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Saturday 17 March 2012

Sepia Saturday 117 - Scouts;

Scouts is a difficult meme for me, no photos, nothing, nobody past or present has been a scout. My middle daughter had once a go at cadets in her first years at Maclean Highschool. Nothing has come out of it not even a photo. As far as I know my father did not like organised obedience. He hated it when he had to do his obligatory military training and also the successive  trainings every year for three weeks and after 40 for 2 weeks.  My daughters never showed any interest to be a  "Browny" what the girls were called in those day I have a nephew he has refused to do military training and service and had to something else, like community service. Before that many went to jail which was the only option if you did not do military service. For the females it was optitional.
I remember the scouts in Switzerland, they were little busy bodies feeling very important in their khaki uniforms and big hats. In lieu of the missing scout pictures I post some from the early years of military service of my dad.


I do not know the year of  this picture, but I know it was  in the second  world war, when all Swiss men had to go and defend the borders. Here he was in the cooking brigade, I think he did not mind it because he liked cooking! He always cooked on Sunday for us. My dad is right at the edge of the picture.
It looks like there were a few more which were not amused.



My mother with some  Swiss soldiers;  No clue why they are here, I guess my mother might have cooked for them. My father is not in this picture. He might have taken the picture. 
To me it looks rather odd, at that time it must have been  serious.


Here in front my father not wearing his uniform, why? His hands in his pockets, a very big no no; standing there not very elegantly  but very sure of himself.
No clue when or why?

This is my contribution of uniformed men, hope you enjoy.



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18 comments:

  1. Wonderful pictures. I am also curious about the last one. Perhaps they were all seeing your father off.

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  2. What strikes me as odd about your mother surrounded by the soldiers is that she's in a chair. I like the photos of your dad -- handsome man!

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  3. I thought too he might be standing that way to assert his return to civilian life, but perhaps he was just arriving, as you said...

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  4. The first picture reminded me of peeling potatoes in the army. In the last, perhaps he had lost his belt and braces.

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    1. Ah, Bob, I did not think of the belt and braces, peeling potatoes, yes!

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  5. Your father was so handsome. I think in the last photo he was on his way to hollywood!
    Nancy

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  6. How lovely that you have such interesting photos of your Dad. I do like his assertive stance in the last photo.

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  7. These are fascinating to see. The uniform, to this uneducated eye, look so similar to German uniforms. Glad to said they were Swiss. Your father was indeed a handsome man.

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    1. Tattered and Lost; I am not good with uniforms either, but I think at that time they looked similar like today with the jungle look!

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  8. Amazing photos and such a handsome father. Thanks for sharing these!

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  9. For someone who starts out by saying it is going to be a difficult subject for you, you do amazingly well and give us a post that is overflowing with interest and history and which is a pleasure to read.

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  10. Barbara and Nancy, Very good, he would have liked that!

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