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Post by cookie on May 17, 2009 17:08:05 GMT -5
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Post by Legion Etrangere on May 17, 2009 18:56:20 GMT -5
Cookie ...
Ok ... reenacting overload.
AB-solutely fantastic.
Keep the pics a comin......
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Post by Turner on May 17, 2009 19:39:14 GMT -5
Wow! Very nice pics!
But are you sure that the Modele 52 canteens were in use already?
With best regards, Turner
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Post by cookie on May 18, 2009 2:57:18 GMT -5
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lemaitre
Dans le théâtre de la guerre
Posts: 53
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Post by lemaitre on May 18, 2009 6:25:11 GMT -5
Great session - really enjoyed it! Unable to see the pics from my work PC - shall check them out when I get home. Well done Mark for organising such a well put together photo session - excellent work  Cheers, LeM. P.S. Wonder if we can organise some sort of event later on in the year - my rangers are pretty broken in now  !. |
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Post by cookie on May 18, 2009 6:38:26 GMT -5
LeM, it'll have to be next year mate. I'm all booked out for now. Who knows. May 2010, Tu Le... TFH's two M18 57mm Recoilless rifles... aka Ronnie & Reggie...     |
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Post by cookie on May 18, 2009 6:47:12 GMT -5
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Post by cookie on May 18, 2009 6:55:22 GMT -5
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Post by cookie on May 18, 2009 7:09:13 GMT -5
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Post by cookie on May 18, 2009 7:16:42 GMT -5
The players. Centre back row, the photographer, Andy W.  |
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Post by Turner on May 18, 2009 10:47:33 GMT -5
Turner. Apparently the Mle 52 Bidon was used at Dien Bien Phu in November '53. In admittedly very small numbers, like the RAPCO belt. It was used increasingly from March '54 onwards. Okay. Just didn't find pics of them in a hurry. The pics are very cool! Seems that you had a good time! The two M18 recoilless rifles and the M1919A6 are spectacular for a group of six Colos! This thread should be watched preferably after having clicked on the following link for background music: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhX3M5eWzBU With best regards, Turner |
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Post by cookie on May 18, 2009 11:06:12 GMT -5
I listened to the soundtrack to 'The Thin Red Line' whilst editing the pictures. I particularly like tracks 'The Village', 'Silence' and 'Journey to the front'. Excellent music to work to!
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lemaitre
Dans le théâtre de la guerre
Posts: 53
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Post by lemaitre on May 18, 2009 12:24:58 GMT -5
Just seen the photos - they really capture the feel of the original photos.
Cheers!
LeM.
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Post by Legion Etrangere on May 18, 2009 13:24:06 GMT -5
Mark, Truly, the pics are remarkable. All I can readily say is: THIS is how you do it: professional, historical reenactment at its best. Several comments: - The reenactors LOOK like soldiers and give off the air of authenticity linking it with the past.
- The photography is first-rate.
- It honors the wartime namesake.
Well done Mark ---- pass our "thanks" onto your comrades. Mick |
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Post by cookie on May 18, 2009 15:28:35 GMT -5
Guys, thank you for your kind words. It has certainly been a labour of love and it shows what can be achieved with teamwork.
The initial interest, followed by a growing obsession, made worse by the best books being only available in French.
But a year later, after solid support from friends and from LeM and Skot, who showed real support by turning up to something that could have been a lot less than what it was. But they did, and who could ask for more?
I must say, it angers me that the French fighting man is as maligned and ignored as much as he is. Especially when you read about the punishing record of combat missions these guys had to endure, Legion, Para, Viet, and Infantry. Not to mention the very cool uniforms they wore...
Adieu mon Amis.
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Post by Legion Etrangere on May 18, 2009 15:54:29 GMT -5
Turner: Thanks for that link.... HAUNTING ....And Cookie, I must agree with you regarding the maligning of the French soldier. I remember hearing the comments in the U.S. military when I was stationed in Germany in the 80's. It was interesting ... because the French we ran into in Holland during Fierdaagse were anything but cheese-eating-surrender-monkeys; they were were well turned out, sharp, dedicated troopers. The American, Canadian, German and British units would usually 'pour' back into camp, quiet, forlorn, tired. The French Marines, Infanterie and other units would march in singing. It was quite amazing to watch. In fact, as the French units participating continued to pass everyone up each day on the march, it angered one of our Brigade Commanders, whereupon he gave us a pep talk on the last day with the imprimatur: "Beat the French, goddamit. Don't let these sons-of-b-------s pass you up."In WWII reenacting, that mentality has unfortunately held sway in both the Allied and Axis camps as my amis on this site can attest to... When I switched over to do Legion full time, the comments I got were mixed, with the usual coterie of silly, abbreviated "surrender"-themed one liners. Of course I cheered when I began reading Mat49's comments on the WWII proboards; he simply doesn't take shyte from anyone.  We could probably start an entirely new thread on just this subject alone. /martini/ |
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Post by lonestarcharlie on May 18, 2009 17:58:17 GMT -5
My absolute favorite part about these pictures: NO ONE LOOKS LIKE A REENACTOR... they look like french soldiers in Indochine... no fat guys, no old guys, no guys in glasses, no one wearing equipment only reenactors would wear (hey, you guys know what I'm talking about... just because you have it, doesn't mean you have to squeeze it onto your pistol belts!)...
