Back into reenactment

I'll be deploying with the 2nd Battalion 84th Regiment Royal Highland Emigrants as their drummer.

future piper

practing with my Japanese friend Hideki

Emi's 18th century clothes. She will portray a servant in the service of the officers. 

Leena in her aunt's clothes which her aunt wore back in the 1990s as a little girl

Ian in my original coat from 1985

Preparing for another Typhoon

Twice in little over a week. The Japan Meteorological Agency is still confused with the direction, either this storm is going to hit Kyushu, and then Korea, or it will hit Kyushu, then hit the rest of main land. The strength is going between weak to the strongest yet this year, on the strength of the one that hit the Philippines last year.

As such, I have boil in the bag currys, pasta which I can also boil up, Ritz crackers, and we'll eat what ever is in the freezer when the power cuts out. If it does.

Pictures of kit

 you can barely see the golf range between the houses but that area of Kamagaya is under an evacuation order. It was damaged last week in the storm. They are afraid that with the winds, it will collapse!

my two bags of ememergency clothes packed, with enough for my wife and kids.

 combat vest with stove, two sets, forest for me, desert for either my sons or wife.

extra candle lantern 

Japanese emergency kit bag, always on the upstairs landing.

emergency rations more rations 

 more rations and tea.

 even more rations, canned food. We've kept canned food on store since 3/11.

Within our closet, we also have a tent which can sleep 6, plus I have a poncho for one, plus camping stoves, cooking kit on top of what I have in my kit. 

The typhoon was a whimper to what it was. 

2014 DPM uniform updates

It's taken me some time but I have been able to get a pair of trousers, combat shirt, t-shirt and new Bush Hat in DPM.

The first item I was able to get were my trousers. I ordered these with my DPM NBC suit back in the summer of 2011, in order to protect myself from potential radiation during the rainy season, due to the unpleasant affects of the 3/11 2011 Tohoku Earthquake.


I was also able to get a DPM t-shirt, then

eventually this year I was able to get a Soldier 95 DPM Combat shirt. I was also able to get rank slip ons for my band rank, and my status as a civilian instructor with students here in Japan.

Recently, I was able to visit the Nakata Shoten surplus shop in Ueno, Tokyo. I was able to get a DPM bush hat in a digital pattern. I will see if I can get the regular one when I'm next able to visit that part of the city.

 Desert DPM combat shirt, and a DPM Combat shirt, with a digital printed DPM bush hat and DPM covered knee pads, for when I cycle.

 The DPM combat shirt with Drum Major rank, which I held as a appointment in the 2nd Battalion, 84th Regiment, Royal Highland Emigrants.

 Desert DPM with Union Jack and rank. I bought his at Nakata Shoden, a surplus store in Ueno, Ameyocho 

 My knee pads and bush hat. I've had to stop cycling for a while for two reasons. First, it's typhoon season, and my spokes and rear tire are out of order again!

I may have to wait until spring to cycle again, or wait until I get paid next month and repair it.

I then found another surplus shop in Akihabara, and got two British DPM bush hats, one in desert pattern, the other in green. My son didn't like the digital pattern one, so that will no doubt find its way to my dad. Pictures to follow

Saint Patrick's Day in Japan 2013

It's a beautiful sunny Sunday in Japan. Though there is a big parade in Tokyo, I won't be going as it's about 90 minutes from here,and too many people.

 Ian and I in our last parade back in 2010

 Our first and last Saint Patrick's Day parade in Tokyo together.

As much fun as I had drumming with the Tokyo Pipeband, I'm too busy with other things to be with a group of Japanese musicians who take it too seriously.

So, my little boy and I went out to a park to play

Then we decided to play outside kicking a soccer ball. I wore my Ulster Defence Regiment beret and my DPM jacket with the 107 (Ulster) Brigade badge. Now to those out there who may think I'm some fellow who chooses sides in the Troubles, I DONT! I grew up in Nova Scotia, CANADA, however, my relatives who were left in Northern Ireland were targeted by republicians as they served food and drink to British troops, because they were human beings!
My mothers people came from Nairn, Scotland to Prince Edward Island in 1803. As well, I have ancestors who were from Ulster, Peppards. They were Protestants, Presbeterians to be exact.
My father's people came from Ennis, Co. Clare. I was raised Presbeterian, my wife and children were baptised in the Church of England. I'm proud of my Irish and Scottish heritage. I am not proud of the senseless violence which still takes place in Northern Ireland. I have a UDR cap badge because I view those soldiers with respect. They had a huge job trying to maintain peace, order and good government, which is many ethos of what Canadians stand for. I was never in this regiment, but was able to purchase the cap badge, beret and jacket from cadetdirect.com.

