Re-enactor status

[Bruce MacMillan]

Hi Ed,

I appreciate your emotive concern. The use of the word "costume" has a variety of meanings. According to the Random House dictionary one is " a style of dress, including accessories, especially peculiar to a nation, social class or historical period". If you limit your thinking to clowns...well.

My reference to an obsolete uniform being a costume is based on a legality issue. I believe it is illegal for a non-serving member of our armed forces to wear a current serving uniform. Once the uniform has been obsoleted it becomes legally a mere costume. We see people wearing P37 down to Fraser Highlanders. All are "costumes".

I salute you on your service. I hope you get your second clasp.

[Ed Storey]

Mike, I am not implying that at all. In my 20s and 30s for certain occasions I would wear BD and SD, once in my 40s I stopped wearing these uniforms as I felt that I no longer accurately represented what a Great War or Second War soldier looked like.

Bruce, thanks for the dictionary definition and yes there is a legality issue with wearing uniforms although the law was for those who intend to pass themselves off as members of the military and not those who are representing how a uniform looked for a certain period.

The costume issue is the fundamental problem that the majority of the re-enacting community has, because the garment being worn is perceived to be a costume or a non-uniform, you get all manner of humanity who now feel that they can somehow dress up as military. A uniform, old or new, reflects the profession or arms from the period that is being represented and hiding behind a dictionary definition does not diminish the fact that there is a very small percentage of the re-enacting community who understand what a uniform represents.

Thankfully, the small percentage who understand that do a fine job of representing their respective periods of study.

[Mike Timoshyk]

I understand Ed. What I found interesting while touring the Commonwealth War Graves throughout Europe and the Middle East was the number of older soldiers particularly in the First War. The meat-grinder of trench warfare with its terribly high attrition rate and the indiscriminate shelling in the rear led to the recruitment of many of the older soldiers such as my grandfather who served...particularly in the Service Corps. This was true in WW2 as well. To be sure the pointy end of the stick is always reserved for the young...and many Arty and Armoured guys found themselves seconded to infantry units as replacements as a result of shortages due to casualties and recruitment issues. One of my uncles was a good friend and fellow Offier who served with Connie Smythe. He often spoke of how through Connie's celebrity status Connie was able to overcome the unwritten understanding that Officers would not speak publicly about the sometimes desperate shortages the army was experiencing in the field. Perhaps it is time for us old codgers to reflect on the service of the Veterans Guard and the Training Cadres.

cheers

Mike

[Grant Bowker]

First, it is your vehicle and uniform so you can do what you want.
I have considered whether I want to have uniform once I actually have a resored truck instead of a collection of partially restored pieces. I have decided that given my age and lack of resemblance to a fit young warrior the most appropriate clothing (whether uniform or costume) would be coveralls of cut and material resembling what a civilian driver/mechanic of the period working for the army might have worn. I think this might end up with the most realistic representation of something that might have been seen in the period the truck was used.
My 2 cents worth, only valid for me.

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Grant Bowker

First, it is your vehicle and uniform so you can do what you want.
I have considered whether I want to have uniform once I actually have a resored truck instead of a collection of partially restored pieces. I have decided that given my age and lack of resemblance to a fit young warrior the most appropriate clothing (whether uniform or costume) would be coveralls of cut and material resembling what a civilian driver/mechanic of the period working for the army might have worn. I think this might end up with the most realistic representation of something that might have been seen in the period the truck was used.
My 2 cents worth, only valid for me.

Hear ..Hear..Grant..!!
I still have my original uniforms..or pieces and parts of them and would no more wear them again out in public..although I could as I weigh 25 pounds less than I did when I got out in '77...
I am proud of my service record..my uniforms and decoration..my do dads and shiny patches earned along the way..but those days are gone..
But the coveralls you propose would suit me to a tee in a CMP gather up senario..most practical piece of gear invented..Nice loose..lots of ball room ..comfortable and have the ability to absorb vast amounts of water ..grease..oil..hydraulic fluid...beer ..whiskey..coffee..puke...on the ocassion even piss..if one passes out while in "Uniform"after a long bout of "training"..
Yes//I like the coverall option..
(Hope your dad is getting along better..Heard he was ill..)

[Scrivo18]

Hi Everyone

I have just participated in a Military Vehicle event/ convoy down to Tasmania, part of the reqirement to participate was that you wore uniform.
While we were driving I chose to wear HBT coverals, which with some of the dramas I had with the Blitz was just as well.

Once at the event where we did do re enactment I wore Australian Desert uniform as the theme we were doing was the Battle at Bravos Pass in Greece.

I believe that in the right circumstances that Uniform can be worn but it still comes down to the indivdual, it is your vehicle do what you want. Having said that I really try to ensure that any uniform that I wear is historical correct as possible.

Tim

[Jordan Baker]

Hi Jon and all

When ive taken my Jeep to living history events I have usually worn my set of BD for the drive there, and for the duration of the event im in uniform. Im badged correctly for the RHLI during WW2. Last summer I went to a number of cruise nights around town. I just wore civies as i didn't feel that it was a proper venue for wearing a uniform. The first time I showed up at the local cruise night the guy at the gate searced my Jeep and asked if I had any weapons. Told me they had a guy in the past bring all sorts of machine guns and caused them some problems.

I feel that if going to, say and airshow where there will be other MV's in attendance you should make some effort to be in uniform or in coveralls that look period correct. I personaly hate seeing a whole bunch of MV's lined up with their owners standing around in t shirts and shorts, If you can afford to restore an MV then you can afford to buy a uniform or coveralls to look the part with the veh.


Jon, I think its great that you want to put on the uniform that goes with the Jeep, go for it.