CHG April - 2011 Tunisia Desert Event Photos - Italian Unit

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Gregorio
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CHG April - 2011 Tunisia Desert Event Photos - Italian Unit

Post by Gregorio »

Link below to photos from the Italian 5th Bersaglieri unit web page, taken of the CHG April, 2011 Tunisian Battle Event.

April 2011 Tunisia Battle Photos Link: http://home.earthlink.net/~frenchgreg/id1.html

The California Historical Group's 2nd 2011 DESERT BATTLE date has been tentatively set for this fall, on the weekend of September 23rd to 25th. It will be held at the same location as the past few years, the Stoddard Valley ORV Park.......near Barstow, California. :wink:


Link to CHG Desert Event Web Page: http://www.chgww2.net/desert

Italian Unit Web Page Link: http://home.earthlink.net/~frenchgreg/index.html
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hummern4
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Re: CHG April - 2011 Tunisia Desert Event Photos - Italian Unit

Post by hummern4 »

Looking really good!

Regards from Sweden!
LAUF
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Re: CHG April - 2011 Tunisia Desert Event Photos - Italian Unit

Post by LAUF »

Nice!
Just one thing:
we were horribly desperate in Africa, so I think you should fade and ruin your uniforms, because they look too new for this situation.
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Gregorio
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Re: CHG April - 2011 Tunisia Desert Event Photos - Italian Unit

Post by Gregorio »

Yes, I agree, I am always telling the soldati that they look toooo.....new! But then, four or five of them are new to the unit and all of their kit is new, and we had just received the new Bersaglieri pattern ammo pouches in a big unit order from the vender.....so they all looked brand new!

I do tell them that......"A Bersagliere in the desert would have had a dusty, worn and faided uniform, but his bayonet would be sharp and his carbine clean!" But trying to get guys who just spent good money on their uniforms and gear to half way destroy them to look correct...usually does not meet with a positive and quick response. :wink: We are working on the finer points of the impression!

I personally leave my tunic out in the sun over the summer, I buy my cotton uniform kit in a larger size and wash it over and over, then I power sand all of the hems, pocket flaps & corners, then I put a dirty water wash over the exterior, let it dry, the dry brush it off and them seal it with some fabric protector. I beat up, lightly sand and oil my leather gear, and nick and scuff up the helmet edges. I even tell them to sew cloth repair patches on their trousers, which some of them have done. I am working on the men to get the "Desert Look" correct!

Regards e'Ciao,

Gregg
CHG 5th Bersaglieri Unit Leader
supermario
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Re: CHG April - 2011 Tunisia Desert Event Photos - Italian Unit

Post by supermario »

As always Gregg, we love what you guys do over there. Looking excellent.

Must agree with you on the 'Look' though. We always get the look of horror when we say, you need to kick that about a bit, get it torn and raggy. I personally took a sander to my Folgore unifomr, along with some real lemon juice in a atomiser spray , liberally sprayed the shoulders and pockets, then left it out in the sun for a week. As soon as i get to a show, i start building fires and collecting wood etc, to get it as grubby and lived in as much as i can. A few days not shaving, and late nights makes us look as close to the real thing as we can get (One of my best moments was when a serving Soldier in the British Army said to me and one of the other guys 'Now thats what a combat soldier looks like!)

It must be a phenomina that WW2 Italian reenactors desire to look like crap,. :)

Neil
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Gregorio
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Re: CHG April - 2011 Tunisia Desert Event Photos - Italian Unit

Post by Gregorio »

Hello Neil,

Lemon Juice.......I will have to remember that one! For our upcoming September desert event....

my main goal is to get the soldati to look like men who have been in the desert...for more than ten minutes. Since we have no access to the more glamorous unit reenacting items like Italian WW 2 vehicles, ect., it really comes down to the individual persona and impression. Most of them are getting the idea.

There does seem to be no problem with getting them to agree to not shave there faces for a few days! :wink:

Our September desert battle will be hosted by our newest CHG unit, the British Long Range Desert Group. They have a great bunch of restored vehicles, and seem to enjoy chasing the Italians through the wadis and hills of our desert playground! I sure wish we had an AB-42!

LRDG Unit Web Page Link: http://www.lrdg.org/

Regards e-Ciao,

Gregg
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gebirgs soldat
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Location: Los Angeles CALIFORNIA

Re: CHG April - 2011 Tunisia Desert Event Photos - Italian Unit

Post by gebirgs soldat »

Greg... yes my truppen need to grub up their tropical uniforms for the next event! Let's get together and have a pre-event bbq!
"Alte Soldaten Sterben Nicht" - "Old Soldiers Never Die"

Walter Ritter
4te Kompanie, 98th GJR
California Historical Group (CHG)
L.A., California
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Gregorio
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Re: CHG April - 2011 Tunisia Desert Event Photos - Italian Unit

Post by Gregorio »

Hello Walt,

You going to the Pacific event in June? Maybe we can talk then. I will be fighting for Nippon...again! :wink:

Gregg
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