The Wipers Times
'Complaining that the accents were not correct is a bit pointless when you read in ORAC's link' - ok, I wasn't going to put anything more on about this, but I can't let that go unchallenged. Yes, some accents have changed, but I knew my grandad well and clearly remember how he spoke. If anything, it's a strongly, more defined accent that stems from the very close environment of mining communities. So, no, it's not pointless and, yes, it matters as much as the correct look of the uniforms.
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Can anybody educate me as to the meaning of the cloth type flash that was on the back of some of the uniforms. Just below the collar line, looked like a blue background with a vertical line - was it a badge of rank or other?
I'm pretty sure that was some sort of formation sign, such as indicating the brigade or division they were serving in, as opposed to their regiment which was indicated by the cap badge. Certainly not a rank badge. I'll need to ask a chum who's an acknowledged expert on these matters - no doubt he'll know.
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For a different view, it was well played but surely a bastard son of Oh What a Lovely War. which had all those marvellous and evocative songs,
Last edited by ColinB; 13th Sep 2013 at 23:37.
The Wipers Times was one of many irreverent publications. More recently I remember the eagerly-awaited Deserter Times produced in PSAB c 2001-2. It was a brilliant piece of parody which wound up the US leadership on base, including the interestingly-named Brig Gen Gilmary Michael Hostage III. His antics provided the inspiration for much of the copy!
Uncovered: lost British accents from prison camps of first world war | World news | theguardian.com
Ref ORAC's Post 15, the above link has some examples of the WW1 recordings. I'm not sure about the other recordings, but in the one of the Aberdeen guy reading the Parable of the Talents the accent is easily recognisable as one spoken in country areas of Aberdeenshire today. Any readers got memories of the culture shock of the first meeting with locals at RAF Buchan?
Ref ORAC's Post 15, the above link has some examples of the WW1 recordings. I'm not sure about the other recordings, but in the one of the Aberdeen guy reading the Parable of the Talents the accent is easily recognisable as one spoken in country areas of Aberdeenshire today. Any readers got memories of the culture shock of the first meeting with locals at RAF Buchan?
Last edited by alwayslookingup; 14th Sep 2013 at 11:37.
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One would imagine a lot of copies ended up wiping some ones bottom..
Didn't see the program but I have a feeling that the marks on the backs of uniforms might have been for unit identification from the air by low flying recce aircraft.
Have seen a similar thing with metal triangles.
On the Notts accent I was born just north of Nottingham and at one point we were given elocution lessons as it had been determined by the gods that we spoke the worst english in the country and were in need of help. Red Lorry, Yellow Lorry, Red Lorry, Yellow Lorry, I remember it well and also the fact that it did not last long.
"Mam Ive lost me shot, I took it off to play causey edge and a dog ran off with it down jitty"
Mother I have lost my shirt, I had removed it to play a ball game involving bouncing a ball off a pavement edge when a dog ran off with it down a an access reserved for pedestrians and cyclists.
After a couple of years in the military while on leave, a girl I went to school with was heard to say "Don't he talk posh". Even strong accents wear thin if not practiced.
Have seen a similar thing with metal triangles.
On the Notts accent I was born just north of Nottingham and at one point we were given elocution lessons as it had been determined by the gods that we spoke the worst english in the country and were in need of help. Red Lorry, Yellow Lorry, Red Lorry, Yellow Lorry, I remember it well and also the fact that it did not last long.
"Mam Ive lost me shot, I took it off to play causey edge and a dog ran off with it down jitty"
Mother I have lost my shirt, I had removed it to play a ball game involving bouncing a ball off a pavement edge when a dog ran off with it down a an access reserved for pedestrians and cyclists.
After a couple of years in the military while on leave, a girl I went to school with was heard to say "Don't he talk posh". Even strong accents wear thin if not practiced.
Last edited by ericferret; 14th Sep 2013 at 17:24.
