A Kingston Great War Commemoration

In preparation for the commemoration we are having in May I'm pulling together uniforms from various sources. I have my own collection and I have two friends, but I am also getting some support from other interested people. The net result has been a lot of ordering of parts and consolidation, plus stitching, ironing, and generally preparing uniforms so they look, well, uniform. This has also meant that I have had to get badges made. More of that in another blog, and photos to follow here later.

All this has created collections gathering at my house, and I can't resist photographing the groupings. Here is a selection:

The pouches, above, have just been soaked and pressed out, and are drying on a heater.

Six sets of bayonets in scabbards become a pattern, the individual purpose lost in a group. The concept of a thousand, or six hundred thousand, suddenly takes form with a shock like a glimpse of infinity. But those are the real numbers, and it doesn't stop there.

         

This picture above shows the 21st Battalion for whom this quest to provide uniforms is driven. This has to be about a thousand men right here.

For this commemoration we're observing the departure in May 1915. Since this predates the development of the steel helmet we will all be wearing stiff Service Dress Caps. Here's the collection:

In order to get these ready I got into some more badge casting. Here's a selection for what I now have for sale in my Great War reproductions blog.

http://greatwarreproductions.blogspot.ca

April...

I've just done a new round of nurses' buckles which makes for another large grouping.