and failing to comprehend the current civilian ‘fashion’ for facial hair,
Like all fashions, these come and go. I have a beard, not for any reasons of following fashion (I'm 72 for goodness sake) but because I like it. Beards went out of fashion post WW1 and didn't make a comeback until the 60s, and then only in certain circles. Go back to the 19th century and it seems that any man of note had a "beard you could hide a badger in" if I may quote Blackadder. Funnily enough I have always disliked moustaches (except when accompanied by a beard) and was never tempted to grow one when I was in the RAF, even though it was permitted by regulations.