WW2 SAS WHITE BERET

[David Tremain]

Thanks Johan. After my last posting I checked in 'The Originals" and couldn't find anything. And no, I don't have Barry Davies's book. David

[johanwiegman]

Friends,

A good example of small crown berets and also SF interest.

Official MOD pictures taken at the inauguration of the SRR september 2005.

best regards,

Johan

[Boes92]

Gents, a picture of a white SAS beret, don't know if it's original though.

[johanwiegman]

Hi,

In my book the beret is neither white nor original WW2. It looks like a very light fawn colour rather than white and I do not believe it is very old, certainly not WW2.

Cheers,

Johan

[Boes92]

Johan,

maybe the picture isn't very clear but the beret is white for sure. It is made of felt. I agree it probably isn't WW II but a more modern reproduction.
I don't know if anyone can estimate the period or originality of the SAS emblem?

Cheers,

Bas

[airtrooper]

I believe the "Snowdrops" trialled them in recent times. I recall seeing a couple for sale about a year ago.

[Boes92]

The "Snowdrops"...?

[DaveG]

If anyone has a copy of Rogue Warrior of the SAS by Roy Bradford and Martin Dillon there is a photograph of two SAS troopers on leave in Cairo, 1941 wearing what appears to be white berets (or at the very least sand colored).

Best Regards,

Dave

[tynesideirish]

Just a couple of points re Beret colour. The Army Commando and later Royal Marine Commando wore the green beret a long time before the Airborne forces 'adopted' the Maroon beret.

I'm not one for quoting insignia books but there is a picture of the RSR in Peter Taylors book page 97. The 2 RSR one has the Brown beret another has the sand one. I've own 3 of these Brown berets in my time but have non now. I think they are rarer than the sand one but not as desirable. I sold my last one for £80.00 lol!

Originally Posted by HamandJam

As to colours of special forces berets the green commando beret is also interesting. The first unit to wear the green beret was No1 commando. They inspired the colour on the colours in its formation sign, a salamander consumed in flames. White was considere inappropriate as was yellow. Red was from the despised military police and airborne troops. So Green it was.

I just also read in the latest edition of Chute & Dagger that RSR wore chocolate brown berets before they adopted the sand ones. I also have never seen such a beret.

Cheers,
JB

[sailorbear]

Originally Posted by Boes92

The "Snowdrops"...?

Royal Air Force Police!

[54Bty]

Originally Posted by sailorbear

Royal Air Force Police!

Originally a British nickname for the US Army MPs, how the RAFP got it I do not know.

Marc

[johanwiegman]

Originally Posted by DaveG

If anyone has a copy of Rogue Warrior of the SAS by Roy Bradford and Martin Dillon there is a photograph of two SAS troopers on leave in Cairo, 1941 wearing what appears to be white berets (or at the very least sand colored).

Best Regards,

Dave

Hi Dave,

Those pictures are in this very thread! Please check the earlier posts.

Cheers,

Johan

[grey_green_acorn]

White berets are/were worn by Russian Convoy veterans at the annual Remembrance Parade at the Cenotaph in London every November.

Tim

[Colin S]

An original RSR brown beret is on display in the Special Ops display at the Imperial War Museum. I've never seen an original SAS white beret, not even at the SAS Museum (although they did have a commando green beret bearing a cloth winged dagger badge from WW2).

[Unknownsoldier]

I have a photo of the IWM brown beret somewhere.

Tom