Updated Army Service Dress project

[FSTO]

TwerkAs a late Gen X / early Millennial I have other images, but they’re…uh, I’m not posting them.

 

[dimsum]

I don’t even want to know why you decided to pick that gif.

 

[Maxman1]

I can see thread going positive places…

 

[FSTO]

I don’t even want to know why you decided to pick that gif.

Geez, my kids are millennials and Pokémon was/is huge in their lives. And didn't twerking start with you lot?

 

[rmc_wannabe]

What a terrible day to have eyes...

 

[dimsum]

What a terrible day to have eyes...

 

[markppcli]

The regiments I'm referring are the LdSH and RCD, definitely reserve units. The only traditionally true cavalry reserve unit is the FGH. The remainder were dragoons/mounted rifles. The three Canadian constituent regiments of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade. Where did the reservist hurt you?

The FGH formed in 1912, what differentiated a “true cavalry” regiment from another? It’s a weird thing to be proud of, and is frankly a distinction without difference. Besides forage caps had lost their “cavalry” nature by the 1830s with the adoption of a universal cap pattern. 1900 saw a wider regulation of various types of caps, but again not a Cavalry thing. So by the time the FGH were stood up, Forage Caps hadn’t been part of a cavalry identity for … oh 80 years.

 

[dapaterson]

The FGH formed in 1912, what differentiated a “true cavalry” regiment from another? It’s a weird thing to be proud of, and is frankly a distinction without difference. Besides forage caps had lost their “cavalry” nature by the 1830s with the adoption of a universal cap pattern. 1900 saw a wider regulation of various types of caps, but again not a Cavalry thing. So by the time the FGH were stood up, Forage Caps hadn’t been part of a cavalry identity for … oh 80 years.

They were retro before retro was cool.

 

[Happy Guy]

Yeah, they’re probably saying “they’re the ones with the godawful mint green shirts”.

Having participated with the members of the New Zealand Army, I must say that their short sleeve dress shirt's colour was similar to mint green shirts worn by Canadians, although the cloth was different.

 

[WestIsle]

Having participated with the members of the New Zealand Army, I must say that their short sleeve dress shirt's colour was similar to mint green shirts worn by Canadians, although the cloth was different.


View attachment 83739

The material and colour are pretty annoying as I'd like to be able to find a better quality shirt with the same colour for those one or two times a year but its impossible.

 

[WinnipegFella]

The FGH formed in 1912, what differentiated a “true cavalry” regiment from another? It’s a weird thing to be proud of, and is frankly a distinction without difference. Besides forage caps had lost their “cavalry” nature by the 1830s with the adoption of a universal cap pattern. 1900 saw a wider regulation of various types of caps, but again not a Cavalry thing. So by the time the FGH were stood up, Forage Caps hadn’t been part of a cavalry identity for … oh 80 years.

Tactics mainly. A mounted rifle dismounted and fought as well, infantry. Cavalry in the CCB fought exactly as you imagine cavalry would fight. There was an actual distinction tactically.

 

[markppcli]

Tactics mainly. A mounted rifle dismounted and fought as well, infantry. Cavalry in the CCB fought exactly as you imagine cavalry would fight. There was an actual distinction tactically.

And you’re suggesting the the FGH didn’t do this during WW1? Because by the late 1800s that’s basically how all Cavalry was fighting: conducting recce, or rapidly deploying to dismount and fight from there. There is a reason that last great Cavalry charge of the British empire was in 1898. Despite some limited action the lessons of the Boer War, the Franco Russian War, and others had rendered the idea of cavalry as anything but a mobility platform obsolete before WW1 began.

This is of course not to be confuse with the various mounted rifle named units that served as infantry exclusively. As were turned into infantry units despite their original tasks. But in any case in terms of the CCB you’re wrong, and your understanding of what cavalry was doing in WW1 is also wrong.

 

[dimsum]

Me:

 

[WinnipegFella]

And you’re suggesting the the FGH didn’t do this during WW1? Because by the late 1800s that’s basically how all Cavalry was fighting: conducting recce, or rapidly deploying to dismount and fight from there. There is a reason that last great Cavalry charge of the British empire was in 1898. Despite some limited action the lessons of the Boer War, the Franco Russian War, and others had rendered the idea of cavalry as anything but a mobility platform obsolete before WW1 began.

This is of course not to be confuse with the various mounted rifle named units that served as infantry exclusively. As were turned into infantry units despite their original tasks. But in any case in terms of the CCB you’re wrong, and your understanding of what cavalry was doing in WW1 is also wrong.

I can tell with certainty that the Canadian Cavalry Corps fought on horseback with sword as their primary function. Just like you don't dismount your armoured crews, you ideally didn't dismount your cavalry, who were performing guards, flanks, screens and sometimes charges after the remounting in 1915 post Festubert (Le Cateau, Second Cambrai, Moreuil Wood being some prominent examples). Read the history books, they viewed their swords as their primary weapon in an age where they were becoming obsolete. So yes, they would dismount but that was not what commanders on the ground wanted ideally. I wouldn't dismount my leopard crews ideally either. Also, Moreuil Wood was Canada's last great cav action.

