ian001

first class

The only problem I'm having is this damn snow.

I have all the webbing & pouches including cartridge belt, magazine pouch, first aid pouch, canteen & cover, bayonet, folding shovel & cover, British woolen trousers tailored into US style, replica M3 fighting knife, a fibreglass Garrand (saving private ryan prop), gas mask bag, backpack with mess tin pouch & mess tins & KFS, leggings. anything there of any use? the down side is you'll need to collect it from Torbay. Cheers Ian

John, you're not over weight, you're like me, undertall, I checked my height/weight ratio & I should be 8ft 6inches tall :wink:

My thoughts exactly but twice in one edition of windscreen Chris Davies has got my back up, page 5 & page 37, plus uniforms were brought up in the medals thread, I wondered if the wearing of modern uniforms was being widely frowned upon or if it was just a handful of objectors, we were very much accepted in the south west veterans day, in fact I spent most of the day making tea/coffee in the back of the Land Rover for veterans, free of charge of course, we also do all the local charity events & we're always made very welcome, we've never had any complaints, ok maybe one, not enough sugar in the coffee. Cheers Ian

This has been touched on in another thread but it is bothering me, I have a 1st gulf war Land Rover, when possible I put on a display of UK & Iraqi equipment, I have a 25 man chemical shelter (colpro) that I put up at Okehampton, we (the family) put on trousers & jackets to fit in with the display (no rank/insignia), some think this is unacceptable as the uniform is still in use, yet it is ok to use uniforms of other era's, I think this is double standards but again it's just my opinion, I have friends who served out in Iraq & they think it's great that I do this & remind the public of what happened & what's still going on, I feel people remember the fallen during WW2 but forget about those that have fallen since. Are the people that disagree with wearing uniforms disagreeing as they think it's not PC or is there another issue? I served in late 70s early 80s, I am in some peoples eyes entitled to wear that era uniform but it would not fit in with the display, so what is acceptable? Cheers Ian Yes I know, another can of worms.

Steve, I think you're reading too much into this debate, I think you'll find most are fine with re-enactors wearing uniform/rank etc, it's the people that swan around the showground with gongs on their chests that they're not entitled to wear that most disagree with, if you are going to re-enact then the uniforms etc have to be correct for that period, you either re-enact authentically or don't re-enact, I don't see how there can be something in between, in short, keep on re-enacting, the public enjoy it. It's the uniform debate that is worrying me but maybe that should be on a new thread. Cheers Ian

Me too, 24531261 Pte Chick reporting for duty Sir.

These M1 helmets, are they worth a lot then? I'm interested as I have one with the first pattern lugs. Cheers Ian

Chappers, it's the medals themselves, the robbons don't bother me so much, it's seeing medals hanging on peoples chests that I object to, most of those you see wearing them are often the younger group/club members who don't really know what that are wearing but think it looks good, it is up to us (the older generations) to educate them & try to get them to understand, I never knew my uncle, he died in Germany in 1945 aged 25, I have his medals but would never think of wearing them, they were his, like I said earlier I don't see the need to wear medals, ranks & ribbons are acceptable for re-enactmen purposes but apart from that there is no point to it, I also said that this is just my opinion, it is each to his own. Cheers Ian

It hardly ever snows here in south devon, the last time we had snow deep enough to build a snowman was about 14 years ago, we had a little last year, this was the extent of it all. http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/8265/snowkatypt7.jpg[/img] although my keyboard seems to be covered in snow right now.

anyone got a calculator?

Can I just ask if the majority of people opposing the wearing of medals are ex service? also are the majority of peaple wearing the medals not ex service? I'm against wearing them & I'm ex service. Cheers Ian

Katy @ Christmas http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/9061/christmaskatynn1.jpg[/img] Can you stop the snow on the forum, my keyboard is almost covered. Cheers Ian

I don't see why people would want to wear medals they haven't earned, I can see for re-enactment purposes the need for ranks but apart from that I don't see the need, it's just my opinion. It all comes down to personal preference, we'll all have to agree to disagree, you can't make someone else have your opinion, this is another topic that will go on & on. Cheers Ian

Another instance is in this quarters windscreen, the Buckfastleigh show is a military vehicle show, not war on the line, it used to be war on the line but there are so many more post war vehicles it changed, yet you read the write up by Chris Davies you get the wrong impression, the first line starts "This WW2 military vehicle show" The bias is everywhere, it's not just the vehicles, uniforms are also being targeted although I do agree that rank & medals should only be worn by those that have earned them. Who opened this can of worms???????

Jack, you opened a can of worms now, this could be never ending, it keeps the interest. I've just been trying to find out about my wifes grandfather in WW1, 22nd brigade RFA, it makes interesting reading, I didn't find out anything about the individual but the 22nd brigade RFA during WW1 was very interesting, My wifes grandfather was awarded the MM. Instead of writing up articles wouldn't it be better/easier to add links to articles already on the web? just a thought. Cheers Ian

Great article, any plans for more reports on other conflicts the british forces have been involved in? Cheers Ian

Many thanks Clive, I would like to know what the knob on top on the right does, it's marked up LOCAL, MUTE O/R, REM, AUTO, IC & BEACON, I just wondered what all these settings were, the knob on the left is the on & volume & I understand all the frequency dials, any help appreciated. Cheers Ian

Anyone know anything about the manpack radio RT344? anyone got a user manual? am I likely to be able to pick anything up on it? if so what frequency? Cheers Ian

More to the point, What Gallery? Where? Cheers Ian

I got almost all the cables to wire this little lot in. http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/6982/katyinstallfm9.jpg[/img] Just need one more armoured harness from TUAAM to ARFAT & the short antenna lead from antenna base to TUAAM. I know the legal implications & will be getting my licence. Cheers Ian

I contacted the MVT with a letter of complaint about the lack of post war vehicles in the windscreen & calendar, I didn't get a very nice reply. they pointed out the number of pages with WW2 vehicles & post war vehicles in the latest of magazines, it was still in favour of WW2 vehicles, mind you there have been more on post war vehicles since, I'm sure a number of members must have pointed this out. I have tried to get into shows before but the organizers prefered WW2 vehicles, they didn't come out & say it but I was refused then after that a friend with a WW2 vehicle applied & got in, my vehicle was out in the first gulf war, I would have thought that it would be more interesting than a WW2 vehicle that never left the country, I think the organizers are blinkered, I went to the veterans day which was meant for all veterans from all era's, but the media just reported on the WW2 veterans & vehicles, I think the media cause most of this problem by only reporting on WW2, last year at Buckfastleigh there was a film crew covering the event, when televised it was all about WW2 & WW2 vehicles, it makes the rest of us question why we bother, especially when we do a lot of events for charity. That's it, rant over. Cheers Ian

Jack, you can see Pops restoration here: http://www.mvwf.co.uk/page_1149855443209.html or here: http://www.takeforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=402&mforum=mvwf there are more pictures in the second link. if you make it to Buckfastleigh or Okehampton you'll get the chance to park next to it :wink: Cheers Ian

I wont have the booking details for some time yet but as soon as I know you'll know, I'll post the details in the events section, it's got to be good as you spend a lot of time in the NAAFI :beer: :nut: We also get building space so you can set up camp inside, I set up a 25 man ( chemical shelter) colpro for the family. http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/558/colprolh4.jpg[/img]