For dinner we then had potatoes, cabbage and pork.
A nice day to celebrate our Irish heritage.

Cycling and Camping gear Volume 2

This shot shows what I like to wear when I go camping. On the left I have my woodland camoflage pattern vest, centre are my DPM t-shirt and trousers, on the right, my faded Eddie Bauer bush hat as well as an Eddie Bauer flannel shirt. From a distance, the flannel shirt looks like it's in a military camoflauge pattern but actually, it's a duck hunting scence with dogs and ducks. Rather comfy. On the far left is my kit bag my wife bought me for Christmas.

My hot weather gear I wear for camping and cycling. At the top, I have a British forces issue towel, Canadian Forces issue summer combat trousers, which I bought close to 20 years ago from an army surplus store in Nova Scotia. My bush hat again. Centre are my British army desert DPM pattern trousers, and t-shirt. Then we have another Eddie Bauer item, a pair of shorts, which look like camoflage but are actually a pattern of many differnt trees and leaves.

My wolly-putty sweater which me Mum sent me from Canada. I added the RA TRF as I was a paid reenactor with Parks Canada back in 1995 as a member of the 3rd Bde. Royal Artillery who were the gunners garrisoned at the Halifax Citadel at the same time as the 78th Highlanders (1869-71). My NBC suit is a Mk II British Forces issue. After the Fukushimi-Dainichi accident last year, there were fears that with the rainy season, the rain would be contaminated with radiation. As a precaution, I bought myself this suit to wear while cycling.

My current rain gear consists of a DPM bergan cover (on the bottom), an AFV balaklava, an ex Highlanders balmoral which I added the current TRF of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. I couldn't find one of The Highlanders or Seaforths. The 78th Highlanders were merged into the Seaforth Highlanders in 1881, becoming their 2nd Battalion. The other DPM item is a nylon rain suit which I picked up from a shop called "Workman" which supplies construction workers or those working outside in Japan. The packinging read Green Camoflage. I wear this under the NBC suit as an added layer during the late winter and spring. On the left, is my new small day sack which my wife got for me at Christmas.  As I cycle in Japan, I usually get stared at, as I seem to be the only foreigner who cycles to my job in this area. My feeling is, if you are going to stare, have a reason. Though cycling by the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Base does make for fun as the armed sentries try to figure out who I am. Though I have chatted to one of their officers who was outside picking up trash. All these items I have collected either via http://www.cadetdirect.com/, or Eddie Bauer. Incidently, Eddie Bauer seems to be the only clothing shop which sells large sizes for non-Japanese. When my waist size got to the point where their largest size was still too small, I decided to begin cycling to work. It's paid off, as I can now buy clothes from them again.

My rain & snow gear

Despite the Tokyo region being as far south as it is, relative to where I'm from in Nova Scotia, Canada, we do get snow from time to time. This winter we've had about 4 snowfalls. Yesterday was the biggest yet, at a paltry 15cm! Back home that's just flurries with slight accumlation.

My gear consists of a British Army issue Balaclava for AFV crews, a Mk II DPM NBC suit (because of Fukushima Dainichi blowing up, we're not sure if the rain is not radioactive) and beneath that, a nylon camoflage suit.

In Japan, I'm always stared at as I'm a foreigner. My feeling is, if you want to stare, have a reason. Nothing like going on the train in this stuff, or showing up at my schools. My students and teachers all think I look cool, though I'm not trying to invade anywhere.
The nylon suit I picked up at a Japanese shot called Workman, and my other military gear comes from the excellent British company www.cadetdirect.com which sells British and NATO gear.

I`m calm, I`m at peace, I`m enlightened