I am not entirely sure about this one and there are experts here just waiting to put me straight but I believe that this is a fairly recent private purchase item marked for Compton Webb who have been an official supplier but this has no part or contract number (not a killer in itself) and a metric size (57) rather than a earlier imperial size 7 which dates it to a period in itself. If I recall correctly the sizing changed to metric around 1980-ish. When I joined in '75 the issued headress was all in imperial sizes.
Having said that it is possibly an early metric size issued before contract and part numbers were included on an applied label but as earlier issued items had these details printed directly on the liner I don't think so.
Clear as mud right? Sadly the MoD don't consider collectors in this regard and I have seen issued headdress with no markings at all!
Regards
Mark.
Regards
Mark
PS The badge appears to be a staybrite type with a slider rather than lugs which would make it earlier in the Staybrite range but it is incorrectly fitted as the slider cannot be seen in the retaining pocket on the inside of the beret. The retaining pocket was generally not used as a badge backing often home made was fitted but the slider would still pierce the area of the slider pocket and be visible inside the beret as it is what holds the badge backing in place. No serving soldier would wear it like that.
Last edited by Watchdog; 06-06-2021 at 06:05 PM. Reason: ps
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
Thanks for that. So what would your advice be? Should I go for it?
You are welcome but I doubt anyone here will give you that kind of advice. It is a subjective matter and as such one for you to decide.
We can only offer information on the item and not whether it would suit your own collecting needs.
Suppose someone says to you "you should buy that" then you end up unhappy with the item? Not good for either party. The final arbiter must be you based upon what you want for your collection and maybe with the benefit of advice/info you have received here concerning the item itself.
No sensible member/fellow collector would consider telling you what to collect.
I am sure you appreciate this.
Regards
Mark
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
By 1979 I was issued a Compton Webb Size 56! So I think the change over was probably in the 70's but do not write off the use of imperial sizes later just to use up stock!
R
OK, thank you. Sorry I'm a bear of small brain and just trying to work if you said it was legit or not.
Yep I go with that, none of these things ever changed overnight and with something like berets or clothing has has not actually changed enough to make it a different item then "waste-out" is always the driving factor. Some corps / regiments are still using Staybrite badges because the new "hard metal" types have not been procurred for exactly that reason. To do otherwise makes no sense on any level even if it would please collectors
Regards
Mark
Last edited by Watchdog; 06-08-2021 at 08:50 AM. Reason: Typo
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
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