Mind you, trying to count the Black Bearskins isn't very easy either!! :wink: :lol:
Quote:Mind you, trying to count the Black Bearskins isn't very easy either!! :wink: :lol:
They only started wearing bearskins after Waterloo, after capturing them from the French Grenadiers they defeated. They even took their name as well :wink:
Well, I learn something new every day!! So I can blame the French for decimating Canadas bear population then! :lol:
I had heard the story about the Bearskins before, but not the reason behind red as the uniform color. Very interesting. :?
Say Tarbicus, have they announced any plans to export this series to the US or perhaps onto DVD?
Sounds like a very interesting show.
:wink:
Narukami
Quote:So I can blame the French for decimating Canadas bear population then
Darn! And there I was about to blame pre-Global Warming climate change. :? lol:
If memory serves (and that is open to question :? )
While this proved to be good for the bears it was bad for the Guards' fashion image. The synthetic did not wear well leaving the Guards looking like they had stuck their fingers into an electrical socket.
hock:
Hence the return to real bear skin.
Narukami
Oh I was only joking about Canada's bears being decimated! We have a never ending source!!
When ever your guys in Montana catch a nuisence/rogue bear, they just chopper it up to a bend in a river that encourages them to head up into Canada! Therefore, we are never really short of bears!! :wink: :lol:
The series is called 'Guarding the Queen' and is still running, so I doubt it'll be available for a bit. I haven't been following it, but it was on the box and this snippet happened to be told by a Guardsman while he was explaining the history of the parts of the uniform.
The elaborate metal chinstrap on the bearskin was to protect from cavalry sabre blows.
What strikes me is we tend to put the bright colours down to pageantry or economy, but there was actually a valuable military tactical reason for them.
Follow link to article about the Guards' Bearskins, the Ministry of Defense, and PETA.
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_b ... 152500.ece
And on that note -- this probably belongs in Off Topic, though I understand why Tarbicus put it here (or at least I think I understand why he did -- the Tunic Color Debate will never end).
:wink:
Narukami
I caught some of this programme tonight.
My dear late great uncle was in the Grenadier guards- all 6'7'' of him
hock: He never wore the bearskin though because it was during WWII so they wore standard tin hats.
He told us that a
certain young princess called Elisabeth used to take great delight dropping gravel out a palace window onto these tin hatted guards due to the 'ping' noise (plus they weren't supposed to move) :lol:
That's interesting about the colour red, I always thought it was to hide blood, or to be intimidating to the enemy.
Quote:What strikes me is we tend to put the bright colours down to pageantry or economy, but there was actually a valuable military tactical reason for them.
Quite right!
Military fashion almost always has a basis in practicality even though it may end up being purely ceremonial.
I am reminded of the feudal Japanese lords (Daimyo) who were required to wear elaborate uniforms while in attendance at the Shogun's castle.
Called "daimon" these costumes served several practical purposes:
1. They appealed to the vanity and ego of the samurai lords -- they were usually brightly colored and adorned with the family/clan crest (mon -- hence the name daimon or Great Crest) and consisted of huge sleeves and trousers (called nagabakama) that stretched out several feet behind the wearer. They were quite a site, and such appeals to the Daimyo's vanity were sure to win their attention.
2. Such costumes cost money which meant if the Daimyo was spending money on his wardrobe he wasn't spending it on building an army -- something the Shogun was keen to encourage. (The former not the latter that is...)
3. Moving quickly in such a costume is almost impossible with the result that most hot headed and easily offended Daimyo would refrain from engaging in sword play if they were unsure of their ability to move quickly. As it was a capital offense to draw you sword within the Shogun's castle such physical restrictions helped to enforce the social restrictions.
These were considered ceremonial uniforms, but there was method to this costuming madness.
Below is a print form the Kabuki Theatre of a Samurai Lord wearing a daimon. He has removed his arms from the sleeves so as to better use his swords. You can see the long nagabakama he is wearing -- not an easy uniform to move in at all, let alone quickly or in combat.
Quote:That's interesting about the colour red, I always thought it was to hide blood, or to be intimidating to the enemy.
In a way, you could say it is intimidating as it would be difficult to tell exactly how many there were, and the impression is of a blur of red approaching. I imagine when the red is set against greener fields or landscape on a bright and sunny day, the effect would be quite startling.
[Tarbicus Wrote "They only started wearing bearskins after Waterloo, after capturing them from the French Grenadiers they defeated. They even took their name as well
"]
The British Foot Guards did not defeat the French Foot Grenadiers of the Guard at Waterloo. Maitland’s Guards were engaged against the French Chasseurs a pied( 1/3, 2/3 and 4th rgt ). The French Foot Grenadiers of the Guard were defeated by a combination of British and Dutch Line infantry and artillery. Both the French Chasseurs and Grenadiers of the Guard wore Bearskins so I can see where the confusion may have arisen from the time of the battle.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Interesting. You do realise the Grenadier Guards themselves say otherwise:
Quote:At this point Napoleon directed his final assault with fresh troops - the Imperial Guard, which had hitherto been maintained in reserve. That assault was utterly defeated, and, in honour of their defeat of the Grenadiers of the French Imperial Guard, the 1st Guards were made a Regiment of Grenadiers and given the title of "First or Grenadier Regiment of Foot Guards" which they bear to this day. The Grenade was adopted as a badge and the Bearskin Cap was worn after Waterloo.
http://www.army.mod.uk/grenadier/histor ... istory.htm