Keith Douglas, Soldier Poet

Keith Castellain Douglas (1920 –1944) was an English poet noted for his war poetry during World War II and his wry memoir of the Western Desert Campaign, Alamein to Zem Zem. He was killed in action during the invasion of Normandy.

A Weekend with Lulu

A Weekend with Lulu is a 1961 British comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Bob Monkhouse, Leslie Phillips, Alfred Marks, and Shirley Eaton.

Fred, Tim and Deirdre plan a fun weekend break on the coast. What they didn't make allowances for was the company of Deirdre's mother who insists on coming along as her daughter's chaperone.

Tom Wintringham

Thomas Henry (Tom) Wintringham (1898 - 1949) was a British soldier, military historian, journalist, poet, Marxist, politician and author. He was an important figure in the formation of the Home Guard during World War II and was one of the founders of the Common Wealth Party.

In 1915 Wintringham was elected to a Brakenbury scholarship in History at Balliol, but during the First World War he postponed his university career to join the Royal Flying Corps, serving as a mechanic and motorcycle despatch rider.

At the end of the war he was involved in a brief barracks mutiny, one of many minor insurrections which went unnoticed in the period. He returned to Oxford, and in a long vacation made a visit of some months to Moscow, after which he returned to England and formed a group of students aiming to establish a British section of the Third International: a Communist Party.

At the start of the Spanish Civil War, Wintringham went to Barcelona as a journalist for the Daily Worker, but he joined and eventually commanded the British Battalion of the International Brigades. Some socialist commentators have credited him with the whole idea of "international" brigades. He also had an affair with a US journalist, Kitty Bowler, whom he later married. In February 1937 he was wounded in the Battle of Jarama. While injured in Spain he became friends with Ernest Hemingway who based one of his characters upon him.

On returning from Spain Wintringham began to call for an armed civilian guard to repel any fascist invasion, and as early as 1938 had begun campaigning for what would become the Home Guard. He taught the troops tactics of Guerrilla Warfare.

Simin Palay

Simin Palay (1874–1965) was a French writer and (generally seen as) Béarns greatest  poet of the 20^th century.

In his youth, Palay worked as a travelling tailor and taught himself to write, mainly about his Béarn and Gascony. He worked all genres; drama, novels, lexicography and poetry.

Simin Palay was the greatest poet in Bearn early xx th  century . He is the author of poetry , of drama and various works in prose . It was journeyman tailor in his youth.

His bust, with beret, stands at Beaumont Park in Pau.

The Gascons of Bordeaux

Who are the Gascons of Bordeaux? They live in South Gironde, between Bordeaux and the Landes forest. They do not shun the pleasure of the Bordeaux city offerings for a small urban trendy evening, but also like to hang out in the Landes forest in search of porcini to prepare a good meal to go with the wines of Graves and Sauternes.

Above all, the Gascons of Bordeaux are generous and sharers. They like to share, fight, sing, meet.

The name of Gascons of Bordeaux appeared from the desire to value the people who make South Gironde but also enhance the collaborations between the tourist offices of Graves Sauternes, Gironde Landes and of Montesquieu. Gascons of Bordeaux stands for the art of good living that prevails south of Bordeaux. The warm, festive atmosphere, the food and wine but also the rich history of this area are highlighted in a unifying banner by the promotional organisations.

How to recognize the Gascons of Bordeaux in one glance? Ah, that’s easy: they wear trendy sunglasses and a beret ... 

Historic Motorbike Races in Bilbao

The first motorbike race in Bilbao (Spanish Basque Country) took place on 5 November , 1911. 

Newspaper praised the quality of the roads and, since this was a Sunday, there would be no movement of cattle to hinder the racers. The race was only open to participants from the Basque Country and Navarra.

The first prize went to Perico Sorriguieta, at 1 hour, 48 minutes and 42 seconds. How long the track was, I have no idea…

Shepherd Saturnino Iztueta

Saturnino Iztueta  was a traditional shepherd who died at 92 after spending most of his life working on Mount Hernio. Hernio is an iconic summit in the Basque Country very popular with the Gipuzkoans and located right at the heart of the province. The peak is the highest point of a massif extending north-west to south-east, the summit rising by the pass of Zelatun.

Apart from the batteries for his transistor radio, Saturnino pretty much lived a life not different from his collegues of the Neolithic period, 3000 years ago.

An interesting article (in Spanish) can be found here. 

Vazandu

Vazandu is the artist’s name of Vazquez Mariano Andujar  ( 1919). Born in Navarra de Erro, he moved with his family to Irun, where he grew up and has lived most of his life. From an early age, he expressed an interest and talent for painting and studied at the Municipal Drawing Academy, under the tutelage of Professor Larzábal Gervasio.    

He continues to study every day.  In 2003, he was appointed a brother of honor of the Brotherhood Salmon Bidasoa.

Juan José Ibarretxe Markuartu

Juan José Ibarretxe Markuartu (1957) is a (Spanish) Basque politician and a leading member of the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV). He was President (lehendakari) of Spain's Basque Country autonomous community from 1999 to May, 2009.

In October 2003 he released the highly controversial Ibarretxe Plan (Plan Ibarretxe), which foresees a future Basque country freely associated with Spain, with its own separate legal system and European Union (EU) representation. Ibarretxe grew up speaking only Spanish, but now speaks fluent Basque and English.

Greek Civil War Berets

Greek commando, wearing fur-collared jacket supplied by the Americans and a sewn beret, waits for a guerilla target to emerge during the Greek Civil War.

Surprisingly, not many Greeks have adopted the beret, although popular in neighbouring countries Albania, and Macedonia. The enormous popularity of the Greek Fisherman's Cap may have something to do with it.

