Dressing In Military Clothes

[popskipa]

I pose this thread because it is something that I find offensive.

Why is it that if I attend any militaria fair these days I am confronted by people of all ages wearing military uniforms?

I have seen a middle age gent in the uniform of an SS Officer; A rotund 40 something in a Luftwaffe uniform; a young guy in black leather with SS cap and whip; a fat spotty kid sweating profusely in British battle dress; a chap in jungle greens 50 or so parading with a rifle; a 20 something with a false moustache dressed in a scarlet tunic and topee helmet as if from the film set of Zulu ....need I continue

I have collected badges, medals and militaria for over 50 years. I have never had the inclination to wear the uniforms or act as a soldier. At first it was something I could laugh about "look of the state of him...who does he think he is?..." But sadly people have begun to ask me if I dress in the uniforms as they tar all collectors with the same brush.

Why does our noble hobby attract these nutters? Could someone please explain the attraction of dressing up to be ridiculed by others. Is it some kind of sexual fetish or does it fulfill some other need that is lacking in these peoples lives?

As I began, I find this offensive and would welcome the opinions of others...

[Keith Blakeman]

Originally Posted by popskipa

I pose this thread because it is something that I find offensive.

Why is it that if I attend any militaria fair these days I am confronted by people of all ages wearing military uniforms?

I have seen a middle age gent in the uniform of an SS Officer; A rotund 40 something in a Luftwaffe uniform; a young guy in black leather with SS cap and whip; a fat spotty kid sweating profusely in British battle dress; a chap in jungle greens 50 or so parading with a rifle; a 20 something with a false moustache dressed in a scarlet tunic and topee helmet as if from the film set of Zulu ....need I continue

I have collected badges, medals and militaria for over 50 years. I have never had the inclination to wear the uniforms or act as a soldier. At first it was something I could laugh about "look of the state of him...who does he think he is?..." But sadly people have begun to ask me if I dress in the uniforms as they tar all collectors with the same brush.

Why does our noble hobby attract these nutters? Could someone please explain the attraction of dressing up to be ridiculed by others. Is it some kind of sexual fetish or does it fulfill some other need that is lacking in these peoples lives?

As I began, I find this offensive and would welcome the opinions of others...

I think the whole re-enaction thing pretty ridiculous myself, especially WW2 which is still a recent memory for many and as you say offensive if you fought and lost comrades fighting.

I do find earlier Saxon, Viking, Roman, etc interesting as it can be educational especially for children although a lot of it must be conjecture.

[LONGSHANKS]

I made my comments on the individuals obsessed with Nazi memorabilia here

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...ad.php?t=37438

along with the rest of the team.

Wearing British uniforms if done with the attempt to create the moment in time is OK, but not to denigrate with comedy as you say with stupid mustaches.

The individuals dressing in SS uniforms has always raised an eyebrow with me.

Simon.

[Alan O]

I agree fully - especially about the complete t**sers dressed up in 3rd Reich get ups. Totally unacceptable to commerate SS troops in my opinion. I have listened to all these 're-enactors' nonsense and quite frankly such people need to understand just how offensive their public displays of Nazi attire are.

What they do in their own home is up to them; as is taking part in 'an organised re-enactment display' (although still suspect). However dressing up just for the sake of walking around a militaria fair looking like Herman Goering is a damning indictment of (a) Their parentage. (b) 'Care in the community' mental health policies. (c) A moral compass that is seriously out of kilter.

[popskipa]

When I was six I got a cowboy outfit for my birthday, hat, cap gun, belt and holster, and Sheriff's badge. I played Cowboys and Indians with my mates on the bombsite at the end of our road. But that was over 50 years ago...

I can understand people such as the Sealed Knot re-enacting battles of the past. This is educational and gives an insight into how people lived then.

Similarly, if you collect military vehicles I understand the idea of wearing the right kit when driving the vehicle at a rally.

Also, dressing up in GI clothes and fancy dress is quite acceptable at a 40s evening.

These examples demonstrate the correct place for dressing up. So why dress in uniform at a militaria fair and bring my hobby into ridicule?

I doubt I will ever go to the Stoneleigh Fair again, I made the mistake of taking my wife who has ridiculed my hobby ever since...

[LONGSHANKS]

It's slightly off topic of this thread, but I have had heated arguments with many an individual who said that it was typical that the German's did what they did in WW2 and that you'd never see that from American's or Brit's.

I always felt though that when you see individuals glorifying the SS etc in wearing their uniforms in shall we say a "strutting" show of bravado, it reminds me of who might have eagerly join such an organization such as the SS; if we hadn't have held out in 1940 alone in the face of evil.

Simon

[Frank Kelley]

LOL, Do people really do that, which fairs in particular are you talking about?

Originally Posted by popskipa

I pose this thread because it is something that I find offensive.

Why is it that if I attend any militaria fair these days I am confronted by people of all ages wearing military uniforms?

I have seen a middle age gent in the uniform of an SS Officer; A rotund 40 something in a Luftwaffe uniform; a young guy in black leather with SS cap and whip; a fat spotty kid sweating profusely in British battle dress; a chap in jungle greens 50 or so parading with a rifle; a 20 something with a false moustache dressed in a scarlet tunic and topee helmet as if from the film set of Zulu ....need I continue

I have collected badges, medals and militaria for over 50 years. I have never had the inclination to wear the uniforms or act as a soldier. At first it was something I could laugh about "look of the state of him...who does he think he is?..." But sadly people have begun to ask me if I dress in the uniforms as they tar all collectors with the same brush.

Why does our noble hobby attract these nutters? Could someone please explain the attraction of dressing up to be ridiculed by others. Is it some kind of sexual fetish or does it fulfill some other need that is lacking in these peoples lives?

