Post WW2 British RAF Royal Air Force Blue Dress Hat Cap Beret

Description

Post WW2 British UK United Kingdom RAF Royal Air Force Officer’s Blue Dress wool beret, No. 2 working dress uniform. Beret is in good condition considering age (see pictures) The 59 number in the inside of the beret, I believe it was intended to mean the hat size of 59 cm in EU. The equivalent of that in UK size would be 7-1/4 and in US, 7-3/8. That would be equivalent which in inches to 23-1/4”. I measured the inside of the band and it measured 22-3/8” which would be equivalent to a US hat size between 7 and 7-1/8. In some research, I found a website, (https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documents/LargePrintGuides/Headgear%20-.pdf) that identified this beret as follows: Officer's Beret 1950 Pattern - In 1948 the beret replaced the Field Service cap as the standard headgear for No. 2 Working Dress uniform. This beret has the pre-1954 officer’s cap badge sewn in place. So it appears that the beret dates a little post WWII. I have taken a couple more pictures of the hat trying to provide a little better idea of the hat’s condition.