Posts by TP
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RIR120, I don't know what you are seeing. I'm not in there of course but I can tell you that I know almost no one (there are exceptions, of course) that ever has a uniform cleaned. I have been wearing the same basic kit for 10 years and it has never been cleaned, just gets the dust knocked out of it after the event. Same with CW when I was doing that. Maybe you were never close to the Stonewall Brigade in those days? 
Below is a recent picture of IR92. Yes a lot of gray hair and a few too many pounds here and there but clean?
Gus, I agree!
Oh, and I'm not in there either.
Below is a recent picture of IR92. Yes a lot of gray hair and a few too many pounds here and there but clean?Gus, I agree!
Oh, and I'm not in there either.
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Did I miss something....
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Oh, come on, sure you do.
You know, not to argue the point Jungles, because technically you are right, but it is an expensive hobby. Very few 22 year olds, lean and mean or not, can afford it and, let's face it; weight has always been a problem in all of reenacting and in society in general. Remember, WW1 was a total war that almost no one alive today remembers. It sucked up and devoured people on a scale that we have not seen for over 60 years and extensive training and conditioning that modern armies luxuriate in was not available in 1917, especially in European armies. Men were taken into service, overweight or not and even, in some cases, in poor health. They were given the basics of training and sent into the meat grinder to survive or be spit out. By photographic evidence, we know that some did not match your image of a soldier, especially Europeans whose armies suffered staggering loses.
Personally, I weigh 145 and stand 5' 8", exactly the same as 40 years ago when I was 17 so I am not too concerned about myself and I do not complain about the guys who do carry extra weight. And at 57, I certainly can’t say anything against the guys who, as you say, are “over-age”. In the above photograph of IR92, there are at least 6 veterans and 4 of them are combat veterans - Vietnam and Desert Storm. That is not unusual in the WW1 hobby. If they have picked up a few pounds, we don't feel like anyone should complain, they have "seen the elephant" and can bring actual experience to the hobby. We worry about tactics and trying to do things right. The trenches, bunkers and all other physical aspects of our surroundings are built and maintained by the participants on land purchased by the participants. It is hard work. Sometimes we get it right and others we don't but there is a constant effort to improve the experience.
And one last thing: our events are not open to the public so only we see what we look like, we are not posing for photographs in books. It sounds like you know little about the hobby and have an idealized image of people in the past. If you have a problem with the images chosen by the author of a certain book, maybe you should complain to him and offer to be his model for future editions? Then come out and join us. I’ll bet you will learn a lot and would enjoy the experience. We would enjoy seeing and meeting you and you will not be judged by any other standard than that of what you can contribute.
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Paul, I wish you had left them, they were great and I appreciated seeing them as did others. The peanut gallery will always be around, good people shouldn't be bothered by their foolishness. Besides, now all we have is a picture of Gus waiting for the mail! Historically accurate, yes I'm sure, but like so much of the devastating photography of the damage done by WW1, frightening.......
(The above comment from the "peanut gallery" will be deleted 10 seconds after reading. The typist's fingers will be justifiably smacked with a ruler.)
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Gus, I agree wholehearteddy. And I darn near fell out of my chair when I saw that picture. I'll bet Maggie was rolling her eyes when she took that photo! As a side note, do you still have that much snow or is that a reenactment?Aww come on Jebber, why do they always have to degenerate into photos of me in my undies?
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I believe that we have already done a thread of heavey and old German soldiers, by the last years of the war, every man who could hold a rifle was in uniform, unless they had a job of importance at home.
I enjoyed the photos, thanks for posting the Paul, I understand why you removed them, but it is possible that other posts on this thread should be removed. (like Jebbers post of me in my undies, I thouught only Tuco had a copy of that photo)
Best wishes
gus
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In more ways than one, I am sure. No way I would go back to the tail end of my teenage years. The world wasn't ready for it then and it certainly couldn't handle it now.
I understand completely, I am diabetic and I am lucky to have friends of many years in the hobby who know what to watch for. We'll just keep on keepin' on. More power to ya.
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Thanks for telling us about tplan, I'll have to look it up. Paul, please put the pics back up, and more if you have them.
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Waite a minute, for the speedo, you would have to wear what you wear UNDER the speedo so........... Noooooooooo!
Glad you got the uniform and and that you have only had rain. Tell the neighbors that we all know that you are a major (not minor) weather god.
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And John, it is a great "period" picture, taken while the War was actually going on! Excellent!
BC, those are good ones and do show that men with weight "problems" did actually participate in the War, some did serve on the front in active units as well as those you illustrate in the Landwehr. Of course, the Landwehr did participate in fighting at the front when needed. We can't generalize and only see people of the past through the eyes of our 21st Century experience.
Jungles, don't worry about it. The experience is great and you might actually enjoy it if you tried. As far as the wool uniforms in 90 degree heat? I recall numerous large events during the 125th Anniversary of the Civil War when the ambulances rolled fast and furious at several large "mega-events". The 125th Gettysburg is a good example: 10,000 reenactors on the field by actual count with twice that number in the viewing stands and almost all of the rescue squad calls were for people in the stands. That's right, the ones in shorts and t-shirts - they were dropping like flies. It was July in Pennsylvania and in the low 90s and lots of sun. But the reenactors in wool were relatively comfortable in the natural woolen fabric which absorbs perspiration and lets it evaporate, thus cooling the body. Many of the shorts and tee shirts were made of the miracle fabric composed of polyester - plastic. Yes, we sweated, but at least it had somewhere to go. Need I say more?
BC, those are good ones and do show that men with weight "problems" did actually participate in the War, some did serve on the front in active units as well as those you illustrate in the Landwehr. Of course, the Landwehr did participate in fighting at the front when needed. We can't generalize and only see people of the past through the eyes of our 21st Century experience.
Jungles, don't worry about it. The experience is great and you might actually enjoy it if you tried. As far as the wool uniforms in 90 degree heat? I recall numerous large events during the 125th Anniversary of the Civil War when the ambulances rolled fast and furious at several large "mega-events". The 125th Gettysburg is a good example: 10,000 reenactors on the field by actual count with twice that number in the viewing stands and almost all of the rescue squad calls were for people in the stands. That's right, the ones in shorts and t-shirts - they were dropping like flies. It was July in Pennsylvania and in the low 90s and lots of sun. But the reenactors in wool were relatively comfortable in the natural woolen fabric which absorbs perspiration and lets it evaporate, thus cooling the body. Many of the shorts and tee shirts were made of the miracle fabric composed of polyester - plastic. Yes, we sweated, but at least it had somewhere to go. Need I say more?
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Don't worry Gus, I'll figure out some way to fix it for you.
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Agreed. Wool retains warmth in cold weather and while you sweat in hot weather, the perspiration evaporates and cools you to a surprising degree. Polyester t-shirts and shorts are surprisingly hot when the temp gets up there. I think I have already mentioned this but at Civil War reenactments, always in warm and even hot months, I've seen more polyester wearing spectators go down from heat stroke than reenactors in wool.
Also remember OMK, that was April in Pennsylvania, not Florida. It can be downright chilly at night and cool during the day.
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....and sort of dull and colorless. Of course, not to offend Mr. Rat......
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Yeah, where are the moderators?
Signed,
Irving
Signed,
Irving
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What do we have now? Well, we have airplanes? Here ia link that Patrick posted:
http://www.weekendwarbirds.com/gwaa/
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...and cabbage. Don't forget the cabbage.
:laugh:
And Patrick, it looks good - your gas attack that is.
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