I wore 1 during National Service (1957-1959) in the RAOC. Immediately after Basic Training we removed the lining & shrunk the beret to make it more fluid & malleable
A number of Canadian general officers followed Bernard Montgomery's example & adopted the black beret because it looked rather impressive, General Guy Simmonds was a prime example. Likewise, several Canadian war artists took to wearing the black beret as a fashion statement. The only specific special order regarding Canadian headgear concerned the wearing of silk top hats. General Montgomery, on visiting some Canadian artillerymen in Italy, serving their guns entirely naked, due to the summer heat, noticed one particular gunner sporting a fine silk opera hat. The order subsequently came down, "No silk hats shall be worn in this division." If memory serves, it was the 5th Canadian Armoured Div. "The Mighty Maroon Machine" under General Bert Hofmeister, Canada's finest general . - Courtesy George K. UE.CD.
@@hughledger7835 True by official title. I believe whatever preceded the RCAC may have adopted the headgear. At least my z*pperhead friends assure me that is the case and they wouldn't lie... would they? 😁 Demands further investigation.
Canadian army had six regiments converted "on paper" to Armoured roles, but no tanks. Also, initially they were told to wear "traditional headdress" but the Essex Regt was newly formed & had no traditions, so they bought their own berets and were the first Canadian Regt to actually wear the black berets (at their inaugral parade 20 April 1937)
You're quite correct. The black beret was adopted for designated (tank) armoured units within the Canadian Militia in 1937. However, supply was an issue & if memory serves the Essex Scottish were the first to wear the Black beret. - Courtesy of George K. CD.
@@josephinekush5056 Good info. The Essex Scottish bit is interesting to me. They were at Dieppe as infantry so... and were infantry after the war (my Dad served in the E & K Scottish in the late 50s). I know there are plenty of examples of infantry units rerolled to armour (Guards Armoured Div, in Canada the BCR.. who remain armoured to this day...). I'd never heard that Essex Scottish were armoured at some point. ETA: I missed the reply from Crispianbarlow on this...he answered my question.
All Royal Australian Armoured Corp personnel and associated regiments wear the Black Beret with either corps or regimental badge. My regiment was the 4/19 Princes of Wales’s Light Horse back in the 80s. Some regiments also wore emu tufts behind their badge on the beret.
I think the only British Army troops serving in any type of Armoured Vehicles who didn't wear the RAC black beret were the Reconnaissance Corps, 11th Hussars and Artillery units serving in self-propelled artillery (such as the Royal Horse Artillery operating in the Sexton for example..) These troops usually wore khaki berets, though the Reconnaissance Corps converted to a black beret late in the war when they were absorbed into the RAC. The 11th Hussars wore their own pattern of 'beret', which rather than being in the form of a standard pattern beret was more in the form of a General Service Cap with a smaller crown, it had a mid-brown crown with a cherry-red headband and was worn without a cap badge..
Infanry units converted to tanks also continued to use the terms Platoon and Company instead of Troop and Squadron like the RTR and Cavalry and Yeomanry units.
Random request, but any possibility of a video discussing/showing the different Blanco shades during WW2? Blanco and Bull website pictures and descriptions don't seem to match the color of blanco I see on original webbing, such as shades that are too green to be KG3 but not bright enough to be KG97, etc.
The film "They Were Not Divided" involves the Guards Armoured Division with black berets and actual real footage spliced into the film ruclips.net/video/J0DHr0ZEKAA/видео.html
During my service 75-98 The majority of the army wore dark blue berets, there were of course exceptions certainly within the infantry the obvious being the Paras & the Light Division, it appeared to me the majority of the armoured corps wore again, blue berets again there are exceptions.. of course The Royal Tank & a couple cavalry regiments. . Now the foot guards have always from way back wore the khaki beret, which again with exceptions has become the chosen colour for most infantry of the line regiments with the majority of the support arms retaining the blue,
I was infantry we wore the black berry the Welsh regiment and the South Wales borders also wore the black berry during and after the 2nd ww who amalgamated in 1969 which Is the regiment I belonged to is the Royal regiment of wales and are now the royal Welsh.
