Carry on up the Khyber

[sebastian Inkerman]

Just missing shako badge and webbing although I do have a White belt with the correct buckle. I will have the shako by March, full webbing may not be forthcoming until I've managed to take a pattern from Mr. Harrow's set

[Herr Döktor]

Everything bar the webbing and full sporran.

Though I may make a comedy sporran with three shaving brushes and crossed cut-throat razors.

And if Mr. Inkerman is kind enough, I will also probably take advantage of Mr. Harrow's webbing.

[Dr cornelius quack]

What!!!?

You're going to dangle a couple of cut-throat razors in the vicinity of your Sporran regions?

You've got some balls!!

(For the time being.)

[Herr Döktor]

Hopefully, that's from where the comedy will arise.

But nothing else.

[Dr cornelius quack]

Hmmm??

Just don't have a strop if things 'cut up rough.'

[Herr Döktor]

It's one way to 'razor' laugh!

[Mécanicien de Vapeur]

Could I ask a favour of the rest of the regiment?  Could the members of the 3rd F&M who have the complete kit, including Slade Wallace white webbing, military sporran and badge for the helmet let themselves be known? Or let us know what kit you have so far and what you are likely/hoping to have by March 4th? Thanks...

I now have:
tunic, kilt, day sporran, pith, shako badge, hose tops, gaiters, belt.

Don't have:
Slade-Wallace webbing

[Mr Peter Harrow, Esq]

Everything except Pith badge and full sporran, of course I also have the clockwork sporran. There is such great comedy potential with Sporrans.

I will bring my webbing, we can have a session where we can look towards creating patterns for replication and look towards adding an expansion for my use.

[TimeTinker]

Greetings Foot & Mouth

Sincere apologies for the delays in sorting this.

We had some problems with the Grand and availability of the dining room for a Khyber dinner so are reverting to our initial plan.

The intention is to establish a new "Governor's Residence" in the form of Plas Colwyn, Beddgelert, Snowdonia which is ideally situated in between Watkins Path (The Pass) and Portmerion.

http://www.plascolwyn.co.uk/

This is a huge house which has six double bedrooms, two twin rooms and one bunked room. There is also scope for two additional beds or some child beds too.

The plan is:  Arrive Friday night. Large pots of chilli (meat and veggie) on the go for a hot meal.  Watch the movie.  Relax and socialise.

Saturday.  After a substantial breakfast and some basic drill in the gardens we will travel to Watkins Path and stage our commemorative march. (Lots of photo opportunities.)  I am hoping we may also transfer to the local water facility (which has the blue plaque) for a brief parade and press call in return for a charitable donation from them.

We can return to the House for activities such as discussions on kit and equipment, a frock froth and probably some tea duelling.   Saturday evening we will stage the first annual Khyber Dinner. (catering will be based on my days of the Raj cookbook "jottings from madras".)

Sunday is a travel to Portmerion and explore day.  A chance to "prisoner" up if anyone wishes.  They are offering free admission for individuals who download a pass during march saving £9.

http://www.portmeirion-village.com/uploads/publications/243.pdf

Some people will want to travel home on Sunday but the house is ours until Monday morning so we can have a pleasant evening/dead dog party and meal on Sunday evening.

This will work out cheaper than the Grand at £85 per person including food.  Please bring alcohol to oil the wheels as it were. (Should save substantially on bar bills anyway.)

Places are of course more limited this way and we apologise for that.  Places can be reserved by emailling me at majortinker@aol.com. Payments can be made by paypal or arranged individually. (We are having to pay the full fees up front ourselves.)

Kit wise I have full uniform including slade wallace which we can examine and make patterns from.  I also have three rifles and hope to borrow a fourth.  I have a spare uniform too (except for kilt) to help out someone if required.

I hope that meets to everyone's requirements.

[sebastian Inkerman]

Thanks for the organisation Tinker, it's a shame the Grand is being difficult, but the original plan sounds like... well... a plan.

I still don't know what the Memsahib's working patterns will be for this, so at least one. I will e-mail you Tinker today or tomorrow at some point to arrange stuff... Also, can I respectfully request a non curry option for those of us that cannot abide it? Not that I want to offend or anything, but I just can't stomach the stuff in any form. I am of course happy to prepare my own food and for any others that require a substitute for the banquet rather than put anyone else out.

[TimeTinker]

Jottings from Madras is an original victorian book written by an Army officer looking to enjoy life in the Raj.  There are a great many recipes and menus within it and curry is a very minor part of it.  (The author does place emphasis on which is the best claret to serve with breakfast however.)  Happy to discuss the menu with you.  I have cooked from the book for non-curry eaters previously who have enjoyed it. (Probably because many of the recipes are truer to local cuisine rather than bastardised western fare.)  Remember a local delicacy of the Khyber region is fried fish and chips (although it is river fish rather than sea fish and the chips are cubes of potatoe)

[Mécanicien de Vapeur]

Sorry Major, the shift in base location means we'll probably have to drop out.  

