Dressing In Military Clothes

[Peter Brydon]

When you see lots of a--- ---s making complete idiots of themselves on reality T.V. programmes like "Come Dine With Me " and the modern version of "Blind Date" which are on national television you start to think that many people today actually seem to have a complete lack of self respect.

Whilst I can perhaps understand to a certain degree the thinking behind those who re-enact british WW1 and 2 soldiers , I am at an utter loss to understand those who wish to dress up in German uniforms and spend their weekends pratting around Militaria Fairs and similar events.

P.B.

[Old Smelly]

PB
You can't play Cowboys & Indians without the Indians.......or is it Cowboys, not sure which is which.
Lee

[54Bty]

Dress up and you get in FREE.

Marc (no I do not, I pay)

[Mike Jackson]

Originally Posted by 54Bty

Dress up and you get in FREE.

Marc (no I do not, I pay)

Well in that case I'll wear a sweater, cord trousers and desert boots - and get in free as an Eighth Army warrior! Mike
Two Types_Desert Air Force.jpg

[54Bty]

Originally Posted by Mike Jackson

Well in that case I'll wear a sweater, cord trousers and desert boots - and get in free as an Eighth Army warrior! Mike
Attachment 102419

Sorry already been done. And still is.

Marc

[Mike Jackson]

OK. Plan B. How about a 1972 veteran of the Four Square Laundry? Same kit but very dirty and much more facial hair.

[Peter Brydon]

May be my memory playing up ( what`s new ) bit isn't there something in Popski`s book about him visiting a headquarters dressed in suede shoes and almost nothing that was actually military issue and being asked if he wanted to change before meeting the man in charge and Popski saying no this is how I always dress when meeting the C in C.

P.B.

[David Tremain]

I have noticed this habit at the Chatham fair every time I've been over. On one occasion,it was on Remembrance Sunday and it p***ed off a lot of people, not only holding the fair that day (they did at least observe two minutes silence), but the fact that there were quite a lot of prats in Nazi uniform. There was also one rotund individual who looked like Capt. Mainwaring. Maybe it's the same one referred to earlier. Others were dressed like Patton, Desert Rats, Soviet Bloc troops (some women), RMP, who appeared to be in charge of security etc.

At one point the coffee stall ran out of coffee and the guys in Nazi uniform moved away. Someone in the line ahead of me said to his friend, "I see the Krauts have b***ered off", to which I replied, "For you zer coffee is over." This brought no end of chuckles in the line, and embarrassed my thirty-something nephew who was with me. "You'll get us chucked out," he said.

I find it anathema to even collect Third Reich stuff, let alone dress up in it, but I know a number of people who collect Nazi regalia. Is it like the 'forbidden fruit', why people collect it? Is it some perverse fascination? I've got nothing against the Germans. I know some really nice Germans, but having visited Auschwitz on a trip to Poland one time I can't see the fascination for anything Nazi nor any reason to commemorate them. You can watch shows like 'Allo, Allo' (very popular in the Netherlands I was told), where they make fun of the Germans, but to strut about like an SS soldier or 'Stormpooper', as a former (German) colleague of mine used to say, goes beyond the pale.
David

[54Bty]

Originally Posted by Mike Jackson

OK. Plan B. How about a 1972 veteran of the Four Square Laundry? Same kit but very dirty and much more facial hair.

No idea what your talking about

Marc

[billy]

Have found this thread and must add my tuppence worth as it brings back memories as if they happened yesterday! I go to RIAT "Royal International Air tattoo" there you see re-enactors Home guard Royal Observer Corps (posted a thread after last years) brilliant all had specific tents and weapons pamphlets from this era, kids loved it and they had loads to tell them - talked to these people after and they go round schools all dressed up in 2nd W.W. gear gas masks the lot and these I take my hat off to!

HOWEVER! also last year standing in a queue at "Stoneleigh Fair" I stood watching the same thing as all you! overweight strutting "SS" in the majority German infantrymen not as well populated as the "SS" but enough all by the naffi wagon but also Women dressed in "SS" and as camp guards! the day this fair was on and no-one realised until I told those in the Queue? HOLOCAUST DAY

[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]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Jackson
OK. Plan B. How about a 1972 veteran of the Four Square Laundry? Same kit but very dirty and much more facial hair.


Mike,
I do not think this is in the best of taste.
Eddie

[2747andy]

It's probably because they are all flaming wierdos and should not be allowed out of their homes without their carers!

Bring back asylums and stop such lunatics being allowed to "prowl" the steets! Care in the community is dangerous, these unstable individuals should be reminded that, that particular war ended in 1945 and resulted in a considerable loss of life, the majority of which were civilian! They're all Bucking Nutters as far as I'm concerned!

Andy

[Phil2M]

My mum has never forgotten our trip to Chatham. Laughable that some of them really do think that they are retired colonels. She said at one point that the women are worse than the men....they should know better.

[Phil2M]

The elderly lady in the recent BBC episode of "collectaholics" made me chuckle