I have never seen a picture of a British tanker actually wearing a "crash helmet", I have seen the commander with a "tin hat", what did this headgear actually look like? The Americans had one and the Russians had a very famous one they still seem to wear or did till recently, have never seen the Germans wearing a helmet in their tanks either, having been in a few tanks and a great many APCs there is a considerable about of kit to bash your bonce on so it does seem like a good idea.
I don't like berets being used by everyone. A beret used to mean that it was a special job, like airborne or special forces or a tanker. When the infantry grunt has to wear one, it becomes less special.
@@adrianparker-e9f You're correct about the Scouts, many years ago now (1970s ?) I actually bought two slightly worn green Boy Scouts berets from a bric-a-brac shop (in Norwich I think..) They were among a sackful of various other post-war military berets that I was raking through hoping to get lucky.. and for once I did !.. These two were proper WW2 green Commando berets by 'Kangol Wear Limited' with proper 'WD' acceptance stamps and dates of 1943 and 1944 - I suppose they'd been sold off as surplus in the immediate post-war period and bought up for Boy Scouts use, I just changed the Boy Scouts cap badges for WW2 period Royal Marines ones ! - I still have one of them somewhere and used it on a Commando mannequin - I sold the '43 dated one sometime later to a collecting friend for virtually nothing (because of the Boy Scouts provenance) - at a size 7 1/2 it was actually the largest WW2 British beret I've ever seen - those Boy Scouts must have had especially large heads in the '50s !..
I wore 1 during National Service (1957-1959) in the RAOC. Immediately after Basic Training we removed the lining & shrunk the beret to make it more fluid & malleable
A number of Canadian general officers followed Bernard Montgomery's example & adopted the black beret because it looked rather impressive, General Guy Simmonds was a prime example. Likewise, several Canadian war artists took to wearing the black beret as a fashion statement. The only specific special order regarding Canadian headgear concerned the wearing of silk top hats. General Montgomery, on visiting some Canadian artillerymen in Italy, serving their guns entirely naked, due to the summer heat, noticed one particular gunner sporting a fine silk opera hat. The order subsequently came down, "No silk hats shall be worn in this division." If memory serves, it was the 5th Canadian Armoured Div. "The Mighty Maroon Machine" under General Bert Hofmeister, Canada's finest general . - Courtesy George K. UE.CD.
Australian Armoured Corp wore black berets as well. They were the last to wear a beret still may do I'm not sure now
The Canadian Armoured Corps followed the UK example and adopted the black beret prior to the war. I'm unsure of the precise date.
That would be hard since the RCAC was established in August 1940
@@hughledger7835 True by official title. I believe whatever preceded the RCAC may have adopted the headgear. At least my z*pperhead friends assure me that is the case and they wouldn't lie... would they? 😁 Demands further investigation.
Canadian army had six regiments converted "on paper" to Armoured roles, but no tanks. Also, initially they were told to wear "traditional headdress" but the Essex Regt was newly formed & had no traditions, so they bought their own berets and were the first Canadian Regt to actually wear the black berets (at their inaugral parade 20 April 1937)
You're quite correct. The black beret was adopted for designated (tank) armoured units within the Canadian Militia in 1937. However, supply was an issue & if memory serves the Essex Scottish were the first to wear the Black beret. - Courtesy of George K. CD.
@@josephinekush5056 Good info. The Essex Scottish bit is interesting to me. They were at Dieppe as infantry so... and were infantry after the war (my Dad served in the E & K Scottish in the late 50s). I know there are plenty of examples of infantry units rerolled to armour (Guards Armoured Div, in Canada the BCR.. who remain armoured to this day...). I'd never heard that Essex Scottish were armoured at some point.
ETA: I missed the reply from Crispianbarlow on this...he answered my question.
I owned a WW2 RTR beret which had pieces of felt sewn into the lining presumably to act as a basic form of padding.
All Royal Australian Armoured Corp personnel and associated regiments wear the Black Beret with either corps or regimental badge. My regiment was the 4/19 Princes of Wales’s Light Horse back in the 80s. Some regiments also wore emu tufts behind their badge on the beret.
