Green Beret

[DAK Rommel]

Hi all,

I have been offered a Green Beret, which I would like to identify.
It has a bullion Para wing on the front of it. The parachute is white and the wings are gold. I have never seen such a beret and was wondering if anyone may be able to identify it.

Any and all help greatly appreciated.

P.s I have photos of this beret if anyone is interested.

All the best

Rob

[SHEARING-CROSS]

green beret ,

Hello Rob , i for one would very much like to see a photo ,regards ,Michael

Hi all,

I have been offered a Green Beret, which I would like to identify.
It has a bullion Para wing on the front of it. The parachute is white and the wings are gold. I have never seen such a beret and was wondering if anyone may be able to identify it.

Any and all help greatly appreciated.

P.s I have photos of this beret if anyone is interested.

All the best

Rob

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Rob, thank you for sending me the photos of the beret. I hope that you don't mind me posting them here?

The beret is modern, 1980's I would guess? I have had modern Red Berets of this date and construction. Note the sweatband material in ribbed cloth and not leather, and the modern stock number codes, etc. The maker is "Kangol" and is British made. However, the company supply berets for other countries than the UK. The beret is certainly not regulation wear for the Royal Marines, who are the only unit that wear this colour beret in the British Forces in recent times. I think the wings appear to be of the type worn by RM's on mess dress, or maybe even by a Rifle Regt due to the dark green backing. So I cannot help with who might have worn this or if it is even regulation wear for any foreign Army. It could even be a fantasy or mercenary item? Just my thoughts?

Hope this helps?

Cheers, Ade.

[Adrian Stevenson]

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[Adrian Stevenson]

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[Adrian Stevenson]

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[Adrian Stevenson]

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[Jim Maclean]

The backing material of the wing is the same as worn by Royal Marines on the lovat uniform. Don't know if any army units use that colour.
Judging by the two holes for the original badge fixing, I would say they are both Royal Marines items. Maybe dad sewed his wing on the beret for son to go play 'commandos'? Definitely not 'as worn' in the Corps.

[MH184]

No we didn't use the same backing, and that does look like a RM beret the LI beret is much darker.

You probably can't tell from this pic, (I've got the beret some where) but this is a LI beret I wore when attached to 2 RGJ in Kosovo '99.

Much darker in colour.

Kr

Marcus

[MH184]

Just a note, the band is of the ordinary rank issue, leather bands were officer issue and silk lined. Mine is an officer issue, they were easier to shape without pulling out the lining.

I think it could be the light but it looks like RM to me ?

Kr

Marcus

[Tony Farrell]

It's a OR's RM/Commando beret with RM mess kit wings attached. I don't think this is a mercenary lash up (wearers usually preferring to wear their old parent unit badge), although some African countries use a similar format. The beret has been well used, but the bullion wings don't seem to have had an equal amount of wear. I guess you'll never know.

Like Marcus, I too purchased an officers' pattern 'Victor' beret from Silverman's, as they were much smarter and easier to shape than the Crompton & Webb helipads! Being RAF, nobody gave a shyte. I'm surprised Marcus got away with it though - what with all that button re-stitching!

[MH184]

Silverman's Thats were I used to get mine from, and indeed the one pictured.

Being attached half the time to every Tom, Dick and Harry they didn't give a monkies about the likes of me. I got told to reshape a few times and get it off my eyebrows......some RSM's just had no style though

Kr

Marcus

Button's, did I tell you about the arse who made me/us change them , it's that sort of 'thing' that really just makes you want to sign off.

[Tony Farrell]

You did indeed - and I had to laugh. I do not know where they find these people. I can understand enforcing some sort of uniformity (One of our lads wore a Dennison smock - which was pushing the envelope somewhat in 1986!), but some people are on a crusade (Ooh, can I say that word?) of their own.

When I was in the TA, the (then) new Lt.Col. 'wished' that all private purchace bergens were not to be used on excersises - dictating that '58 Large Packs were to be used, containing officially permitted items. This was the same c**t that refused shoulder titles & stable belts for wear (Just whose corps is this?) - two items that could've smartened people up. Yeah right, see ya dicksplash! Honestly, some people really know how to piss people off. Now they can't get 'em to sigh up! Bollocks to 'em. As they sow... etc.

Kit is a funny thing with a fashion of its own. I remember when everyone was trying to get hold of the (then) new OG shirts & hi-legs. So I wore my aircrew boots and a norgie & windproof. Then windproofs were en vogue, so I wore my para smock, trop kit & jungle boots. The funny thing is, that when I joined the TA, I suddenly started to wear all the old stuff: lightweights, starched KF shirts, DMS boots with puttees. Some of the blokes had never seen puttees before! S'a funny ol' world!

[DAK Rommel]

Thanks Ade, for showing the pics
Yes I thought that the Beret was Royal Marines, but the Wings looked like the Mess Dress Type. Odd that they would add it to the cap.

Does anyone have any idea what the original Green Beret's would look like (c.1941-1945) ?

Thanks guys for all the information.

Rob

[Greeves]

Silverman's Thats were I used to get mine from, and indeed the one pictured.

Being attached half the time to every Tom, Dick and Harry they didn't give a monkies about the likes of me. I got told to reshape a few times and get it off my eyebrows......some RSM's just had no style though

Kr

Marcus

Button's, did I tell you about the arse who made me/us change them , it's that sort of 'thing' that really just makes you want to sign off.

Two fingers above the eyebrows, please, there's a good lad!

I used to catch shyt* for not having my capbadge centred directly over my left eye - I always had it slighty to the left - it just looked smarter...as we were a para coy (platoon really) in a reserve regiment (The Royal Westminster Regt)...nobody really bothered us. A mate even had a WW2 era capbadge on (so, King's Crown and no "royal" in the regimental title - that came later)...ahhh those were the days....