BERET

Description: GREEN WOOL BERET. BERET IS ROUND WOOL CAP WITH SLIGHTLY NARROWED LEATHER HEAD BAND. HEAD BAND SPLITS AT BACK. TWO COPPER ISLETS AT RIGHT. DARK BLUE LINING. AT FRONT OF BERET IS CAP BADGE WITH TWO LOOPS AT BACK. LOOPS ARE THROUGH WOOL AND ATTACHED INSIDE WITH CORRODED SAFETY PIN. PORTION OF CLEAR PLASTIC HAS BEEN PLACED BETWEEN LINING AND SAFETY PIN. INSIDE IS STAMPED, “GRAND ‘ MERE, KNITTING, COMPANY, LIMITED, BERET 1944, SIZE 7 ¼.” BADGE HAS KING'S CROWN AT TOP WITH BANNER ACROSS BOTTOM WHICH READS "R.C.E.M.E.." BETWEEN BANNER AND CROWN ARE THREE CRESTS CONNECTED BY RING OF LEAVES. FOUR SMALL MOTH HOLES AT REAR RIGHT AND MID LEFT EDGE.

History: BERET WAS ISSUED TO FREDERICK ALEXANDER KEIVER DURING HIS SERVICE IN WWII. IT CAME INTO DONOR JIM KEIVER’S POSSESSION AFTER HIS FATHER’S DEATH IN 1975. FOR MORE INFORMATION INCLUDING SERVICE RECORDS RETRIEVED FROM LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA, PLEASE SEE P20100022001. GALT ARCHIVES HAS A GROUP PHOTOGRAPH (20081074002) THAT DEPICTS KEIVER ON A HOCKEY TEAM WHICH PREDATES HIS MILITARY SERVICE.