Aahh, accents,
I was born and bred in the region of north Staffordshire, just outside of Brummijum (Birmingham). I left my little village to join the RAF in 1969, and never returned until last year. On arrival at Halton I was initially entitled "Brummy" Smith, due to my accent. This later became Smudge when the rest understood what I was saying. Throughout my service career, of 30 years, somehow or other and wherever I roamed, I always had a mate who was from Yorkshire. It was no surprise then, when attending a reunion with my old school chums, from the village in 69, last year, when they all said, "where did you get that Yorkshire accent from". It was a very pleasant question as I was expecting the ubiquitous "don't you talk posh".
Smudge
I was born and bred in the region of north Staffordshire, just outside of Brummijum (Birmingham). I left my little village to join the RAF in 1969, and never returned until last year. On arrival at Halton I was initially entitled "Brummy" Smith, due to my accent. This later became Smudge when the rest understood what I was saying. Throughout my service career, of 30 years, somehow or other and wherever I roamed, I always had a mate who was from Yorkshire. It was no surprise then, when attending a reunion with my old school chums, from the village in 69, last year, when they all said, "where did you get that Yorkshire accent from". It was a very pleasant question as I was expecting the ubiquitous "don't you talk posh".
Smudge
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The well know South American river book shop has "The Wipers Times: The Complete Series of the Famous Wartime Trench Newspaper".
The book has been re-released to tie in with the programme.
The book has been re-released to tie in with the programme.
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Have it recorded and watched about 20 minutes of it at the time.
Given the mindless bilge that passes for TV these days, it was uplifting to watch something that didn't leave me wanting a swift chunder.
Please can we have many more programs like this!
Given the mindless bilge that passes for TV these days, it was uplifting to watch something that didn't leave me wanting a swift chunder.
Please can we have many more programs like this!
Last edited by The Old Fat One; 15th Sep 2013 at 17:48.
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I recall reading a book on WWI about the metal triangles were used for ID reasons but it also helped German machine gunners pick out the troops from the reflections.
I believe these and the colours patches were to help units to keep together and stop "Tommy Atkins" from following the units on his flanks.
I believe these and the colours patches were to help units to keep together and stop "Tommy Atkins" from following the units on his flanks.
I believe these and the colours patches were to help units to keep together and stop "Tommy Atkins" from following the units on his flanks.
The metal triangles were issued to troops prior to the Battle of the Somme and were attached to the back of the pack. The idea being that the sun would glint on the metal and allow observers to work out how far the attacking troops had advanced. A reasonable idea bearing in mind that once attacking troops had left the front line communications were problematic to say the least.
I'm not sure that we've got any nearer deciding what the small cloth patch immediately below the collar at the rear of the officer's jacket stood for, though I bow to Tankertrashnav's superior knowledge in these matters that it indicated the formation (Brigade, Division?) of the wearer.
It was so small that it would have no tactical value, even on the ground let alone from the air. If it did indicate the formation, then it would have been common throughout the British Army then, surely? I've never come across it before. Could it have been a "Sherwood Foresters" device? Certain Regiments wear a cap badge front and rear because of heroic past deeds. Could this be such a regimental historical device? Like TomJoad, I've no idea but I bet someone here does, or knows someone else who does...
It was so small that it would have no tactical value, even on the ground let alone from the air. If it did indicate the formation, then it would have been common throughout the British Army then, surely? I've never come across it before. Could it have been a "Sherwood Foresters" device? Certain Regiments wear a cap badge front and rear because of heroic past deeds. Could this be such a regimental historical device? Like TomJoad, I've no idea but I bet someone here does, or knows someone else who does...
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One would have thought it would indicate an officer as a rally point on a battlefield after all they tended to follow them, is it not similar to WW2 where officers had white stripes on the back of their helmets to delineate them from the rest of the bods, without making them a target?
Remember they had whistles, so hearing one you would then look around for a source, and a badge would help.
Remember they had whistles, so hearing one you would then look around for a source, and a badge would help.
Last edited by NutLoose; 15th Sep 2013 at 21:23.