As a kid in the 1960s, I remember playing with my Dad’s Brodie helmet. I would put it on after he came home running around the house driving my Mother crazy. When the Canadian Army was in the process of converting to the US style helmet, he was one of the holdouts to the very end. Battle dress tunics and puttees seem out of place with the US helmet; I can see why my Dad was hesitant to give his up.
Hey, I’m gathering costumes for a short film! It would be super awesome if you made a video on SHIELD STRIKE agents from Winter Soldier, Avengers, and Agents of Shield! Just an idea since those uniforms have a lot of different parts and cool pieces, keep up the great vids!
While some may think that a pedantic point to raise, when one considers that this is a channel dedicated to the meticulous detailing of historical uniforms, such a statement is more than called for. Furthermore, Canadian veterans who fought under the Red Ensign in WWI, WWII, and Korea were outraged at the dismissal of the flag they fought under and died for, especially considering that the rich history it represented and encapsulated so well was replaced by a meaningless maple leaf. "If ye break faith with us who die, we shall not sleep..." and "Lest we forget..." Are these slogans any wonder? The forgetting began in the 60s around the same time that the flag was replaced to the point where these men are all but forgotten today, except for a small few.
@@KyleOfCanada While I do agree with the point of using the historical flag in a video like this, I wouldn't dare refer to it as "a meaningless maple leaf", and I ask you to learn it's history to avoid that statement in the future. Those men gave that leaf a meaning, carrying it on cap badges, aircraft, and HMCS across the world, from Pretoria to Kitcheners' Wood, Hong Kong to Ortona, Kapyong to Cyprus, and from the Medak Pocket to Panjwaii. Canadians were finally identified not as British colonials, but as Canadians by one unifying symbol, the maple leaf. As recognisable worldwide as any symbol from any other great nation. The flag today uses that "meaningless maple leaf" because of its history with our servicemen. To say otherwise is to reject their pride in the iconography they identified themselves with. The symbol that they proudly bore for the world to see, to the admiration of their allies and the dread of the enemy. Many were sad to see the old red ensigns replaced by the modern one, please remember that the new flag displays the Maple Leaf, the symbol of Canada and her proud history, much more boldly than the flags that came before.
To @stikfigz , Thank you for your reply. I am a history teacher and fairly well versed in Canadian and world history. I don't think that the full meaning of my comment came across; that was my fault. I used the phrase "the meaningless maple leaf" because that was the title of an article which discussed Canada's historical and current identity in detail, however what I meant by the phrase wasn't as clear as I hoped. I'll try to summarize it below. Firstly, I agree with you wholeheartedly that "[t]hose men gave that leaf a meaning". Indeed, there was a reason why Canadian soldiers at Vimy Ridge were carving maple leaves into the trench walls rather than the "Union Jack" or the "Stars and Stripes". My point wasn't that the maple leaf itself was absolutely meaningless, but rather that part of its rich symbolism was deliberately stripped away when it was removed from the context of the other symbols that accompanied it on the Red Ensign. The maple leaf's meaning was changed from what it meant to our veterans (something you explained very well) to mean something quite different. While the maple leaf is much more prominent on the new flag, alone it does a poorer job of representing Canada and its heritage than when it was a part of the fuller imagery on the Red Ensign. I will attempt to explain why below. What was symbolized on the old flag that was missing in the new? The Union Jack in the corner of the flag is a good place to start as it was a reminder of a historical reality that had a foundational role in shaping Canada's cultural identity--namely, that Canada was a part of the British Empire throughout the majority of its existence. This fact profoundly shaped the relationship between its various peoples, its policies, its institutions, its economy, its culture, its religions, and the lenses through which its citizens saw the world. This is especially important to French-English relations which were integral to shaping Canadian culture. However, Canadians were not just displaced Britons living in the colonies, and neither were they American republicans, but something unique and worth celebrating and preserving. They knew this. That is why the focal point of the flag was not the Union Jack, but the Canadian coat-of-arms, which clearly showed that Canada had formed a unique identity of its own. What identity? The shield on the Red Ensign typically contained the flags of the four peoples who founded the dominion: English, French, Scots, and Irish. Other versions contained symbols of each Canadian province, representing their unique peoples and contributions to Canadian culture. All of this represented the people who came together to make up the mosaic which is Canadian culture, brought together under institutions modeled after those of Great Britain. Most importantly, the unity of these peoples into one (despite our flaws and differences) was symbolized perfectly by the three maple leaves joined to a single branch beneath the other flags at the same spot where the shield comes to a point. At this time, nearly all