The biggest find for me was the exposition of an italian guy coming in from the UK, where he lives from the 80s': his exposition was nothing short of awesome, with uniforms, UBACS, Osprey load carrying kit, a complete Royal Marines parade uniform, PARA berets, badges of practically all RAF and FAA squadrons, badged caps of the Scottish regiment, or the Grenadier Guards, of the Coldstream Guards, everything!
He missed the red uniforms of the Trooping the Colour and the bearskip cap, admittedly, but there were little things, for the rest, that he hadn't.
I left several pieces of my heart on his exposition. Was i rich, there's a thing you can bet upon: his whole exposition would have changed owner in a fraction of second, because i would have acquired it, no matter the expense. Unfortunately, i am not that rich. Still, i could handle a Lee Enfield rifle - something i had wished to do in forever; next wish to fullfil, actually own one! -, buy a White Ensign of the Royal Navy that will soon be on my wall, wear a Royal Marines Commando beret and be photographed in it (a true emotion for me) and. Well. Buy a SAS beret. Which was even more emotional. Ah, and he had the PARA beret as well... i would have adored it too.
Agh. Money. Dictator that it is.
I want to show you some images of all the awesomeness of that exposition, and i just... wanted to share the pleasure and emotion it gave me to see that all.
Which makes me wonder: are the british Armed Forces aware of the passion they awaken in lots of people like me? I bet it would be possible for the Army to make money out of its glory and history.
For sure, they would make money with me, at least.
I probably aren't the most handsome of guys, but hey. This is almost certainly the only chance i get to show myself with a Commando beret on my head. So be patient, and be amused of how much emotions a "simple beret" or badge can transmit.
To me, at least.
Gabriele my old friend, if you ever actually wore the beret like that, you would not survive 30 seconds ! You should have got him to show you how to wear it properly too :-)
ReplyDeleteI don't doubt it. Does not help that, unfortunately, all the berets were kind of small for me.
ReplyDeleteGotta do with what's available, no? :)