[Dutch508]

Hello all,
The reenacting unit that I belong to out of Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas is starting up a WWII Black Watch unit. Our first uniform will be of the 2nd Battalion, Black Watch in Crete, 1941.

We will be holding an event in Western Nebraska in the summer of 2010 with the scenario of the defense of Meleme aerodrome. Although this one fight in the battle was primarily New Zealand troops (21st, 22nd, and 23rd NZ Infantry battalions), for the reenactment we will have New Zealand, Australian, and British platoons.

For this uniform the soldiers of 2nd Battalion wore a mix of wool battledress and Khaki Drill.

Tam with red hackel, or tin pot
Khaki shirt
KD trousers or shorts
Wool jacket and trousers '37 or '40 pattern optional
Ammo boots
Short putees
'37 webbing

Although very few wore the kilt into combat in WWII, it is an optional dress uniform piece.

Anyone intrested in recreating the Black Watch in WWII or in this proposed event, fell free to PM me.

[Urchurdan]

Any pics???

[Bigkahuna]

There is a group in the Northeast already doing the 7Th Batt. of The Black Watch. They have a very informative website that you might like to look at.

[Bigkahuna]

Their web site is www.the-black-watch-lha.org Hope this helps.

[###KILTEDKIWI###]

with the scenario of the defense of Meleme aerodrome. Although this one fight in the battle was primarily New Zealand troops (21st, 22nd, and 23rd NZ Infantry battalions), for the reenactment we will have New Zealand, Australian, and British platoons.

Would be interested to see how this will be done, as the defenders shot so many of them as they were parachuting in...they got an absolute mauling in the first few days, with whole units wiped out almost to the man, as far as I can recall.

And they only captured the air field because the NZer's had mistakingly withdrawn in the middle of the night...

But hey, good luck, hope it goes well.

Phil C

Oh I forgot, Charles Upham, got his first VC for an attack on the airfield, among other things.

(ripped this from Wiki)

...He commanded a forward platoon in the attack on MALEME on 22nd May and fought his way forward for over 3,000 yards unsupported by any other arms and against a defence strongly organised in depth. During this operation his platoon destroyed numerous enemy posts but on three occasions sections were temporarily held up.

In the first case, under a heavy fire from a machine gun nest he advanced to close quarters with pistol and grenades, so demoralizing the occupants that his section was able to "mop up" with ease.

Another of his sections was then held up by two machine guns in a house. He went in and placed a grenade through a window, destroying the crew of one machine gun and several others, the other machine gun being silenced by the fire of his sections.

In the third case he crawled to within 15 yards of an M.G. post and killed the gunners with a grenade.

When his Company withdrew from MALEME he helped to carry a wounded man out under fire, and together with another officer rallied more men together to carry other wounded men out...

[ccga3359]

Originally Posted by Dutch508

Although very few wore the kilt into combat in WWII, it is an optional dress uniform piece.

Unfortunately you'll not find any evidence of the Black Watch wearing kilts into battle in WWII. As part of the battledress that ended in the Great War. As a re-enactor I'm sure you're aware of What Price Glory and their battledress wares.

[Jock Scot]

Originally Posted by ccga3359

Unfortunately you'll not find any evidence of the Black Watch wearing kilts into battle in WWII. As part of the battledress that ended in the Great War. As a re-enactor I'm sure you're aware of What Price Glory and their battledress wares.

I stand to be corrected here, but I think The Cameron Highlanders claim to be the last regiment in the British army to wear the kilt in battle. It was in France in 1940, the Cameron museum has a kilt on display from that battle, complete with battle scars at the hip.

[cajunscot]

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

I stand to be corrected here, but I think The Cameron Highlanders claim to be the last regiment in the British army to wear the kilt in battle. It was in France in 1940, the Cameron museum has a kilt on display from that battle, complete with battle scars at the hip.

Spot on, Jock.

T.

[ccga3359]

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

I stand to be corrected here, but I think The Cameron Highlanders claim to be the last regiment in the British army to wear the kilt in battle. It was in France in 1940, the Cameron museum has a kilt on display from that battle, complete with battle scars at the hip.

Just goes to show, ya can't keep a good Scotsman doon.

[dougieheath]

hello there. my old man, John Heath, was at malamy (how he spelled it) with the 2nd.Batt. BW. He stuck his Bren in the fork of a tree and kept firing at paratroopers in the air; changed out five barrels due to overheating. I'd like very much to see any photos of this re-enactment. cheers, Dougie