Cometh the hour, cometh the man.

[Carruthers]

Men of my father’s generation received a cunningly worded invitation to participate in World War 2.

I doubt very much that the dress code was ‘come as you are’ so these chaps must have made a special effort.

After all, you should always look your best if you’re about to spend several hours lobbing six inch shells at enemy shipping, but they do let themselves down by their choice of accessories.

Corporal Klinger, thou shouldst be living at this hour.

Hilarious images have revealed one of the lighter-hearted moments of World War Two as British soldiers man anti-aircraft guns* in full panto-drag, which the wartime government banned so they did not damage the image of the 'butch' British soldier.

The amusing pictures capture the home defence troops in drag when their Christmas charity performance was interrupted by a coastal alert near Gravesend, Kent forcing them to wear the dresses with compulsory helmets on the field.

The set of photographs, taken by John Topham while working in RAF intelligence, was censored by the British Ministry of Information.

Pantomime was popular in the army as a way to relieve stress by letting the soldiers enjoy themselves on their downtime.

LINK

* I think they got that bit wrong.

[limey]

My grandfather taking part in a concert party in WWI.

[captainhook455]

He was tall wasn't he.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Maybe the rest of the guys were short.

[limey]

We're a tall, bigfoot tribe ...

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by limey

We're a tall, bigfoot tribe ...

I hope that you don't mind my asking, but I was wondering what regiment or corps your grandfather served in?

[zippyt]

That would be Proud Feets !!

[Clodfobble]

British soldiers man anti-aircraft guns*

Originally Posted by Carruthers

* I think they got that bit wrong.

Any gun can be an anti-aircraft gun, if you just aim upward.

[sexobon]

Or the aircraft are flying NOE.

[limey]

Originally Posted by Carruthers

I hope that you don't mind my asking, but I was wondering what regiment or corps your grandfather served in?

He was in the Royal Fusiliers (London Regiment) rising from Private to Company Sergeant Major and saw service in North Africa. I have his photo albums from that time.

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by limey

He was in the Royal Fusiliers (London Regiment) rising from Private to Company Sergeant Major and saw service in North Africa. I have his photo albums from that time.

I saw a report of a survey conducted by a commercial genealogy site* the other day which concluded that people generally don't have any idea about how their families served in WW1.

I wonder how long it will be before WW1 completely fades from public recognition?

My grandfather served in the Royal Engineers in the Somme offensive and was wounded as his unit moved up from Northern France into Belgium.

He was sent home, with countless others, by ambulance train and, after recovering, was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps at Halton then the RAF.

Unfortunately I don't have any photos of him from that time but I do have his service record. It's sitting on top of my printer as it happens!


*Not exactly a disinterested third party!

[limey]

Here on Arran a new war memorial for a village which hasn't had one up to now is about to be inaugurated. And on the dreaded "Very Popular Social Networking Site" the instigator of this project (a woman about 10 years younger than me) is also running a page which commemorates all of the Arran conscripts who lost their lives in WWI with a brief biog. and picture (if possible) of each one.

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by Carruthers

My grandfather served in the Royal Engineers in the Somme offensive and was wounded as his unit moved up from Northern France into Belgium.

He was sent home, with countless others, by ambulance train and, after recovering, was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps at Halton then the RAF.

Unfortunately I don't have any photos of him from that time but I do have his service record. It's sitting on top of my printer as it happens!

Last night I watched a Time Team special about the archaeological excavation of the WW1 Vampire dug out in Belgium.

The team had a photo of the RE Sappers who did the original hard work and they managed to trace the grandson of the CSM who was in the centre of the photo.

I just happened to mention to Dad that his father was fortunate in not being involved in that sort of work.

He said: 'I think there's a WW1 photo of him somewhere'. I ascertained that it was taken in France but haven't got much more information than that.

I don't want to push Dad too hard, and I'll have to choose my time carefully, but I'd love to see that photo.

[captainhook455]

That was a great video being able to see in the past. Thanks Carruthers.

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by captainhook455

That was a great video being able to see in the past. Thanks Carruthers.

What surprised me was the generally good condition of the objects they found, especially the pump filter, oil can and shovel.

The shovel was standard issue for decades and was confusingly known as the HMS Bulldog shovel. It had nothing to do with the ship of the same name, it was just a trademark.

We've got one in the garage. It's date stamped 1938 and is looking a little care worn but still good enough for jobs in the garden.

FWIW...