I think the only British Army troops serving in any type of Armoured Vehicles who didn't wear the RAC black beret were the Reconnaissance Corps, 11th Hussars and Artillery units serving in self-propelled artillery (such as the Royal Horse Artillery operating in the Sexton for example..) These troops usually wore khaki berets, though the Reconnaissance Corps converted to a black beret late in the war when they were absorbed into the RAC. The 11th Hussars wore their own pattern of 'beret', which rather than being in the form of a standard pattern beret was more in the form of a General Service Cap with a smaller crown, it had a mid-brown crown with a cherry-red headband and was worn without a cap badge..
My late Dad wwhom served at DDay in the 4/7 Royal Dragoon Guards told me how proud he was to wear the Black beret
The first Regiment to used Berets was The Royal Tank Regiment in the 1920s.
Infanry units converted to tanks also continued to use the terms Platoon and Company instead of Troop and Squadron like the RTR and Cavalry and Yeomanry units.
Random request, but any possibility of a video discussing/showing the different Blanco shades during WW2? Blanco and Bull website pictures and descriptions don't seem to match the color of blanco I see on original webbing, such as shades that are too green to be KG3 but not bright enough to be KG97, etc.
Great stuff!
Berkshire and Westminster Dragoons (Army Reserve) still wear the black beret and tank trade badge on right arm.
Don’t forget Monte !!
The film "They Were Not Divided" involves the Guards Armoured Division with black berets and actual real footage spliced into the film ruclips.net/video/J0DHr0ZEKAA/видео.html
An excellent film with RSM Brittain having a good shout.
During my service 75-98 The majority of the army wore dark blue berets, there were of course exceptions certainly within the infantry the obvious being the Paras & the Light Division, it appeared to me the majority of the armoured corps wore again, blue berets again there are exceptions.. of course The Royal Tank & a couple cavalry regiments. .
Now the foot guards have always from way back wore the khaki beret, which again with exceptions has become the chosen colour for most infantry of the line regiments with the majority of the support arms retaining the blue,
I was infantry we wore the black berry the Welsh regiment and the South Wales borders also wore the black berry during and after the 2nd ww who amalgamated in 1969 which Is the regiment I belonged to is the Royal regiment of wales and are now the royal Welsh.
Spike Milligan derided the introduction of the beret which he regarded as a shapeless lump of pudding cloth.
I have never seen a picture of a British tanker actually wearing a "crash helmet", I have seen the commander with a "tin hat", what did this headgear actually look like? The Americans had one and the Russians had a very famous one they still seem to wear or did till recently, have never seen the Germans wearing a helmet in their tanks either, having been in a few tanks and a great many APCs there is a considerable about of kit to bash your bonce on so it does seem like a good idea.
The Dutch army too followed the British.
And Indonesian army follow the Dutch army
Rece Corp moved from a Khaki Beret to a Black Beret when they became part of the RAC….. .
Hail Brian L Davis!
Spelling mistake in the opening title
Nice
I've never liked berets ! It's not a 'practical' hat. Are there any regiments or corps in the present British armed forces that DON'T wear berets ?
Royal Irish caubeen. The ones the Scots wear
The Tam o'Shanter. @@Cous1nJack
I don't like berets being used by everyone. A beret used to mean that it was a special job, like airborne or special forces or a tanker. When the infantry grunt has to wear one, it becomes less special.
@@juhokuusisto9339 Yes, i take your point. And at some point (1950's ?) even the Boy Scouts adopted the beret !
@@adrianparker-e9f You're correct about the Scouts, many years ago now (1970s ?) I actually bought two slightly worn green Boy Scouts berets from a bric-a-brac shop (in Norwich I think..) They were among a sackful of various other post-war military berets that I was raking through hoping to get lucky.. and for once I did !.. These two were proper WW2 green Commando berets by 'Kangol Wear Limited' with proper 'WD' acceptance stamps and dates of 1943 and 1944 - I suppose they'd been sold off as surplus in the immediate post-war period and bought up for Boy Scouts use, I just changed the Boy Scouts cap badges for WW2 period Royal Marines ones ! - I still have one of them somewhere and used it on a Commando mannequin - I sold the '43 dated one sometime later to a collecting friend for virtually nothing (because of the Boy Scouts provenance) - at a size 7 1/2 it was actually the largest WW2 British beret I've ever seen - those Boy Scouts must have had especially large heads in the '50s !..