SWMRberet – by Dean Murray
A former commando’s damaged green beret has been replaced by the Royal Marines during a special visit to his nursing home in Surrey.
Herbert Preece earned his coveted beret nearly 70 years’ ago during his national service, which saw him join 45 Commando between 1956 and 1957 as a Marine First Class – deploying to Malta, Italy and Egypt during the Suez Crisis.
The 87-year-old sailed with carrier HMS Theseus and cruiser HMS Cumberland during his service and holds his two years with the marines very close to his heart.
His original green beret – which is famously earned after completing commando training – was damaged accidently in a tumble dryer soon after he moved to Lynton Hall Nursing Home in New Malden, so a special visit to furnish Bert with a new beret was arranged between the Corps and clinical nursing manager Fiona Larkin.
Commanding Officer of Royal Marines Reserve London, Colonel Sam Fearn, and Unit Sergeant Major, Warrant Officer 2 Jon Grasham, presented Bert with his new beret and shared stories of training and deployments.
“It was a real pleasure to be able to meet a fellow Bootneck and do something that clearly meant a great deal to him,” said Jon.
“Fiona and the team are doing an amazing job and we feel honoured to have met Bert and given him his green lid.
“Bert was living alone before joining the nursing home, a transition that in his own words he found very difficult, especially given it was just before Christmas.
“A few months had passed since, and it is clear to see the love and support he has from all the staff at Lynton Hall, replicated by Bert himself now he is settled.”
Bert was gifted the latest copy of the Globe & Laurel journal, which chronicles the Royal Marines’ global deployments, and a bottle of Royal Marines Corps Cellars Port.
Bert spoke about his service and said: “Every other person was joining the Army; I didn’t want to be like everyone else and wanted some action in my life.”
So, Bert chose to sign up to the marines.
He joined in Deal, Kent, and then was sent down to Portsmouth for training – from there he went to Plymouth for sea training then was deployed straight over to Gibraltar.
