MovieChat Forums > The Wild Geese (1978) Discussion > Berets and cap badges

Berets and cap badges

posted 11 years ago by Reephaman
6 replies | jump to latest

It was quite interesting counting and trying to identify the different cap badges worn by the ex-soldiers. Some were pretty obvious, like Jock's Black Watch, the Para's, SAS, and Rafer's Royal Greenjackets (I think). What was Faulkner's - The King's Regiment?

But Moore's character's beret was just comical. Quite surprising that the most suave and stylish guy there had the worst beret, worn really amateurishly like a big meringue on his head. Burton's was pretty bad, too. All British soldiers wear their berets tight and close on the head, usually moulded to shape by soaking it and shrinking it when first issued. I'd have thought the advisers would have been a bit sharper on this, especially since most of the others had a pretty good fit.

[–] bowroaduk 11 years ago

And Kenneth Griffith with his RAMC cap badge. It's funny how often the film and TV industry can't get the British Army beret 'right'. The same applies with the whistle chain on UK police formal uniforms, which is virtually never worn right! Last week's "Casualty" on BBC1 was a classic example!

[–] grendelkhan 11 years ago

Moore was in the Royal Navy, give him a break.

The advisers were people like Mike Hoare, who exaggerated his background in the British Army, back in his Congo days. Many of the mercenaries were South African Defense soldiers, which is probably why they looked sharper than the actors, and Ian Yule was an experienced mercenary, having served with Hoare, in the Congo.

"Fortunately, Ah keep mah feathers numbered for just such an emergency!"

[–] grendelkhan 11 years ago

The advisers were people like Mike Hoare, who exaggerated his background in the British Army, back in his Congo days. Many of the mercenaries were South African Defense soldiers, which is probably why they looked sharper than the actors, and Ian Yule was an experienced mercenary, having served with Hoare, in the Congo. You also forget that the actors probably removed their berets often, between shots, since they were probably only used when needed, while the xtras might have been on set more often.

"Fortunately, Ah keep mah feathers numbered for just such an emergency!"

[–] timmaninaz 10 years ago

I like this movie. However, and a former U.S. Army officer, what is the point of wear berets with regimental cap badges? They are all wearing rank isignia to boot. They were mercinaries, not regular Army!

[–] ib011f9545i 9 years ago

If you look at photos of mercenaries in the Congo and elsewhere they wear the badges or berets of their former regiments because it shows that they are proud of their previous official military employment.

If you are an ex British Para(or marine or Guards or whatever) or French para or Belgian para you are going to be proud of it and it would be a selling point if you are trying to sell your services as a merc.

Interestingly some of the British mercenaries who wrote books about their careers and were well known in the 1970s were actually ex soldiers with poor records.

[–] 9 years ago

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