier Dan Gurney was furious when he spotted a picture of superstar Michael Jackson wearing a badge from his former regiment.

Mr Gurney, 64, from West Swindon, was reading a story the Advertiser about Jackson's court appearance in California when he saw the pop star wearing a blazer with his old regimental insignia on the breast pocket.

And he's not happy about it.

The 45-year-old Jackson appears to have conquered the ageing process but even he is unlikely to be old enough to have been a member of the Royal Warwick-shire Regiment which merged with other regiments in 1963, when Jack-son was five years old.

Mr Gurney said: "The regiment has a proud tradition.

"I think it's appalling that someone like him can drag down a famous regiment.

"But he seems to be making a habit of this. A few months ago he was wearing a Royal Corps of Transport badge."

After leaving the regiment Mr Gurney spent five years in the RAF and then 36 years in the Defence Fire Service at RAF Lyneham.

His Royal Warwickshire Regiment cap badge features the antelope which was the regiment's mascot.

Another claim to fame of the regiment is that two future field marshals were commissioned into the regiment.

Bill Slim was described by Admiral Mountbatten as "the finest general World War II produced". He began as a territorial private and ended up as Chief of the Imperial General Staff.

Bernard Montgomery was commissioned into the regiment in 1908. Better known as Monty, Field Marshal Montgomery defeated the Germans at the Battle of Al Alamein.

Both field marshals were later made viscounts.

Gonville Bromhead was another member of the regiment who achieved international fame. He won the Victoria Cross at Rorke's Drift, and his feats were immortalised when Michael Caine played him in the film Zulu.

Perhaps there is a simple explanation for Jackson's interest in British army matters. It could be that he has begun to confuse himself with his namesake, Gen Sir Michael Jackson, Chief of the General Staff, seen last week apologising for the British soldiers ill treatment of Iraqis prisoners of war.

David Andrew