Embracing the Daemon: 11th Hussars Beret and Badge

My recently successful bid on eBay arrived in the mail today, seven days following the beret I have attached it to. I am now the proud owner of an original 11th Hussars cap badge - 'Treu und Fest' or Faithful and Strong.

The daemon I'm talking about is the inner madness I'm feeling more as I get older to adorn the head-wear of any army I'm fighting with on the table-top. I realise this drive is uber-nerdy or geeky or just plain lunacy but I feel it's fun. It's certainly no more socially awkward than wearing your team jersey and screaming at the referee from the side lines - there's nothing cool about sporting culture so I make no apologies. As I do far and away most of my gaming in private homes, this is not a great personal challenge nor an affront to the community at large.

Perhaps I feel free to dress up just a little when gaming because I'm in my fifties and I no longer care so much what anyone thinks of me. It's enough that I like it and the onlookers can suit themselves.

Now I often approach the internet and wider marketplace with some unrealised assumptions and this purchase was no different. This badge is an original which I was never intending to attain - rather thinking I'd pick up a cheap and cheerful replica as there must be WWII replicas for every British regiment readily available on-line - right? Wrong.

So, this wondrous addition to my military history collection will be more precious to me than I was intending. I have two early war Vickers VIB tanks for my Western Desert Force 'Jock' column representing a troops of the 11th Hussars and I'll be adorning this when they are rolled out.

I rather think it suits me but given my occupation I'll not be posting many photos of myself on line for a few years yet.