Beret 'Captured in Bljesak' Sells for 30 Euros
The listing claims it's a beret with a metal police insignia from the military-police operation Bljesak, described by the seller as a 'JA Montgomeri Begej', size 54.
The listing claims it's a beret with a metal police insignia from the military-police operation Bljesak, described by the seller as a 'JA Montgomeri Begej', size 54.
An item that, according to the seller, carries a grim war history has appeared on the online classifieds site Njuškalo. It's a beret with a metal police insignia, claimed to have been "captured in Bljesak," and it's being sold for 30 euros.
The seller describes the beret as a "JA Montgomeri Begej," approximately size 54. The description reads: "Captured in Bljesak, with one of my colleagues adding our insignia to it."
According to the listing, the beret came into Croatian hands during the military-police operation Bljesak in 1995, after which a Croatian police insignia was added. Croatian forces launched Operation Bljesak on May 1, 1995, liberating western Slavonia and seizing a significant amount of enemy military equipment.
Therefore, it's possible that a beret did indeed end up in Croatian hands in this manner. If the story in the listing is true, behind this seemingly ordinary piece of clothing lies a rather dark past. The beret was previously worn by a member of enemy forces, and after the operation, a Croatian police insignia was added to it.
More than three decades after the operation's end, the beret has ended up on a classifieds site, where it's now being sold for just 30 euros. The listing appears to have been posted on several different sites, and the item has yet to find a new owner.