As I began, I find this offensive and would welcome the opinions of others...

[ebro]

Quote; I have seen a middle age gent in the uniform of an SS Officer; A rotund 40 something in a Luftwaffe uniform; a young guy in black leather with SS cap and whip; a fat spotty kid sweating profusely in British battle dress; a chap in jungle greens 50 or so parading with a rifle; a 20 something with a false moustache dressed in a scarlet tunic and topee helmet as if from the film set of Zulu ....need I continue

popskipa
When I read this I smiled. It could describe members of almost any platoon of the UDR. The only difference was that they all wore the same uniform, or at least close.
However I can't imagine your 'Dressers up' putting on their uniforms if they knew that there were people out there waiting to shoot at them or blow them up with a bomb at the first opportunity.
Eddie

[rockape560]

Originally Posted by ebro

Quote; I have seen a middle age gent in the uniform of an SS Officer; A rotund 40 something in a Luftwaffe uniform; a young guy in black leather with SS cap and whip; a fat spotty kid sweating profusely in British battle dress; a chap in jungle greens 50 or so parading with a rifle; a 20 something with a false moustache dressed in a scarlet tunic and topee helmet as if from the film set of Zulu ....need I continue

popskipa
When I read this I smiled. It could describe members of almost any platoon of the UDR. The only difference was that they all wore the same uniform, or at least close.
However I can't imagine your 'Dressers up' putting on their uniforms if they knew that there were people out there waiting to shoot at them or blow them up with a bomb at the first opportunity.
Eddie

eddie ,

as a former member of the udr,both full and part time,i was shocked when you seem to compare the udr with the w"""kers that pop is disecribing.

in the end you admit the udr were fighting against a determined enemy. many paid the ultimate price,mainly off duty,but to compare them to those that dress up at fairs etc is out of order in my view

rant over

philip

[ebro]

Originally Posted by rockape560

eddie ,

as a former member of the udr,both full and part time,i was shocked when you seem to compare the udr with the w"""kers that pop is disecribing.
in the end you admit the udr were fighting against a determined enemy. many paid the ultimate price,mainly off duty,but to compare them to those that dress up at fairs etc is out of order in my view.

Philip,
What meant was the various descriptions of the people reminded me of the mixture in many UDR platoons, but all the UDR members put their uniforms on to face a very determined enemy, not to strut about & pose for no good reason.
Sorry for any misunderstanding.
Eddie

[orasot]

I was at Farnham last year talking to Rod Flood when a young woman dressed up in all her FANY gear approached and asked Rod if he had a FANY button I wanted to tell her she was at the wrong type of fair!!! Don't know how Rod kept a straight face, classic
Wilf

[Hussar100]

Originally Posted by ebro

Philip,
What meant was the various descriptions of the people reminded me of the mixture in many UDR platoons, but all the UDR members put their uniforms on to face a very determined enemy, not to strut about & pose for no good reason.
Sorry for any misunderstanding.
Eddie

Ebro, as another ex-UDR soldier, from the same platoon as Phillip, I think you've just picked a bad analogy but I do see the truth in what you say. In the early days of the UDR, when it was purely part-time, there were thousands of men who joined who'd never worn military uniform before and only received basic instruction on how to wear it. If you saw them then you can be forgiven for making such a comparison.

In the days after 1979 however after the depot was opened it was a different matter and it was difficult to distinguish between UDR soldiers (even part-timers) and regulars. Plus the fact that, the many ex-regulars who were in the UDR (like Phillip and I) made a significant difference in the way they instructed their own comrades individually.

There's a lot of emotion surrounding the UDR and that makes discussing them difficult at times, especially with those of us who served. Those were dark days for our wee part of the world.

Getting back OT. I find it hard to come to terms with the dressing up thingy. It happens in Ireland too believe it or not. I'm very much of the opinion that these guys do it because they think they look good in uniform, and have never served so have a compelling desire to look as good as they think we did. What a pity they never saw us with our uniforms covered in days or weeks worth of filth when we didn't have laundry service in the field and only cold water to wash in.

I'm not of that mien where I'd normally come out and condemn anyone for indulging in their little hobby. These re-enactors are probably as passionate about what they do as badge collectors are about collecting and I think you'd find many of them with great historical knowledge about badges and uniform as we see with the avid collectors here.

Ultimately they're doing no-one any harm and although I might secretly be very disdainful about their passion, if I hadn't been a soldier I might be amongst their number. There's also the added factor that they're keeping vehicles and uniform from those periods in pristine condition and educating children while they're at it.

They're like the Legion of Frontiersmen: harmless and passionate about what they do, so let them get on with it.

[jubilationtcornpone]

Bill Mauldin in his book Up Front had some advice for anyone wanting to recreate the experience of an infantryman. The cartoon captures it fairly well. The original caption was to the effect of the sound of rain on the helmet sounding like rain on a tin roof.

My general comment about these people, invisible in war, invincible in peace.

Don

[johnG]

I attended my first military fair in England a few years ago, and came across a self conscious looking bunch of individuals dressed in German uniforms.

I had never seen the like of it before, and in amazement I asked a friend, "Why on earth are they wearing that stuff", and my voice has a habit of carrying further than I intend it too at times which made the group look even more embarrassed.

A less convincing bunch of 'The Master Race' it would have been hard to find.

Why do they do it.

[rhodesianmilitaria]

Re-enactors, living history, airsoft are all play soldiers.

They are second only to the fakers who damage the collecting hobby. There are not only a number of them that make fakes and copies but there's a lot of them that buy the stuff from the people who make it. The laughable thing about this scene is that there are a number of veterans that actually support them because they are deluded enough to think it keeps what they did alive.
Re-enactors, living history and airsoft have become members of forums, groups and face book groups.
In fact some of them are members of this forum.