SAS Berets

[dit dah]

Anyone ever come across one of the white SAS berets?

 

[Pip]

I've not actually seen a white one in the flesh unfortunately only in a couple of photographs and accounts. Have yet to see one for sale either. Their replacement, the beige/sand beret you do occasionally see on the collectors market (large crown wartime examples) but tend to command impossibly high pricetags...so its frightening to think of the value of the white beret.

Edited due to the fact I failed to read the question propely.

 

[DutchIndo]

When I think of those berets I think of "Tosh" in the "Wild Geese" my all time favorite flick. It also appears in "Dogs of War" another Merc flick it seems to be associated with the professional soldier.

 

[Smithy]

Anyone ever come across one of the white SAS berets?

These are as rare as hen's teeth dit dah as the white beret was dropped fairly shortly after its adoption. Rumour has it that this was due to a combination of the beret being too "visible" and the rather derogatory moniker "snowdrops" given to the wearers.

If you see a genuine one for sale, it should be very expensive.

 

[DutchIndo]

Snow drops was also a derogatory name for US MPs in WWII. In Viet-Nam the Viet MPs were called "White Mice".

 

[H.Johnson]

Never in 50 years of looking at these things. Not a real one, anyway.

 

[dit dah]

Rumour has it that this was due to a combination of the beret being too "visible" and the rather derogatory moniker "snowdrops" given to the wearers.

A few "friends" of "friends" are ex-"snowdrops" I might ask them if there's one in the interest room. Probably won't mention the snowdrop moniker though lol

 

[Smithy]

A few "friends" of "friends" are ex-"snowdrops" I might ask them if there's one in the interest room. Probably won't mention the snowdrop moniker though lol

Might be an idea!

I'm pleased you brought this up dit dah as it's one of the Holy Grails of WWII kit, demonstrated by H.Johnson never having seen one in half a century of interest in these sorts of things.

I'd also be interested if we could ascertain for certain the dates when this was used, so from July-ish '41 until ????

Does any UK based museum have one? Or is their rarity due to the fact that they were required to be handed back by members when the new beret came into service, and subsequently they were disposed of?

 

[dit dah]

I've seen a photograph of a couple of chaps from L Detachment wearing them after the Nofelia raid which was, I think, around Christmas 1941.

 

[Dudleydoright]

Might be an idea!

I'm pleased you brought this up dit dah as it's one of the Holy Grails of WWII kit, demonstrated by H.Johnson never having seen one in half a century of interest in these sorts of things.

I'd also be interested if we could ascertain for certain the dates when this was used, so from July-ish '41 until ????

Does any UK based museum have one? Or is their rarity due to the fact that they were required to be handed back by members when the new beret came into service, and subsequently they were disposed of?

There isn't even one in the Regimental museum. I don't think any turned up when the last of the originals passed away either.

You have to remember that these guys received this beret whilst in Egypt. When these guys changed berets, they may have stashed them in kitbags but, brearing in mind that they went from Egypt to Greece (as SRS) and Sicily before going back the the UK, they probably didn't have space for them and had other items that were of more use like pullovers etc. Nor were these guys overly sentimental at the time and certainly not for a beret that had been worn for so short a time.

They were changed as the white colour got them into fights with other troops calling them the cowards brigade etc.

The photo referred to is of Reg Seekings and Johnny Cooper (and two others?) and not on operations.

Dave

 

[Smithy]

Thanks Dudley. I suspected that they weren't exactly treasured and therefore held onto after the dust-ups in Cairo that occurred because of them.

Has anybody even heard of the existence of one after the war, anyone knowing of someone who had one?

Also, any chance someone can post this photo of them being worn? I once saw a photo which somebody claimed was of the white beret but the photo had to have been too late and I suspect that the berets were actually tan ones which had faded from time in the desert.

 

[Dudleydoright]

I've got them in a book called 'This is the SAS' by Tony geraghty. It's a large format photbook of the SAS from WW2 to the 70's. I've got it in my attic somewhere.

I'll see what I can do on sunday - too much going on 'til then I'm afraid.

Cheero
Dave

 

[Smithy]

Many thanks Dave. Would love to see it if it's not too much of a hassle.

 

[Dudleydoright]

Here's one I found by doing a quick internet search.

I don't think there's EVER been one in colour before anyone asks !

Dave

 

[Smithy]

Great stuff Dave! The elusive white beret.

I take it these must be L Detachment boys very shortly after formation?

 

[Dudleydoright]

I don't think the lads had made sergeant by that point but the wings sewn on the breast means that they must have done at least one combat jump. It might even be that you had to go on three missions (although that might have come later - it's been a while since i've thought about such things).

I think that there were about three or four photos of the white beret in total.
Cheers,
Dave

 

[Dudleydoright]

This is the book in question :

It's about one penny plus postage on Amazon !!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/This-SAS-Pi...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228398276&sr=8-1

Dave

 

[Smithy]

Once again thanks Dave, I have a pretty basic knowledge of the SAS in WWII so it's nice to learn a thing or two from those who know.

Coincidentally, I just happened the other day to pick up Steven Pressfield's new novel "Killing Rommel" about the LRDG and SAS in North Africa. Haven't started it yet so don't know whether it's any good but this discussion was perfectly timed!

EDIT:

A penny you say? I might be able to stretch to that even after buying all the Christmas presents!

 

[Dudleydoright]

It's a good book about a well intentioned and planned op' that went very wrong due to poor intel. Geoffrey Keyes was killed and got a VC for his trouble. Word was he was given it for leading the raid as he was killed early on. He came from a very well connected family. If memory serves me well he was the officer hit by Paddy Mayne which is what had put him in prison at the time that Colonel David interviewed him for L Det'.

Dave

 

[Smithy]

I look forward to reading it then.

I just remembered (if the old noggin's working properly) that in Derek Robinson's novel "A Good Clean Fight", the white beret is mentioned and even serves as the starter for some unsavoury comments and the inevitable bar brawl in a Cairo watering hole.