Military Tam Trick

**MNlad** · 22nd October 13, 02:07 PM

I've got a couple of caubeens where that is part of the regular bonnet construction, although stiff fabric instead of cardboard. It does make it look rakish.

kiltedwolfman · 22nd October 13, 07:01 PM

What we often did when I was in the regiment was use an old expired credit card, or library card. Now-a-days I suppose you could use a used up gift card that has been cut to be slightly larger than the cap badge and fastened inside the head dress.

**Chas** · 23rd October 13, 01:46 AM

When I was in the Royal Air Force, our berets came with a fibreboard backing as standard.

**Farmer Jones** · 23rd October 13, 06:58 AM

Originally Posted by Chas

When I was in the Royal Air Force, our berets came with a fibreboard backing as standard.

in the 1966/73 period my RAF beret had a stiffener that was like the stuff they used to make old circuit boards from. It was not fiber and it was not plastic, but had a feel of something in between. I actually thought that someone had taken an old radio apart and cut a piece of circuit board for it.

**Steve Ashton** · 23rd October 13, 09:02 AM

Mine has a length of coat hanger wire bent into a square.

**Macman** · 23rd October 13, 10:27 AM

Our regiment preferred the "slouchier" look when I was in it. I remember once using a coat hanger inside the balmoral to give it what I thought was a very rakish look. Next parade, my sergeant took one look at it, said "What the hell is that!", demanded my balmoral, reached inside and took out the coat hanger, and threw it down the parade square!

**OC Richard** · 2nd November 13, 06:28 AM

It's interesting, these various things that are done in different units, to get a certain "look".

I've noticed that nowadays some of the Scottish battalions have their TOS's blocked in an odd way:

And the Black Watch have their own extra-small bonnet

**Peter Crowe** · 6th November 13, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by Chas

When I was in the Royal Air Force, our berets came with a fibreboard backing as standard.

When I was in the Air Training Corps attached to D (Cameronians) Coy. 52nd Lowland Volunteers (TA) in 1981-83 our RAF issue berets had some sort of stiffener behind the two plasticised holes for our cap badge. The TOS's issued to the Jocks, however were unlined and their cap badge with Douglas tartan swatch was stitched into place by a tailor who made holes on the tartan square and the side of the bonnet.