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R. Kitchener


Joined: 09 Dec 2007
Posts: 31
Location: Iowa City, IA, USA
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Thought this one might be of interest. I believe they're Brit officers and ORs in MBongoland, c.1879-81. Any body have any ideas?

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Martin Everett


Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 786
Location: Brecon
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Re-enactors!?

Not British - Union Colour is upside down. Wearing WW1 or WW2 medals? Also wearing uniforms post 1881 - no numbers (regiments of foot)

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Martin Everett
Brecon, Powys
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peterw


Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 865
Location: UK
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Definitely re-enactors. I don't think I have ever seen a period photo with such curious composition.

Peter
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Peter Ewart


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1797
Location: Near Canterbury, Kent, England.
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Nice one, RK! Had a really good laugh at this one, in which the demeanour, faces and girths scream out "re-enactors." And that's without the uniforms & medals.

I think we can take it, going by the Union Jack, that the re-enactors are not British - or, at least, I hope not, as that is the first give-away! And given the supposed location of Mbongoland, no doubt posted tongue in cheek.

Try another Wink

Peter
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Alan
Site Admin

Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 1530
Location: Wales
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Judging by the number of kilts it must be in the USA.

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AMB


Joined: 07 Oct 2005
Posts: 921
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Look like civilians dressed up. Would put my pension on 're-enactors'!

AMB
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Rich
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These guys sure seem like they're in the "SSC" ..i.e. "Sartorial Style Council"........Hawkes & Co could call this military "entry-bespoke" for re-enactors if that's what they are... Cool....I think the fellow standing 4th from the left said "it's his second best suit" to his Savile Row tailor....
AMB


Joined: 07 Oct 2005
Posts: 921
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Rich,

One can only hope that as he said to his tailor, 'it's my second best suit', the tailor swiftly showed him the door!

AMB
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Keith Smith


Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 540
Location: Northern NSW, Australia
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Am I in error when I suggest that our Mr Kitchener shows up on both this photograph and also that of Mikey's 24th uniform? My apologies to him if this is not so.

KIS
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R. Kitchener


Joined: 09 Dec 2007
Posts: 31
Location: Iowa City, IA, USA
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Alright, chaps, enough fun. It's time to 'fess up. Yes, that is indeed me in both photos, so no apology necessary, Keith.
We had tired of attending American civil War events in either the rather monotonous blue or gray and tired of the know-it-all attitudes of most reenactors; hence, we decided to form a group of British Military 'Observers' and 'Advisors', to offer the benighted Cousins our expertise on how to wage a gentlemanly conflict. This assistance was mostly well-received, although many of these reenactors asked us if we'd come to fight the Zulus and to sing 'Men of Harlech'. Our Group was known as the 'British Empire Association of the United States', and our motto was 'Galliae pudentum est'.
The Uniforms, most of which were made by me, therefore cover a period from the 1840s to the 1890s, as most American Civil warriors don't know the difference anyway. As to the Union Colour being upside dow, this is odd, because the gentleman seated to my left in the undress of the King's Rich Rude Rifles is an antomy professor from London, and also served in the 2nd Green Jackets. strange he didn't catch it. He also provided the rather large mounted medal group that yours truly is wearing. They belonged to a Major in the Machine Gun Corps, as Martin is an avid collector of Machine Gun Corps items and medals, and none of the Yanks knew what they were anyway. As to the rather corpulent fellow standing in the rear row, he was our - naturally - Quartermaster, and also please bear in mind that this was before the R-101 disaster precluded any further British experiments with dirigibles. Thanks for the comments and your apparent enjoyment. Any further querries, please feel free to post 'em, and yes, Peter, I'll probabaly be posting another Imperial Mystery photo as soon as I can scan it.

By the way, that's our very own Mikey in the back row, between the PM and the 78th officer.

Cheers.

Kitchener


Last edited by R. Kitchener on Wed Feb 13, 2008 12:24 am; edited 1 time in total
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Carl Daeche


Joined: 27 Jul 2006
Posts: 45
Location: Broadstairs
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Great photo good laugh but then?????

I can only assume that the stereotypical referance to "wogs" is attributal to your group re-enacting the confederacy?

I think that such referances are not congruent to the anglo effort of reconciliation and understanding which purports to be the ethos of this site.

Or am I miles off?
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R. Kitchener


Joined: 09 Dec 2007
Posts: 31
Location: Iowa City, IA, USA
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It was a period reference, and a joke. Perhaps years off as opposed to miles. And perhaps your reference to our group reenacting the confederacy was a joke as well? I presume that it was. The regulation uniform of the CSA was quite obviously red, but it does appear grey in period photos.

But I did delete the relevent passage, as it is not my wish to offend anyone.
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Sawubona


Joined: 09 Nov 2005
Posts: 1179
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Upsidedown colours and incongruous uniforms notwithstanding, the quality of the photo is too high to be period. Just my opinion, but the resolution is too high and the contrast is too strong to be anything but contemporary. I too have played around with new photos in an attempt to "age" them and a bit of fading and haziness goes a long way. The addition of some damage in the form of folds, discolorations (do you put that unEnglish "u" in that also?) and even tears seems to help with the scam that I aspire to perpetrate. Mea culpa, but the fraud is strictly for my own harmless amusement. Now if anyone knows a good method to "age" new cap lines so they match the gilt work of a period hussars busby ...
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R. Kitchener


Joined: 09 Dec 2007
Posts: 31
Location: Iowa City, IA, USA
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You might try hanging them outside for about a month. That might work. Twisted Evil
The photo was taken with an original 1912 portrait camera by a photographer who specialized in taking 'period' photos, usuually of tourists garbed in 'authentic' wild west costumes or Civil War garb. He liked us, because we always looked so much better, more 'authentic' than your run-of-the-mill tourista/spectator. Indeed, we looked better than most of the reenactors. Thanks for your comment, and good luck with the cap lines.

Kitchener
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Mikey29211


Joined: 26 Aug 2006
Posts: 232
Location: Central Nebraska, USA
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Whats wrong with the uniforms anyway?, He already said they were from different periods. They are accurate for the period represented.
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