WSR 1940s Days

[Tizer]

The West Somerset Railway held its 1940s Days event this weekend. This should keep Ian's mind off medical things! Here are a few photos to browse...









"It's a bomb!"

[Tizer]

[Stanley]

Nice pics Tiz. Only one criticism, in the third pic a corporal is wearing brown boots. In my days they were 'officers for the use of'.

[Nolic]

Great pictures Tiz. Nolic

[Whyperion]

I'm always a bit confused by the 1940s events, given that WW2 lasted for only just over half the decade. Do the railway shops ration sweets and books all to have the 'produced to govt standards (ie cheap paper), (rationing of course went on further into the decade). Are the medical services charging for 3/4rs of the day or collecting a penny from everyone for the hospital then at 14:30 do the NHS Ambluances turn up. Do the Tenders just have GWR on for part of the day/week , switching to the Lion totem for the return journey? Does the BBC TV service only get shown at 5pm? Were military uniforms different for active service and national service?
During WW2 some of my ancesters were a bit further down in the West Country - one preparing for D-Day (actually I think he was in a later wave but was one of the first into Belgium - I still have a newspaper from there), and other older ones had been road and drain layers in London and worked on projects building Concrete runways and similar for RAF Stations in Cornwall. I dont know if they used contractor light railway equipment - I think most of their rollers and similar were road steam and early diesel ones.

[Tizer]

Thanks for positive comments, Stanley and Nolic.

Whippy, don't get `confused by the 1940s events', just chill out and enjoy them. The events at the stations on the WSR line were packed out with folk enjoying themselves while also learning a bit more about railways and the war. On Saturday evening there was a 1940s dance on Minehead station platform. Lots of people had a great time at the weekend, whether in civvies dress or uniform, or simply as visitors.

Cast your eyes over these wonderful photos on the unofficial WSR site which are much better quality than mine and some taken in places that I wouldn't have been able to access: WSR.org.UK photos The site also has webcams at five stations on its line and you can see live action when there are trains in the station. They're the thumbnails at top right on this page: WSR webcams

[Tripps]

I enjoyed the pictures too. I went to a re -enactment event earlier this year and was impressed by the enthusiasm of the participants. There was a live (blanks) firing attack, and lots of very realistic Germans. I see this has come in for some criticism recently by a Jewish lady who found it all highly offensive. I was OK with the infantry, but one or two seemed a bit sinister - including the officer, who just strutted about in an SS uniform.

I noticed the brown boots too, but since he had an Australian (?) hat, and wore puttees instead of gaiters, and knowing these peoples' passion for accuracy - I decided not to comment.

Braarn boots - I ask you braarn boots!

PS. I've found the link I referred to above. From the Jewish Chronicle.
Living history

[PanBiker]

Yes, Nice photo's Tiz. I think I might know the bloke from Keighley who renovated the Jeep in one of your images through the WR 28th re-enactment group. Lots of the restorers are members. I know one bloke who keeps a Sherman tank in his garden along with sundry other wagons, Jeeps and half-tracks. I still have my original U.S G.I. tunic tailored in Seattle in 1942 it has it's original 8th USAAF arm patch and I badged it up as a Major. I also still have my British BD's which are badged for my dads original regiment (Duke of Wellington) but as pioneer sergeant. This being the only rank in the army that is allowed (and is a requirement) to wear a beard. I cant get into ether of them comfortably now, folk were a lot skinnier in the 40's, original stuff doesn't come in modern day sizes.

[Tizer]

They obviously get a lot of fun out of their re-enactment hobby and bring pleasure to the onlookers. It's a shame some people might be offended but I can understand the feelings of those who were directly affected by wartime experiences. Did you see the TV programme where model aircraft fanatics set up dogfights and bombing missions with their German colleagues? Very entertaining, especially when the one lady participant shot down about six Me109s! The German participants related how they come in for a lot of flak (whoops, sorry about that) at home for having swastikas on their model aircraft so life can be a bit difficult for them. They didn't wear uniform and they were good fun, no Nazi leanings obvious at all!

On the topic of re-enactors perhaps going a step beyond their fictitious role, that was the subject of a novel by Anthony Price, `War Game', published in 1976. I can recommend it, a good read, like all his novels.

[Stanley]

My demolition contractor, the late Norman Sutcliffe, had a restored Sherman tank..... he bred miniature poodles as well. How's that for an incongruous match!
Pioneers and beards..... that requirement was dead in my day, we had a Pioneer Platoon in Support Company. I suppose they decided it was better to be able to use a gas mask effectively.
I'm afraid I too have an aversion to German Officer's uniforms, no trouble with the ranks, I used to meet a lot of ex-Wehrmacht veterans in Berlin. They were favoured as recruits for the Border Guards, good blokes and we got on with them when we were doing Border Patrol, but I suppose they had been hand-picked. We should never have been killing each other! (They made such good coffee!)

[PanBiker]

The guy with the brown boots is representing an Australian Corporal and he is correctly dressed according to my military uniform reference. One note, diggers, ANZAC's in general would prefer the US Army gaiters to the puttees. All came under MacArthur's command in the Pacific theatre and were supplied accordingly. There are quite a few examples of mixed uniform for practicality.

[Tripps]

and knowing these peoples' passion for accuracy - I decided not to comment.

Told you. . . and I'd forgotten we had a member of the hobby amongst us.

[plaques]

Not to mention that among all the American vehicles was a British WD Matchless motorcycle.

[Stanley]

I'd forgotten we had a member of the hobby amongst us" One of the sites great strengths is the fact that between them the contributors have such a store of knowledge based on experience. I trust them all.......

[Tizer]

Nerds rule, OK! If only we could get more people interested in such things there would be fewer wars. They'd spend their time arguing details over a beer instead of shooting or bombing each other.

[Stanley]