Living history: Wearing replica medals

[balaklava]

Greetings. When portraying a fighting man of days gone by (perhaps 150 years of days gone by) what do those "in the know who study this period in time" think about wearing replicas of the LSGC medal ? Various replica campaign medals ? The VC, replica of course ? Should these simply be displayed where the public can see them and the uniformed living historian(s) explain them as they relate to the portrayal ?

Cheers, Johnnie, 93rd Highlanders 1812-1858.

[The RQM]

As a reenactor myself I would never wear a For Gallantry medal. I don't see a problem with Campaign medals that fit the time period your doing and some groups award replica LSGC medals for exactly that.
Displaying of all of the above in a case seems like a good chance to educate. It can be interesting to put together a replica medal group for a particular soldier.
PM me for an interesting story about an encounter between a real British vet and a "reenactor" if you like.

[QSVC]

Hello,

I'd agree with Stan, I personally don't think there's a time and place for gallantry medals however long ago, for me thats part of that whole walk a mile in my shoes thing but campaign medals can be part of a story.....they can be used to justify the existence of a particular unit and give it context, they can be used to justify the service life of a veteran telling a story, etc so they'd need to be researched but it sounds very much that you've done that.

But I don't wear my own medals though for much the same reason, they're out of context with the uniform I'm in.

Robert

[Philip Wilson]

There maybe merit in wearing just the medal ribbons on a medal ribbon bar - far cheaper than any replica medals. I agree with others steer clear of gallantry awards. On campaign service medals may have been left with kit elsewhere.

Philip

[Hesmond]

One issue I have found and that's after being a reenactor for over 35 years , is that at a recent history weekend in France there were some superb 1870 French Reenactors ,only problem was every member of the unit were sporting a full complement of medals from Crimea , Italy , Mexico and various North African campaines and Indo China ! Even the ladies !

[Chasseurs]

This issue has been raised a number of times on various fora in other time periods. Respecting anyones views on this personnaly I never wear any medal on any uniform whatsoever. that is a personnal choice. The closest I ever came was that I wore a sort of "ribbon badge" that had the name of our living history group on it! I usually have the medals up for display, togethe with other items from the period I portray at that moment.
Guy

[colsjt65]

I personally wear LSGC medal on my tunic.
I was awarded it by the group when I was old enough to have served the required period in the 'real' regiment. I would never wear a gallantry medal. Also the regiment I reenact was in New Zealand so long no other-rank would have been in any earlier campaign (unless they had transferred, of course) The New Zealand medal wasn't awarded till 1869, so we don't get to wear that even, because 'we' left in 1865.
Public sometimes ask me about the medal, so I reply with my standard quip - "it's for 21 years of not getting caught."

[Waggoner]

While not a re-enactor myself, I would not have a problem with someone wearing a replica medal that was appropriate to the occasion.

All the best,

Gary

[Hesmond]

My issue is not the wearing of a medal which would have been expected to have seen and worn at the time ,it's when a small unit of 10 Reenactors each display a chest full of medals? The odd LSGC ,a campaign medal ,which fits the age of the wearer and period served .

[Mark]

While I am against people wearing medals that they are not entitled to I see absolutely no problem with re-enactors wearing medals as part of their living history activities. That said I would, of course, expect the medals to be correct and appropriate for the period/unit being portrayed. It is no different to an actor wearing medals as part of a costume on TV or in a movie - although I would hope re-enactors are more accurate than Hollywood!

Mark

[zuluneil]

An interesting slant on this,which I wholly subscribe to, in the Diehard Company, we are only allowed to wear the ribbon if we have represented the company in that campaign theatre. So, those who have done Zululand with the company can wear the ribbon of the South Africa medal on the home service uniform, those members who partook in the Four Feathers filming are eligible to wear the Sudan and Khedives ribbon.

I do take umbridge at VC's, and campaign medals on uniforms which are historically incorrect, likewise self appointed ranks, as though it has the appearance of superiority.
Simple.

[QSVC]

Hello,

With re-enactment attracting larger numbers in the UK and US, perhaps the fringe element (hard to believe that in a fringe element, there is a fringe element) is larger, but in Australia I can't recall this being a problem or an anomaly in my re-enacting lifetime worth commenting rather than merely shaking the head excepting one or two circumstances in 36 years.

Wearing of period decorations among any Commonwealth portrayal is minimal, ribbon bars on occasion if at all.......and they're likely to be subtle.

I cannot imagine a scenario generally where the wearing of a VC is tolerable, or any gallantry decoration for that matter.

Robert

[psc945]

I don't believe anyone should wear a medal they did not earn, however in the acting out of scenario's and portraying those who valiantly fought and those who died it is part of the history and best reflects their contribution if they are portrayed wearing the awards they earned.
There is a difference between 'Acting' to portray the person in any 'Living History' and ceremonial or remembrance displays, I would never wear any medals for a ceremony, or remembrance, unless they are my own, or relatives medals ( obviously worn on the opposite side.)
It is basic respect, but I do accept many will do it through mainly ignorance not necessarily disrespect.

Paul C

[Mark]

I don't believe anyone should wear a medal they did not earn, however in the acting out of scenario's and portraying those who valiantly fought and those who died it is part of the history and best reflects their contribution if they are portrayed wearing the awards they earned.
There is a difference between 'Acting' to portray the person in any 'Living History' and ceremonial or remembrance displays, I would never wear any medals for a ceremony, or remembrance, unless they are my own, or relatives medals ( obviously worn on the opposite side.)
It is basic respect, but I do accept many will do it through mainly ignorance not necessarily disrespect.

Paul C

Spot on, Paul!

Mark