Llandudno was doable by train for us (sensible and frequent train times and journey duration) allowing us most of the weekend to participate, but Beddgelert reduces train options and adds more travelling time to the point where we'd not have enough time left to enjoy what was left of the weekend.

[TimeTinker]

Happy to organise to collect you from the station and drop you back again.  We would have been expecting to car share for the jaunts from Llandudno in any case.  

Porthmadog is the closest station (15 minutes from the house) but the north coast line is also an option (e.g. Bangor - the same services as Llandudno) or we could arrange an RV en route somewhere.

Anyone esle travelling from across the UK may also be able to help with a partial lift.

[Capt. Dirigible]

Major, will be be travelling to the film location and Portmerion under our own steam, as it were? Using our own vehicles?

[TimeTinker]

We chose Beddgelert since it is 9.5 miles from Portmeirion and just 3 miles from Watkins Path.  We don't think we could have found a better located house.

Of course we will need to run out to visit each site and since there is car parking at both location it makes sense to use our own cars and share space where we can. 

I could look at a minibus or similar if people want but there will be an additional cost implication.

[Mr Peter Harrow, Esq]

The change in travel plans potentially affects me, I am going to have trouble taking any time off in March as this will be job interviews and office moves, i was anticipating travelling Friday and Sunday night, unless it is interviews the following Monday in which case I would have to cancel the weekend altogether to prepare.

Unfortunately they keep putting the job selection process back, but the deadline for the office move is the 8 April, they need to appoint team leaders, and the new team leaders need to be ready to interview the new team members by then so it is starting to squeeze this weekend in my schedule. I just wish it was over and done with frankly, I would prefer to know either way.

[TimeTinker]

We can drive you over on Friday evening but would be travelling back on Monday morning rather than Sunday night.

[Mr Peter Harrow, Esq]

Thanks for the offer Tink, but I have absolutely no idea whether I can take it up or not, its all rather shambolic at work, they were talking about slotting inform unique posts only for everyone to apply to slot in causing a re think of this part of the process suspending progeeee intil mid Feb but not changing the end date for the process

[Grumfoss]

Oh what time do you call this!!.... ruddy late thats what.
I can't believe that I have missed this thread. Got to get my kit together...panic panic

[sebastian Inkerman]

Confirmation that the Memsahib is not available that weekend. So it'll just be me, myself and I.

E-mail on the way Tink

[marcus cudworth]

Confirming attendence for parade in the pass with the whole familiy coming for the forign posting . Will 1870s webbing do at a push ?and last question has anyone a stock of shako plates need a 3rd one .Any ideas  TTFN Marcus

[Capt. Dirigible]

This was taken from a website called 'Deborah Lough Costumes'. It's a lady who, as the name suggests, makes historical/millitary costumes. One of her costumes is 'The 3rd Foot and Mouth'

Now..apparently she only made the tunic and it's an officer's tunic so bears little resemblance to the one we wear and she admits it was for fancy dress so authenticity and accuracy are not a concern but surely the sporran shouldn't be lower than the kilt hem?

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

http://www.deborahloughcostumes.com/footandmouth.html

[Just call me Rob]

I thought the rule was that kilts should sit on knee cap.
That chap appears to be wearing a mini skirt rather than a kilt, which could be the reason for the low hanging sporran.

[TimeTinker]

Pretty much how to look like a spanner in one easy lesson.  I would actually be embarrassed if anyone turned up looking so much like a fat bloke trying to be a school girl but pretending not to.  I actually know Debbie and think I recognise the guy in the picture and would have no qualms saying this to them directly either.

The kilt should be on the knee yes.  The sporran should not hang lower than the kilt.  Unfortunately the tunic doesn't fit him properly either, it is not tailored in to give him a waist and this is pulling the cutaway front into a shape resembling butterfly wings.  The austrian knots on the cuff should be further around the arms - they have been put on in the wrong position. 

When a kilt starts to look like a mini skirt that is just fetish wear.  It is not even comedic. In my opinion in any case.

Minor rant, apologies for that.

[Capt. Dirigible]

Pretty much how to look like a spanner in one easy lesson.  I would actually be embarrassed if anyone turned up looking so much like a fat bloke trying to be a school girl but pretending not to.  I actually know Debbie and think I recognise the guy in the picture and would have no qualms saying this to them directly either.

The kilt should be on the knee yes.  The sporran should not hang lower than the kilt.  Unfortunately the tunic doesn't fit him properly either, it is not tailored in to give him a waist and this is pulling the cutaway front into a shape resembling butterfly wings.  The austrian knots on the cuff should be further around the arms - they have been put on in the wrong position. 

When a kilt starts to look like a mini skirt that is just fetish wear.  It is not even comedic. In my opinion in any case.

Minor rant, apologies for that.

Sorry for getting your dander up, Major!