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sarge5020
RCA56
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    VIII Recce Officer's Beret

    RCA56
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    • Post n°1

    VIII Recce Officer's Beret Empty VIII Recce Officer's Beret

    Post by RCA56 Sun Jul 01, 2012 2:50 pm

    The 8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars) was established on 1 August 1940 from the 14th Canadian Light Horse. They landed in Normandy on 6 July 1944, one month after D-Day and first entered combat in the on-going Battle of Normandy.

    VIII Recce saw heavy action throughout the remainder of the war including the Battle for Caen, the Falaise Pocket, the Battle of the Scheldt, the liberation of the Netherlands and the invasion of Germany.

    VIII Recce officer’s beret with bullion badge.
    To my knowledge this is the only example in existence.
    It would have been worn by a very high ranking officer, most likely the CO.
    The WD stamp dates manufacture to 1944.

    VIII Recce Officer's Beret VIIIRecce-01

    VIII Recce Officer's Beret VIIIRecce-02

    VIII Recce Officer's Beret VIIIRecce-03

    VIII Recce Officer's Beret VIIIRecce-04
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    RCA56
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    • Post n°2

    VIII Recce Officer's Beret Empty Re: VIII Recce Officer's Beret

    Post by RCA56 Sun Jul 01, 2012 2:52 pm


    An VIII Recce anti-tank crew helps guard the road near Dunkirk on Sept. 16, 1944

    VIII Recce Officer's Beret Copp01-05


    VIII Recce Humber (foreground) and Daimler (background) armoured cars during the Scheldt Campaign, Putte, on the Dutch–Belgian border, 11 October 1944

    VIII Recce Officer's Beret Armoured_cars_in_the_Belgian-Dutch_border_town_of_Putte


    VIII Recce in Beveland, Holland, 1 November, 1944

    VIII Recce Officer's Beret 14thCanHussarsSBevelandNov144
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    sarge5020
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    • Post n°3

    VIII Recce Officer's Beret Empty Re: VIII Recce Officer's Beret

    Post by sarge5020 Sun Jul 01, 2012 8:05 pm

    Interesting, the fellow on the ground at the lower left of the photo appears to be wearing the 14 Canadian Hussars badge, not an VIII RECCE badge.

    Cheers,
    John
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    LSR
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    VIII Recce Officer's Beret Empty Re: VIII Recce Officer's Beret

    Post by LSR Sun Jul 01, 2012 11:44 pm

    Yep,14th Canadian Light Horse that is,they also wore the Canadian Armoured Corps badge.
    So three capbadges for one regiment.
    It,s the first time I see a pic of a British beret in use,nice example.

    Take a look at this:
    http://www.tommy-talk.com/viewtopic.php?t=7608&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

    Note the jacket the man on the left is wearing.
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    sarge5020
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    • Post n°5

    VIII Recce Officer's Beret Empty Re: VIII Recce Officer's Beret

    Post by sarge5020 Mon Jul 02, 2012 3:52 am

    Very interesting, great stories about the VIII RECCE badge as well!

    Cheers,
    John
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    Brent W
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    • Post n°6

    VIII Recce Officer's Beret Empty Re: VIII Recce Officer's Beret

    Post by Brent W Mon Jul 02, 2012 5:58 am

    Great beret Roy. Thanks for sharing this with us.
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    RCA56
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    • Post n°7

    VIII Recce Officer's Beret Empty Re: VIII Recce Officer's Beret

    Post by RCA56 Mon Jul 02, 2012 1:44 pm

    I found this posting on the British & Commonwealth Badge Forum...

    "A friend (Lorne Mackenzie - now deceased) served in VIII Recce, was awarded an MC in Netherlands and was a huge source of knowledge on the unit. He reckoned that one of several reasons why VIII Recce cap badges are scarce is that many of the troopers in his troop of cars would throw them away, claim they had lost them,,, and revert back to their 14th CLH badges. He used to carry spare VIII badges for on-the-spot re-issue."
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    barriefield-brian
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    • Post n°8

    VIII Recce Officer's Beret Empty Re: VIII Recce Officer's Beret

    Post by barriefield-brian Tue Jul 10, 2012 7:48 pm

    Fellows I talked to said they had never heard of anyone throwing badges away. Since they had to pay for them it seems unlikely. Cheers Brian
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    cybersjors
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    • Post n°9

    VIII Recce Officer's Beret Empty Re: VIII Recce Officer's Beret

    Post by cybersjors Mon Oct 08, 2012 11:31 am

    Supposedly there is a similar beret like this in a French collection. Given to the collector by the veteran personally.
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    VIII Recce Officer's Beret Empty Re: VIII Recce Officer's Beret

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