2 British beret's

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Jerry, the WD Inspection marks is not an exact science, as you know, so your guess is as good as mine!

Cheers, Ade.

[Jerry B]

Hi Jerry, the WD Inspection marks is not an exact science, as you know, so your guess is as good as mine!

Cheers, Ade.

For the other WWII years they are consistent, but then in the postwar period they become completely random, strange and it makes it hard to date items if you only have the wd letter and no date. The list below was posted on another site and is roughly correct as far as I can tell, but as you mention should not be taken as gospel perhaps.

T=1937 & 1956
S=1938 & 1957
R= 1939 & 1948
Q=1940
P=1941
O=1942
N=1943
M=1944 & 1953
Z=1945
L=1945, 1946 & 1953
E,P=1947
R=1948
A=1949
B,A=1950
B=1951
C=1952
L=1953
M=1954
D,O,T=1955
T=1956 & 1937
S=1957
F=1958
X=1959

[Jerry B]

The 45 dated example has arrived. It was a 2nd chance offer from the bay and it was not the one pictured, but one almost identical, same date, size and everything else.

By a strange quirk of fate the one I posted the pics of is now for sale on a dealers site for £185, which is more than 3 times what he paid for it, a bit of a mark up IMHO.

Still waiting for the 47 dated example to arrive, bloody slow if you ask me, considering I bought that one first.

[Mark K]

Excellent pick up Jerry on both
I have already seen and commented on the war time dated one but must have missed the 47 dated post war kangol it would look rather good decked out with an early 50's era cap badge from a regiment that seen service during the Korean war .

Regards Mark K

[ruddersrangers44]

Forgot to mention it came by way of my gaff,nice Beret jerry shame bout some dealers and pure red mist greedpity the fool who pays that much for it,you done very well mate.....

[Jerry B]

Excellent pick up Jerry on both
I have already seen and commented on the war time dated one but must have missed the 47 dated post war kangol it would look rather good decked out with an early 50's era cap badge from a regiment that seen service during the Korean war .

Regards Mark K

Hi Mark, I have not posted the 47 on the other site yet. I think the British stopped using the khaki beret in 48 when they introduced the dark blue universal beret. The 47 version is probably much less commonly seen than the 45 dated example I think, though apart from the date and manufacturers variations they are the same.

[Mark K]

Hi Mark, I have not posted the 47 on the other site yet. I think the British stopped using the khaki beret in 48 when they introduced the dark blue universal beret. The 47 version is probably much less commonly seen than the 45 dated example I think, though apart from the date and manufacturers variations they are the same.

LOL that would explain why I missed it then

I'd happily add a 50's red beret to my collection if I can find one for a sensible price as sadly wartime examples are way too pricey for my budget, unless I can find one in a boot sale or local antiques center.

Jerry the price of war time dated Para berets borders on being criminal I have been searching for a Canadian Dorothea Mills war time dated beret and they are hard to come by and rather expensive even the early 50's post war variations if you can find one carry a fairly hefty price tag.
I was lucky enough to find an early British postwar private purchase beret in a small junk shop some time ago and I am currently using it to display my 1 Can Para Battalion cap badge till I can find a war time dated one .

Regards Mark K

[LucN]

Interesting Ade that yours has a black lining

Black linings are normally found on berets Jerry; Kangol 1945, British beret Basque 1945, Gelfer 1946 and Beret Industries 1946 are the only exceptions I'm aware of.

Here are my khaki berets, a mint Recce one from 1945 and REME from 1944.

[Jerry B]

Sadly the seller of the 1947 beret states that it has gone missing in the post and has offered a refund or credit. In this instance I have decided to go for the refund, though that leaves me the paypal fees out of pocket, toss. God knows if anything else I wanted from him would actually turn up as the seller has previously taken my money for an item he then aid had already been sold, but did send me a more expensive item in its place and also lost an item in his stores, but again did send me two very similar to replace it, but there is a pattern here and perhaps I should take my business elsewhere.

Rather stupidly while waiting for the beret to arrive I have bought another item from him. Doh I must be so stupid, though so far it has always worked out for the best, but I think enough is enough.

[Adrian Stevenson]

That is a real bummer!