A Civil Discourse About Reenacting

[Miss Sis]

Lovely Teavans

Miss Joeri, it caught me one of the ground crew!

It was at this event that Ben and I met properly. He lent me WAAF gear and the rest is history...

 

[Spitfire]

Miss Joeri, it caught me one of the ground crew!

It was at this event that Ben and I met properly. He lent me WAAF gear and the rest is history...

Thanks for your kind invitation miss Sis. Now I don't know if I should come as the old mechanic (groundcrew!!!!) in greasy overalls - or the Squadronleader Flightinstuctor type from the last big one....tough one:eusa_doh: But if you and you van is at Duxford this summer, I will be there.

 

[missjo]

Miss Joeri, it caught me one of the ground crew!

It was at this event that Ben and I met properly. He lent me WAAF gear and the rest is history...

how dare you, all flyboys are mine lol

 

[Spitfire]

how dare you, all flyboys are mine lol

Temper ladies. Temper. There should be enough flyboys to go around. And anyway, they allways fly away...

 

[Zemke Fan]

Is this photo from a reenactment?

.....

 

[Miss Sis]

Zemke Fan, yes, it was taken at Biggin Hill airfield in September 2004.

The man who owns the van is on the far Left of the photo in the duster coat. Spitfire, unfortunately I don't think we will be at Duxford due to a bereavement and the fact that we don't take Mrytle that far anyway. She's an old girl and doesn't stray too far from home.

Miss Joeri, you can have the pilots - I've got my Ground Crew to keep me warm!

 

[WH1]

Sis is right, it's the NAAFI van where you'll get a nice cuppa and a chelsea bun!

Smithy, let me see if I understand this correctly, you are saying that the NAAFI girls have the best buns!

 

[Miss Sis]

YMCA will whip the NAAFI any day!

We have the best eats at any event. We even have a man out the back who does the washing up!

 

[Spitfire]

It's an amazing picture miss Sis - very true to the period. Good work:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[Smithy]

Smithy, let me see if I understand this correctly, you are saying that the NAAFI girls have the best buns!

Now if I said that I'll definitely be in trouble with the YMCA girls!

 

[Spitfire]

Hi Smithy - nice new avatar!

 

[Miss Sis]

It's an amazing picture Miss Sis - very true to the period. Good work:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

I can't claim to have taken it - it was our friend Bob (fondly known as Warden Bob due to his excellent ARP Warden impression) There is another nice one of me chatting to the 'pilots' somewhere, but I'll have to ask for it.

It was an excellent place to be able to have the Tea Van. We were the other side of the flight line, hence near to about TEN spitfires and no public in the way of our photos.

 

[Smithy]

Hi Smithy - nice new avatar!

It's Richard Hillary!

 

[Teekay44]

Reenacting as I see it

I'll venture a post as I have been involved in reenacting for a bit now. (But I am new to this forum)

I have seen many types of reenactors in this hobby of ours. Some just are out for the battles and to "burn powder" as it were. I have seen the persons interest wain in this after a few years. While some can be realistic to spectators and participants, some are just lackluster and do not come close.

Another type is the living history or display. (I do tend to combine living histoy and reenacting together) This is the type of show I tend to do. Their many good people use the event to educate people and remember the veterans. I can say that in doing many events over the years that the veterans really appreciate this. Many have thanked us personally. The public comes away with an awareness of history.

Sure you have the old, overweight and unauthentic reenactor. Much discussion is online about this in the different reenacting forums. It is a hot topic. This type sticks out. Like a spot on a white dress shirt. It is small but so noticeable. We do live in a free world in that no exam or license is used to determine participation in this. The hobby tries to self police in a sense through peer pressure, invite only events, and exchange of information, but with no real governing body it is very difficult. Basically anyone or unit can have an event. The trick is to have the right people at them. Very difficult for a new event.

This is not a perfect hobby many of us have chosen. It is not for every one. Some see it as glorifying conflict. That is their right. Some see it as honoring veterans and preserving history. Their right too. All the posting in the world will not change these opinions or the fact that the individual has the right to them. The reasons for doing this are as many as the people in it. But any gathering of like minded individuals is a good time. Be it reenacting, a football match, or a stamp show.

Personally I enjoy meeting the veterans, other interested people, the education aspect, remembrance, and preserving history aspect of this hobby. I have memories and thanks that will last a lifetime.

 

[Smithy]

Well said Teekay44 :eusa_clap

 

[Spitfire]

As I have stated earlier, I am not into reenacting. So maybe I am not even entiteled to say anything about it. But then again - maybe the reasons why, are valid in this debate.
As I see it reenacting can fall into two categories:
1. A way to get away and play soldier.
2. A way to educate younger generations in history.

If you are in the first categori I see no problem in age, weight, look etc.
You can be as you are and have fun too. If you want to run around in the woods dressed as a 20 year old, as a 54 year old. OK. Have fun.

But if you want to give a true historic recreation of soldiering in any century, you have to be precise. In age and mind. And in weight and body too.
On the other hand, I can also see the problems there may be here, since most 20 year olds may not have the same amount of knowledge of the age, army or war they are doing. It takes a lot of readingtime to get all the details right. So - if you know a lot about a certain age or war - you are also of a certain age. And maybe even too old to do a true reenacting!
(But I guesse one can have just as much fun, working behind the stage. Collecting, maintaining and getting everything right. And then let the "best fitted" perform.)

But allthough I know a fair deal on WWII - and especially Battle of Britain I would make a lousy and unbeliveable 20 year old pilot. Or paratrooper for that matter.
So I stay away.
And besides - we have only very few reenacting groups doing WWII in Denmark - to my knowledge that is. One doing US Civil War and some others doing the 1864 german-danish war. No flyboys!

I do however like the outfits and I do like the atmospere of that time.
I even collect RAF gear and clothing. Some of it, I wear. But I never wear all of it at the same time. I am very conscious about that! I wear my BD jacket almost daily, because it's a very nice, warm jacket. In a great colour. (Even gets the eye from some fashionshop-owners. So who knows - maybe I have started a new trend...)
But I never wear any other RAF stuff when I wear the BD jacket.
If I wear my IRVIN it's because it is cold. Then I might also wear my flyingboots.
But then I would never wear my BD jacket too. It would be too much.
In my mind it - and I - would be a mockery of the Few.

 

[Spitfire]

It's Richard Hillary!

Thought so - could not spot him right on. Nice tribute:eusa_clap

 

[Harp]

Forgive my raining on anybody's parade ground, but being a soldier is such a hellish lousy experience, why any individual adult would want to play act combat is beyond my understanding.

 

[Spitfire]

You are certainly on to something there, Harp.

 

[Story]

Forgive my raining on anybody's parade ground, but being a soldier is such a hellish lousy experience, why any individual adult would want to play act combat is beyond my understanding.

[War's] not always a 'hellish lousy experience' for everyone 100% of the time, although The Suck certainly earns it's name when it kicks in - so if someone wants to do it why knock them?

Meanwhile, this guy takes the 'dress up in a uniform' part a bit too far -
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?p=273906#post273906