Canadians were some form of Christian. The three maple leaves united can also symbolize the Blessed Trinity--one God in three Persons, hypostatically united by the same divine substance. This flag concisely summarized all of Canadian history and clearly indicated what it meant to be a Canadian. This is what the veterans understood by the maple leaf and fought and died for. What rich symbolic imagery does the new flag bring to bear that is better than the old one? Considered of itself, what does the imagery on the new flag say of Canadian history and culture? Nothing definitive. The maple leaf alone is merely a plant that grows here. Stripped of its connection to all the other imagery, it lost all the depth that was previously attached to it. This was deliberate. The removal of the other symbols was intended to leave the meaning of the maple leaf intentionally vague and ambiguous, in line with an emerging view of what it meant to be Canadian. Now, anyone can come to Canada and be "Canadian" without any desire or attempt whatsoever to be integrated as part of a pre-existing whole. The new maple leaf was intended to symbolize a cultural shift towards a rejection of Canadian culture in favour of a nationless multiculturalism. This isn't some crazy interpretation I concocted on my own. Consider what the most powerful man in the country has to say about it, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He declared just a few years ago that, "There is no core identity, no mainstream in Canada." He went on to say that Canada is the first "post-national" country. In his view, the culture, values, and nation that these veterans died for (as was represented by the maple leaf on the old flag) no longer exists today. It has been replaced by a negative identity. According to Trudeau, Canada has no cultural identity of its own, but is merely a void into which other cultures can come and colonize, turning "Canada" into the place they left. Gone is the notion of immigrants becoming a part of something already there, good in itself despite its flaws. Ultimately, what was once a rich symbol of unity and of a positive cultural identity now represents the exact opposite---a lack of unity, a lack of cultural identity. It has been subverted. That is what I meant when I said "the meaningless maple leaf". I will continue to use the phrase because it accurately represents the cultural shift that took place in this country which started when the Red Ensign (and all the rich symbolism it contain) was replaced. Amicably, KyleOfCanada
Very cool! As a collector, although not of military uniform stuff, I can appreciate the details researched trying to get everything right.
As a kid in the 1960s, I remember playing with my Dad’s Brodie helmet. I would put it on after he came home running around the house driving my Mother crazy. When the Canadian Army was in the process of converting to the US style helmet, he was one of the holdouts to the very end. Battle dress tunics and puttees seem out of place with the US helmet; I can see why my Dad was hesitant to give his up.
Where did you buy the Brodie helmet liner because i am restoring one and I need a new liner
Canada mentioned
I'm here
Very nice video 👍
I have the same helmet and was wondering what cleaner to use for the liner and chin strap?
Was it brodies that had the asbestos liner?
In the first world war they did, but by the second world war they no longer did
It would be awesome if you did a break down of all the Red Dawn (1984) Uniforms.
Hey, I’m gathering costumes for a short film! It would be super awesome if you made a video on SHIELD STRIKE agents from Winter Soldier, Avengers, and Agents of Shield! Just an idea since those uniforms have a lot of different parts and cool pieces, keep up the great vids!
Chances are my grandpa wore one liberating the Netherlands.
I had one as a kid but sold it. (still regret it)
Interesting
Wow
I have a ww2 Canadian too
Wrong Canadian flag in thumbnail. Same as using the modern tricolours for Russia and Germany as the USSR and NSDAP
Its nooottt that deep bro 😘
“Noooooo you can’t just use the flag that most normal people are familiar with!!!”
While some may think that a pedantic point to raise, when one considers that this is a channel dedicated to the meticulous detailing of historical uniforms, such a statement is more than called for.
Furthermore, Canadian veterans who fought under the Red Ensign in WWI, WWII, and Korea were outraged at the dismissal of the flag they fought under and died for, especially considering that the rich history it represented and encapsulated so well was replaced by a meaningless maple leaf. "If ye break faith with us who die, we shall not sleep..." and "Lest we forget..." Are these slogans any wonder? The forgetting began in the 60s around the same time that the flag was replaced to the point where these men are all but forgotten today, except for a small few.
@@KyleOfCanada While I do agree with the point of using the historical flag in a video like this, I wouldn't dare refer to it as "a meaningless maple leaf", and I ask you to learn it's history to avoid that statement in the future. Those men gave that leaf a meaning, carrying it on cap badges, aircraft, and HMCS across the world, from Pretoria to Kitcheners' Wood, Hong Kong to Ortona, Kapyong to Cyprus, and from the Medak Pocket to Panjwaii.
Canadians were finally identified not as British colonials, but as Canadians by one unifying symbol, the maple leaf. As recognisable worldwide as any symbol from any other great nation. The flag today uses that "meaningless maple leaf" because of its history with our servicemen.
