Guards' bearskins endangered?

So much for British tradition:

For two centuries the Sovereign's Foot Guards have been distinguished by the foot-high bearskins that top their scarlet ceremonial uniforms. But now, to appease animal rights campaigners, defence officials are seeking an alternative to the traditional headgear, which dates back to the Battle of Waterloo.

Complaints to the Queen that her soldiers should switch to faux fur have resulted in a search for a synthetic bearskin - so far without success.

The bearskin, first worn by the Foot Guards in recognition of their 1815 defeat of the French Imperial Guard (who also wore bearskins), is made from the skins of Ursus Americanus, Canada's Black Bear. Currently around 2,500 are in service with the Grenadier, Welsh, Irish, Scots and Coldstream Guards regiments.

But letters to the Queen, imploring her to stop using real bearskin, have led to a rethink. "We have tried artificial fibres to try and get away from using bearskins," said Lt Col Peter Dick-Peter.

"But nothing works. It either doesn't hold its shape, or it cannot withstand the weather, or it fails to retain the right colour, or it stands up in a very surprised manner in the wrong electrical conditions". . .

He stressed that the bearskins were from culled bears. "Because the black bear is running a bit rife in Canada they have to cull them to keep the numbers down because they get too dangerous. We buy the culled pelts and use them for the caps. The industry is aware we are looking at alternatives to bearskin. There is no real reason why we shouldn't transfer to something which looked the same, did the same job, but wasn't made of bearskin."

The female bear's glossier, smoother pelt usually provides the officers' bearskin, while the male's rougher pelt is used for other ranks. Hollow, and therefore surprisingly light, each bearskin is moulded on a bamboo frame. Each cap is individual, and so durable that many are passed from father to son. In general the bearskin "should look like an apple in front, and a pear from the back".

Posted by David on March 12, 2003 2:51 PM