Here's a quote from the Vimy Foundation about the LdSH's last and greatest cav action at Moreuil Wood:

"Still mounted, Lt. Gordon Flowerdew’s “C” squadron, Lord Strathcona’s Horse, had waited outside of the Wood for the opportunity to advance to the eastern flank. Reaching the north-east corner, Flowerdew spotted two lines of Germans, each numbering about sixty men, with machine guns at their centres and their flanks, advancing to reinforce the Wood. Immediately, Flowerdew “wheeled his four troops into line, and with a wild shout, a hundred yards in front of his men, charged down on the long thin column of Germans” (Seely, Adventure, p. 303).

Their sabres drawn, Flowerdew’s squadron burst through both lines of the enemy, wheeled about, and then charged on them again, with decimating effect. After the second charge, the enemy broke into retreat. At some point in this desperate melee, Lt. Flowerdew was fatally wounded. Brigadier-General Seely later recorded: ‘A man with him told me his last words as he and his horse finally crashed to the ground – he had two bullet wounds through his chest and was shot through both thighs, but he still had strength to shout quite loudly, “Carry on boys. We have won.” And so they had.’ (Seely, Adventure, p. 304)."

Last point, you're obviously a pickley, I can almost guarantee you haven't given a second thought to the Regimental histories of the RCD, LdSH or FGH, or probably any armoured unit so why do you try to speak with such authority? Their war diaries are chocked full of cavalry actions in the Great War if you cared to read them. But you won't and will probably continue to pretend to be an authority on it lol.

TLDR: while dismounting cav in WW1 was a tool in the commander's belt, their primary goal was the traditional cav action and finding the illustrious "G" (gap). This happened in spurts in 1917 and in earnest in 1918 during the 100 Days.

 

[markppcli]

I can tell with certainty that the Canadian Cavalry Corps fought on horseback with sword as their primary function. Just like you don't dismount your armoured crews, you ideally didn't dismount your cavalry, who were performing guards, flanks, screens and sometimes charges after the remounting in 1915 post Festubert (Le Cateau, Second Cambrai, Moreuil Wood being some prominent examples). Read the history books, they viewed their swords as their primary weapon in an age where they were becoming obsolete. So yes, they would dismount but that was not what commanders on the ground wanted ideally. I wouldn't dismount my leopard crews ideally either. Also, Moreuil Wood was Canada's last great cav action.

Here's a quote from the Vimy Foundation about the LdSH's last and greatest cav action at Moreuil Wood:

"Still mounted, Lt. Gordon Flowerdew’s “C” squadron, Lord Strathcona’s Horse, had waited outside of the Wood for the opportunity to advance to the eastern flank. Reaching the north-east corner, Flowerdew spotted two lines of Germans, each numbering about sixty men, with machine guns at their centres and their flanks, advancing to reinforce the Wood. Immediately, Flowerdew “wheeled his four troops into line, and with a wild shout, a hundred yards in front of his men, charged down on the long thin column of Germans” (Seely, Adventure, p. 303).

Their sabres drawn, Flowerdew’s squadron burst through both lines of the enemy, wheeled about, and then charged on them again, with decimating effect. After the second charge, the enemy broke into retreat. At some point in this desperate melee, Lt. Flowerdew was fatally wounded. Brigadier-General Seely later recorded: ‘A man with him told me his last words as he and his horse finally crashed to the ground – he had two bullet wounds through his chest and was shot through both thighs, but he still had strength to shout quite loudly, “Carry on boys. We have won.” And so they had.’ (Seely, Adventure, p. 304)."

Last point, you're obviously a pickley, I can almost guarantee you haven't given a second thought to the Regimental histories of the RCD, LdSH or FGH, or probably any armoured unit so why do you try to speak with such authority? Their war diaries are chocked full of cavalry actions in the Great War if you cared to read them. But you won't and will probably continue to pretend to be an authority on it lol.

TLDR: while dismounting cav in WW1 was a tool in the commander's belt, their primary goal was the traditional cav action and finding the illustrious "G" (gap). This happened in spurts in 1917 and in earnest in 1918 during the 100 Days.

I’m actually flipping through my LdSH history right now. I know it’s stunning I can read, being a Patricia and all. I took umbrage to the rather absurd assertion you made about being “proper cavalry,” it’s the sort of very stupid pointlessly pedantic thing the irks me, so I’m glad you brought up Moreuil Wood. Of course it would be those damned mounted infantry types that did charge as cavalry wouldn’t it? Of course the CCB dismounted a Moreuil Wood, and cleared the forest by bayonet before Flowerdew’s charge. Even at this Cavalry action, the charge was in-fact the exception not the norm.

But hey I’m just some guy with a passing interest in Canada during WW1 and the intense dislike of people slinging insults from their keyboards.

 

[OldSolduer]

Plus he used the word “pickley “ and I find that insulting.

 

[markppcli]

Plus he used the word “pickley “ and I find that insulting.

It, and saying “take a nap grandpa” were what I meant.

 

[OldSolduer]

It, and saying “take a nap grandpa” were what I meant.

Speaking of naps…. lol

 

[Happy Guy]

I'm passed 60 years of age, but not a Grandpa yet. I do find myself having the urge to take a nap after chasing my yet to be Grandma around the house a couple of times.

 

[ueo]

Plus he used the word “pickley “ and I find that insulting.

Me too and I'm RCR!