kilted at Old Fort MacArthur Days today

[OC Richard]

Old Fort MacArthur Days are a big local reenactor event. There are a large number of WWI and WWII British reenactors and it was a good time to debut my Black Watch PM uniform. (This cotton version of the Service Dress jacket was widely worn in the first half of the 20th century.)

The event is in a beautiful park with sweeping views of the Pacific as you can see



Here with fellow piper Larry, a fine player of the uilleann pipes, here in his 'impression' of a lieutenant of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, WWI.



Here's info about Fort MacArthur (interesting that it's not named for Douglas MacArthur, as I had assumed)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_MacArthur

[Kilted cabin boy]

Great photos.You live a very interesting life.

[Chaps]

Nice photos and I have been to Fort MacArthur on a couple of occasions. The base itself is nice, the neighborhood around it not as much. Also, I love the uniforms though I have to think that your cotton uniform was a bit cooler than your Austrian counterpart which appears to be wool blouse and trousers.

[Ron Abbott]

....would I be right in thinking that hidden away from the lens, there might just be a quartz watch on the wrist, tupperware drone reeds, a bag that didn't originate from fauna and a chanter that sounds just a tad different than one that was played in 1914? p.s.....did they have black electrical tape on chanters in 1914? Hmmm....now there's a question for the historians.

In all sincerity, have to say though that you've done a good job of the outfit, down to the proper style flashes, spats etc.

[Hawk]

Decked out as always Richard.......

Hawk

[OC Richard]

....would I be right in thinking that hidden away from the lens, there might just be a quartz watch on the wrist, tupperware drone reeds, a bag that didn't originate from fauna and a chanter that sounds just a tad different than one that was played in 1914? p.s.....did they have black electrical tape on chanters in 1914? Hmmm....now there's a question for the historians.

In all sincerity, have to say though that you've done a good job of the outfit, down to the proper style flashes, spats etc.

Yes very valid points there! My wristwatch is indeed a modern one, though in style perfectly acceptable for the WWII period at least. Happily the long military sleeves hide it anyway!

Actually I play a sheepskin bag, so no issues there, and my pipes were made around 1900. But indeed the drone reeds are synthetic (carbon fibre) and I'm playing a new high-pitch chanter with gaffer's tape on every hole. (Gaffer's tape is cloth, like old-school electrical tape.) I do have a period blackwood low-pitch chanter with matching German Silver sole but that would require re-reeding the drones. For sure if I got into reenacting and was piping with a WWI or WWII group I would use the old chanter and play at the old lower pitch.

Yes the spats... they're the hardest thing to get right, I've found. There's a "42nd Highlanders Pipe Band" here and not only do the pipers all wear Black Watch kilts but they have the wrong spats- no, not the rounded toe spats as worn by the Gordons, Camerons, Argylls, and Seaforths, but the pointy-toe Higgins spats which were worn by nobody. And there's a "Black Watch" reenacting group here which also all wear the Higgins spats.

Seemed like the only way to get the right spats was to make them, or rather modify an existing pair, the subject of this DIY thread

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...h-spats-84836/

Here's a thread a while back about the crossbelt

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...project-81704/

I did reenacting back in the 1970s (American Civil War) and the general reenacting attitude that only perfection is acceptable was ingrained in me.

[grizzbass]

thanks for sharing. I really wish I could have gone but I'm in the middle of a show.

[rtown]

Thank you for sharing the great pictures.

[OC Richard]

Thanks!

For reference, here's a member of The Black Watch serving in India wearing that 'khaki drill' tropical/warm weather Service Dress jacket.



Note the pointed pocket flaps and tan spats. (Tan spats are next on my list, though I've seen white spats worn with that same jacket, I don't know why.)