WFR Beret and Badge

[Dr_Shemp]

Hi all,

I've recently bought this Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters beret and cap badge and I wondered if anyone could tell me any more about them?

The badge is worn but looks well made and it was covered in old polish when I bought it, so I think it's got a bit of age to it. Looking online I can only find staybright examples with slider fittings. I've seen gilt, privately made examples of badges before, but I'm not completely certain that my badge is one of these.

Equally, the beret that it came with has definitely been with the badge for some time. This beret has no makers marks that I can see (I tried misting it with water to reveal any old marks but saw nothing) and I've not seen a beret that has a non-adjustable cloth headband like this one before. There is a leatherette slider pocket on the inside of the beret with a thick square of sackcloth-type material on the inside where the badge sits, behind the remains of the old lining.

Has anyone seen an example of this badge or beret before and could tell me anything else about them? Also, could anyone give me a rough age to these?

[Mike H]

Regiment existed from 1970 until 2007.

[MH331]

The cap badge you have was Regimentally purchased from the London Badge and Button company ( possibly others). If I recall they were first purchased in the early mid 1990s and worn until the formation of the Mercian Regiment in September 2007. The beret does not look issue or indeed privately bought from the multiples of military outfitters. I think it may be a WFR veterans beret

[Dr_Shemp]

Thank you very much for your replies, it's brilliant to have it dated and sourced so well - I agree with you about the beret too, thanks again!

[49lassiepen]

As already stated modern and very common badges ,any modern ref books would have these items illustrated May be worth purchasing some basic ref books

[leigh kitchen]

The beret could be a 1970"s/80's issue one, leather bands and then plastic having given way to fabric.

[Frank Kelley]

Berets with leather bands were still being issued in the 1990's.

Originally Posted by leigh kitchen

The beret could be a 1970"s/80's issue one, leather bands and then plastic having given way to fabric.

[leigh kitchen]

My experience was that on issue berets leather gave way to plastic during the early 70's, followed by fabric later during the 70's, leather reappearing some time later.

[bess55]

For comparison my example of this badge, along with the anodised alluminium lugged example.

Bess

[Dr_Shemp]

Thank you again for your replies - I think mine is a very close match for yours Bess, on comparison though I can see that the former owner of mine has taken a file to the cross on the badge which is a bit of a shame.

I'll keep an eye out for any other berets like this one, especially if they have the liner intact, to try and get a better age on it. If I do find a good match, I'll let everyone know here.

[leigh kitchen]

The cross - it's been rubbed down in order to achieve a smoother more reflective finish when polished, however it's been done badly.