I'M BLOWN AWAY! In college I spent a lot of time and energy trying to construct successful photo shoots, but I cringe to look at them now, knowing everything that I've learned since then. These images are a real treat to look through!
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Post by lt13demi on May 18, 2009 22:04:43 GMT -5
Simply Awesome, Cookie,,,Simply Awesome!!!!!!!!
Renault
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Post by cookie on May 19, 2009 4:07:20 GMT -5
"My absolute favorite part about these pictures: NO ONE LOOKS LIKE A REENACTOR... they look like french soldiers in Indochine... no fat guys, no old guys, no guys in glasses, no one wearing equipment only reenactors would wear (hey, you guys know what I'm talking about... just because you have it, doesn't mean you have to squeeze it onto your pistol belts!)..."
In the spirit of General Giap, I would like to thank my comrade from the other side for his praise. It is something that our group has spent years trying to achieve. I think we were spurred on by the generally low quality of US airborne reenacting here in the UK. We would see all the British and US Civil war guys marching past looking great in their ragged tunics and beards - we'd look around and ask ourselves why THEY could be so accurate and we couldn't - and we were the ones with the readily available gear!
One of the few things I was annoyed about for this 'shoot was not being able to get any oriental guys in on the action. As both Viet Minh or Colonial. Those guys made up sometimes 50% of French unit strengths - sorely missed here!
Next year... Tu Le? Lang Son? Who knows...
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Post by Legion Etrangere on May 19, 2009 10:01:32 GMT -5
We've got beaucoup ex-pat Vietnamese here in Houston, Cookie. Infact, we have two large ARVN veterans organizations here with just about every tribe from Vietnam represented. The largest contingent is the South Vietnamese Officers Association. I bet, if you search the Chinatown in London, you will find former para's, marines and infantry working in odd jobs. One of the Para Colonel's I've met, works at a liquor store as a clerk... I did hear back on the jungle grapevine, that at the last ARVN veteran's reunion here in Houston, there were several 'red berets' [ pulled left ] who showed up and particpated and that you could here some French being spoken among the group.... /martini/ |
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Post by cookie on May 19, 2009 11:06:16 GMT -5
Well its going to be a year until we consider trying this out again, so plenty of time to search for some Viet guys. and a CR39 or my own MAT49...  |
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Post by lonestarcharlie on May 19, 2009 14:48:40 GMT -5
Yes, that thought had occured to me... find a couple young oriental guys to fill in, put them in ragged dirty black pjs and have them look scared out of their minds, while being interrogated by some paras... like some of the original photos I've seen, would be awesome... you'll find some guys eventually I'm sure!
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Post by cookie on May 24, 2009 11:27:04 GMT -5
The lack of young oriental lads, even one, is something we'll definitely try to address for next time.
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Post by Legion Etrangere on Jun 5, 2009 5:29:36 GMT -5
Cookie, Have you decided on what battle you will do next? Tu Le? Early war? I have to admit I am awaiting the photos.... /martini/
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Post by cookie on Jun 5, 2009 6:05:06 GMT -5
At the minute I'm very much settled on the idea of recreating the battle for Tu Le, and the fighting withdrawal. The terrain we have here in Cambridgeshire seemed to fit quite well into DBP and would also serve the grassy highland valleys of Tonkin well enough.
The only problem that I have encountered so far (other than not having a CR39!) is in the kit. Only one of us has a US 'Frogskin' camo jacket, which was universal in the 6e BPC at Tu Le. Also, only two of us have British windproof camo trousers, which were also universally worn at that battle. I'm personally not averse to buying a camo jacket, as from Barry Lyndon they work out very cheaply at around $40 or less for a bulk order. The army M43 pattern also has a good resale opportunity, being used on D-Day by various US units. Unfortunately the Brit windproofs can be quite expensive, being about $60+ a pair for repros.
These are the only impediments to putting on that particular scenario. I'm also looking at the possibility of doing one of the BEP's at NaSan or Lang Son. Again, they wore the US camo jackets, but wore a much wider variety of trousers, such as Mle 47's, US green HBT's, Brit windproofs etc. Their webbing was also much more mixed, with US, P37, P44, Mle 50 etc etc.
I'm speaking to the guys at the minute about the various options, and there's no shortage of entusiasm, so we'll see.
One of these scenarios will definitely be on the cards for next May sometime.
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Post by Legion Etrangere on Jun 16, 2009 20:14:43 GMT -5
Cookie,
Can I purchase a copy of these off your website that you listed? Is it mailed or does it come by email?
Regards,
/martini/
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Post by hoover on Jun 18, 2009 5:12:34 GMT -5
Very cool pics and a very high standard! Would like to get such a bunch of reenactors here for taking some pics, too.  |
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