Greek army commandos on the move during the Greek Civil War.

Looking for material on Greeks and berets, I didn't get further than the military; in this case, from the Greek Civil War.

Greek government commandos near Karpenisi, equipped with British berets and American fur-trimmed jackets.

Interesting pictures in their own right though. 

Monarchist soldiers armed with a machine gun guarding a mountain garrison at Karpenisi during the Greek Civil War

How to saddle your horse, Gaucho style

Watch some Argentinian boinas in their natural environment!

How to saddle a horse, authentic Gaucho pampas style, as shown by the horse riders at Estancia La Margarita in Argentina.

Estancia La Margarita

Estancia La Margarita started back in 1870 when Enrique Forgues, who was born in France, purchased 7000 hectares of land in Tapalqué and proceeded to create what is now known as Estancia La Margarita. In those times, La Margarita was a stopover for travelling gauchos and occasional courageous explorers who crossed the pampas on their way south. 

At La Margarita they changed horses and rested under the shade of eucalyptus trees, many of which still stand today.  The region at that time was a relatively dangerous place; marauding Indians were an occasional threat as they pillaged private property (on the land that was once theirs) and kidnapped colonizers.

A century and a half later, peace and calmness reigns at La Margarita.  The estancia is in the heart of gaucho country, and the life of the pampas goes on in much the same way as it did in the 1800s. Horses are still the preferred method of transport when working on the estancia; just as asados are cooked and mate drunk in the same way as they were in those bygone days. In fact in many ways not much has changed in this vast, beautiful area, and one cannot help but be uplifted by the tranquil and stress-free way of life that visitors can experience when they visit La Margarita and surrounding areas.

A great tourist destination for those interested in gaucho life and boinas.

Gaucho Santos Vega

This is the story of Santos Vega, a man who lives in the city of Feliciano, Argentina and who was born and grew up working the fields. 

He appears with his horse, dressed with a good un-felted boina, baggy bombachas (gaucho trousers) and rope-soled alpargatas. 

More Advanced Style by Ari Seth Cohen

Remember the post on 20 August on "Advandced Style"? Ari Seth Cohen has found more, beautiful older people in his New York neighbourhood - and all sporting berets.

Basque Berets, the Book!

A long, long time coming and now it's here: 'Basque Berets' - the book, is now available!

'Basque Berets' takes the reader on an exploratory journey through the rich world of the Basque beret. From the far right to the far left and anywhere in between, beret wearers have made their mark. Ché Guevara, Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, Madonna, but also the Spanish Falange and ultra-conservative Carlists, South American gauchos and French 'Chasseurs Alpins'; they all share a love for a simple piece of round felted wool material.

'Basque Berets' tells of the beret's history and origins, about famous people who adopted the beret, tells interesting anecdotes, talks the reader through the manufacturing process of berets, highlights groups of beret wearers and touches on its role within the military.

'Basque Berets' can be ordered from it's own web site http://www.basqueberets.net/ or through the South Pacific Berets site at $ 33.50.

Castelbajac Red Berets Coat

Not unlike the beret jacket by Issey Miyake (published here on 19 August), is this beret jacket by French designer Castelbajac. 

The Moroccan born nobleman has enjoyed international success with some of his creations, including a coat of teddy bears worn by pop star Madonna and by supermodel Helena Christensen in the film Prêt-à-Porter.

The Castelbajac red beret coat is, indeed, made entirely of red berets. 

Autumn

Autumn, interchangeably known as fall in the US and Canada, is one of the four temperate seasons. Autumn marks the transition from summer into winter, in September (Northern Hemisphere) or March (Southern Hemisphere) when the arrival of night becomes noticeably earlier and the temperature cools considerably. One of its main features is the shedding of leaves from deciduous trees as they pave way for further growth.
In North America, autumn is usually considered to start with the September equinox.

Autumn in poetry has often been associated with melancholy. The possibilities of summer are gone, and the chill of winter is on the horizon. Skies turn grey, and many people turn inward, both physically and mentally. Others continue wearing their summery cotton boina Tolosa Tupida. 

Cenizas del cielo (Ashes from the Sky)

Jose Antonio Quieros's drama Cenizas del cielo (Ashes from the Sky) is a naturalistic comedy about the love of nature and the inability of man to conquer the forces of development and stars Celso Bugallo as Federico, a gentleman who has spent the better part of thirty years living in a quaint, lyrical valley all but ruined by the presence of one element - the local nuclear power plant. 

After three decades of protesting the plant's presence in vain, he receives word of the Kyoto Agreement, a new law that may just play an instrumental role in closing the plant down.

This is a contradictory story in which there is no unique truth. In 'Ashes from the sky ' there are small victories and small failures. Many berets in this Asturian film; highly recommended!

Black Ink & Beret

Sometimes I come across the strangest pictures while searching for beret related material.

One internet surf rewarded me with these two weird pictures; a white man with his face painted in black ink. No explanation, no text. With beret though, that makes it a little more acceptable...

Zurückgewiesen

"Zurückgewiesen" (Rejected")

 

"He took the two day entrance exam for the academy's school of painting. Confident and self assured, he awaited the result, quite sure he would get in. But failure struck him like a bolt of lightning. His test drawings were judged unsatisfactory and he was not admitted. Badly shaken by this rejection, he went back to the academy to get an explanation and was told his drawings showed a lack of talent for artistic painting, notably a lack of appreciation of the human form.

One year later, In October, he tried for the second time to gain admission to the Academy of Fine Arts. However, his test drawings were judged as so poor that he was not even allowed to take the formal exam. It was a bitter disappointment and effectively left him on the outside looking in at the artistic community..."

The former aspiring artist went on to become one of the most notorious mass murderers in the history of civilization.