RICHARD TODD'S BERET

[Gil Boyd]

Roy,
We have all our Regimental Victoria Crosses in a safe. As you say the copies are on show behind glass.
This guy is not playing the historic game, he needs to make money out of what normally is rubbish to many. Someone happened to mention whose house it was and Bobs your uncle, he's onto a winner. Why the family didn't ask us is beyond me!
I suppose all his awards will turn up one day on Ebay!!

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Flying10uk]

It's probably worth speaking to the auction house before the auction and explaining the situation to them. A worst case scenario is that they can do nothing to help. Unless one ask it will never be known if they could have done anything to help.

[frenchkat]

I spent a lot of time under a beret, the one pictured doesn’t look very “worn”. It doesn’t take long to acquire dirt, sweat, creases, fold and imprints from flashes, crests and wings.

This beret doesn’t have any character!

[browningautorifle]

I spent a lot of time under a beret

So did I, and I can't say I agree with your assessment of the headress. It does look worn, but a piece of clothing doesn't carry character, the man wearing it has the character.

[Flying10uk]

There must be thousands of pieces of kit and clothing etc in collections that the owner is unaware of the fact that the object once took part in a famous battle or was once worn by a famous person because the object is unable to speak. If objects suddenly gained the ability to speak, people's collections could suddenly become very valuable indeed.

[Gil Boyd]

I have a few bits and pieces like that, but with confirmed provenance.
One of which is a telescope owned by a high ranking officer in the Boar War which I put on this site some years ago.
Its only as good as what people will pay for it I suppose.

I am still waiting to find out what Richards Beret finally sold for but can't find any reference to it, assuming the auction still went ahead on the 17th February!!!

[Gil Boyd]

13 Bids.................£7,000

Historically Important British Paratroopers Beret Belonging to British Army Officer and Later Hollywood Actor, Lieutenant Richard Todd OBE, Who Served with 7th Battalion Parachute Regiment on D-Day, Helping Major Howard to Hold Pegasus Bridge on the 6th June 1944, Who He Later Portrayed in the Film

[Flying10uk]

13 Bids.................£7,000

It would be somewhat amusing if the original owner turned out to be another "Richard Todd" and not the actor, but not for the successful bidder.

[Gil Boyd]

Theirs money in my beret, especially if I say Monte wore it
This hangs on the wall at 4 PARA Officers Mess and shows he was a keen supporter of The Parachute Regiment and the early days of L Detachment SAS.