FRENCH 1 MARINE COMMANDO BERET - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

actionoke · #1 26-09-11, 09:14 AM

Would like to know if this is wartime or post war please.Badge has been on beret long time and is maker marked and dated 1943 M C HAUVET Paris so how can this be?Also beret has no eyelets.Liner pulled out

#2 26-09-11, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by actionoke

Would like to know if this is wartime or post war please.Badge has been on beret long time and is maker marked and dated 1943 M C HAUVET Paris so how can this be?Also beret has no eyelets.Liner pulled out

Hi the badge is post war

peter

Please vist my website http://petertaylormilitaria.com

Luc · #3 26-09-11, 07:01 PM

I believe the inscription is about Maurice Chauvet of the Kieffer commando's who designed this badge.

2LBH · #4 26-09-11, 09:32 PM

Hi Gents,
yep, it is post war. WW2 ones have a different scroll "1er Bllon F.M. COMMANDO" (for 1er Bataillon Commando - 1st Battalion Commando) and I wonder if lugs were not East-West instead of North-South.

actionoke · #5 27-09-11, 07:26 AM

thanks guys

HamandJam · #6 29-09-11, 07:18 PM

only 200 have ever been made numbered 1-200 by JR Gaunt, Kieffer having no 1

. 177 members, so rare as hen's teeth. The designer was indeed Maurice Chauvet.

Once you have seen the real ones, especially the back they are easily recognizable. They were made from recycled metal.

Cheers
JB

#7 29-09-11, 08:29 PM

sorry there were 400 made by J R GAUNT read this

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...1&d=1317328107

peter

Please vist my website http://petertaylormilitaria.com

HamandJam · #8 30-09-11, 06:53 AM

Yes you are right Peter, numbered 1-400. Still not a lot. The badge shown in this thread By Actionoke is the current pattern worn by the commando marine. Most copies of the ww2 badge have a flat back and other inscriptions then the number. below you can see Kieffers own badge no 1. Cheers JB. http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoG...badge.jpg.html

Mike B · #9 03-10-11, 05:49 PM

I believe the book 'Commando Kieffer' by Eric Le Penven gives an index of who was issued the badge (in some cases badges) with each number. The book is written in French so our continental friends will be more happy than those of us who struggle with French. It is not cheap but an excellent source and worth struggling with translation (also plenty of illustrations). It appears Kieffer had three badges issued to him - Numbers 1, 341, and 354. There may also be a gap in the issued No's sequence. At some stage I will research it further. Regards Mike
PS - You will know some souvenir badges were issued with a star not an anchor on the right of the title scroll. A dead give away for a reasonably well made badge. Watch out for the film props from 'The Longest Day' - also pretty good.