To say otherwise is to reject their pride in the iconography they identified themselves with. The symbol that they proudly bore for the world to see, to the admiration of their allies and the dread of the enemy. Many were sad to see the old red ensigns replaced by the modern one, please remember that the new flag displays the Maple Leaf, the symbol of Canada and her proud history, much more boldly than the flags that came before.
To @stikfigz ,
Thank you for your reply. I am a history teacher and fairly well versed in Canadian and world history. I don't think that the full meaning of my comment came across; that was my fault. I used the phrase "the meaningless maple leaf" because that was the title of an article which discussed Canada's historical and current identity in detail, however what I meant by the phrase wasn't as clear as I hoped. I'll try to summarize it below.
Firstly, I agree with you wholeheartedly that "[t]hose men gave that leaf a meaning". Indeed, there was a reason why Canadian soldiers at Vimy Ridge were carving maple leaves into the trench walls rather than the "Union Jack" or the "Stars and Stripes". My point wasn't that the maple leaf itself was absolutely meaningless, but rather that part of its rich symbolism was deliberately stripped away when it was removed from the context of the other symbols that accompanied it on the Red Ensign. The maple leaf's meaning was changed from what it meant to our veterans (something you explained very well) to mean something quite different. While the maple leaf is much more prominent on the new flag, alone it does a poorer job of representing Canada and its heritage than when it was a part of the fuller imagery on the Red Ensign. I will attempt to explain why below.
What was symbolized on the old flag that was missing in the new?
The Union Jack in the corner of the flag is a good place to start as it was a reminder of a historical reality that had a foundational role in shaping Canada's cultural identity--namely, that Canada was a part of the British Empire throughout the majority of its existence. This fact profoundly shaped the relationship between its various peoples, its policies, its institutions, its economy, its culture, its religions, and the lenses through which its citizens saw the world. This is especially important to French-English relations which were integral to shaping Canadian culture.
However, Canadians were not just displaced Britons living in the colonies, and neither were they American republicans, but something unique and worth celebrating and preserving. They knew this. That is why the focal point of the flag was not the Union Jack, but the Canadian coat-of-arms, which clearly showed that Canada had formed a unique identity of its own. What identity?
The shield on the Red Ensign typically contained the flags of the four peoples who founded the dominion: English, French, Scots, and Irish. Other versions contained symbols of each Canadian province, representing their unique peoples and contributions to Canadian culture. All of this represented the people who came together to make up the mosaic which is Canadian culture, brought together under institutions modeled after those of Great Britain.
Most importantly, the unity of these peoples into one (despite our flaws and differences) was symbolized perfectly by the three maple leaves joined to a single branch beneath the other flags at the same spot where the shield comes to a point. At this time, nearly all Canadians were some form of Christian. The three maple leaves united can also symbolize the Blessed Trinity--one God in three Persons, hypostatically united by the same divine substance. This flag concisely summarized all of Canadian history and clearly indicated what it meant to be a Canadian. This is what the veterans understood by the maple leaf and fought and died for.
What rich symbolic imagery does the new flag bring to bear that is better than the old one?
Considered of itself, what does the imagery on the new flag say of Canadian history and culture? Nothing definitive. The maple leaf alone is merely a plant that grows here. Stripped of its connection to all the other imagery, it lost all the depth that was previously attached to it. This was deliberate. The removal of the other symbols was intended to leave the meaning of the maple leaf intentionally vague and ambiguous, in line with an emerging view of what it meant to be Canadian. Now, anyone can come to Canada and be "Canadian" without any desire or attempt whatsoever to be integrated as part of a pre-existing whole. The new maple leaf was intended to symbolize a cultural shift towards a rejection of Canadian culture in favour of a nationless multiculturalism.
This isn't some crazy interpretation I concocted on my own. Consider what the most powerful man in the country has to say about it, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He declared just a few years ago that, "There is no core identity, no mainstream in Canada." He went on to say that Canada is the first "post-national" country. In his view, the culture, values, and nation that these veterans died for (as was represented by the maple leaf on the old flag) no longer exists today. It has been replaced by a negative identity. According to Trudeau, Canada has no cultural identity of its own, but is merely a void into which other cultures can come and colonize, turning "Canada" into the place they left. Gone is the notion of immigrants becoming a part of something already there, good in itself despite its flaws.
Ultimately, what was once a rich symbol of unity and of a positive cultural identity now represents the exact opposite---a lack of unity, a lack of cultural identity. It has been subverted. That is what I meant when I said "the meaningless maple leaf". I will continue to use the phrase because it accurately represents the cultural shift that took place in this country which started when the Red Ensign (and all the rich symbolism it contain) was replaced.
Amicably,
KyleOfCanada