Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object ID # |
1996.029.011 |
Object Name |
Beret |
Title |
Canadian Legion Beret (pre-196-) |
Lexicon category |
3: Personal Artifacts |
Date |
pre-1960 |
Year Range to |
1960 |
Made |
Unknown |
Place of Origin |
Ontario |
Description |
This CANADIAN LEGION beret has a dark navy-blue woollen fabric. The top has a tab of the same fabric. There is a machine-embroidered yellow and red and navy-blue crest at the front with "B - E - S - L / CANADIAN / LEGION". There is a yellow maple leaf with red and yellow rays underneath it. The words CANADIAN LEGION are on two banners, separating out the words. The interior once had a yellow-printed maker's mark (now worn away). The B-E-S-L is a short form for the British Empire Service League. |
Makers mark |
No maker's mark is seen now (it was printed inside and is now just about worn away. |
Provenance |
This pre-1960 item likely was worn by Mr. L. Watson Richards. If his father had been in the First World War, there is also a possibility that it may be his father's? However, Wat Richards is known to have served in the military. He was an airfield mechanic during the Second World War in England. After 1960, the B.E.S.L. logo changed to the Royal Canadian Legion logo. |
Collection |
Textiles, 20th-c Clothing Collection, Men's |
Material |
Wool/Fabric/Embroidery Thread/Thread/Dye |
Dimensions |
W-24 L-21 D-2.5 cm |
Found |
Owen Sound, Grey County |
People |
Richards, Leonard Watson |
Subjects |
Canadian Legion Military History |
Search Terms |
British Empire Service League (B.E.S.L.) |
Function |
This beret would have been worn by a B.E.S.L. veteran who belonged to the Canadian Legion prior to 1960. The B-E-S-L is a short form for the British Empire Service League. After Dec. 19, 1960, the word "Royal" was also part of the organization's title, and Royal Canadian Legion was used for crests/badges. |