Pantless in Sandhurst

Last week I received the following email from George Blair of London, England:

Dear Chris: For my whole life I've worn long, combination underwear and have enjoyed your excellent publications regarding such. My name is George Blair and I reside in London. 

Sometime back you included a posting in your quite fabulous blog of three military men standing on stage without their trousers. The bottom of their combinations showed beneath their military jackets. Are you aware of just whom these partially dressed young men might be or where their photo was taken? If not, you and your readers might wish to know more about the thespians in that photograph.

Happening on an article, I was able to identify them as “officer cadets” performing in a humorous theatre presentation, toward the end of their course work at the renowned Sandhurst Royal Military Academy in England. Their performance and the photo are from the early 1990's, apparently. The photo was taken by photographer, Patrick Ward.

The Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, commonly called simply Sandhurst, is located at Sandhurst, Berkshire, United Kingdom. This institution is a British army officer training centre, very similar to your West Point Army Academy in America. It was founded in 1947 shortly after World War II when the Royal Military Academy (RMA), founded in 1741 and located in Woolwich, and the Royal Military College, founded in 1801 at Sandhurst, merged. The RMA trained officers for the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers regiments from 1741 to 1939. Some, not doubt, were sent to the colonies to fight in Colonial America's Revolutionary War. Imagine that!

My grandson now attends Sandhurst, in his first year. And while he wears long underwear quite often, he steers clear of combinations. In fact, he believes his grandfather's combinations are rather humorous and old fashion.

At any rate, the photograph was not a spoof or taken from a movie, but of real live cadets peforming a skit. These thespians reminded me of your recent posting, “Why Be Shy,” of university student, Mr. Payne, when he appeared on stage in his combinations as a freshman at William and Mary College. 

By the way, I am older and admittedly somewhat old fashion so continue to call my combinations, "combinations."  I am fully aware that you and most other Americans, including Mr. Payne, call your one-piece, long underclothing, "union suits" or (shudder) "onesies."  Whichever one refers to them, it's fabulous to note that they are still worn and admired across the globe.

All the best from across the pond as we say,

George Blair

Greetings George, great hearing from another Combinations / Union Suit Fan from Great Britain. I have several "combination" friends who live across the pond with whom I communicate via email. I'm privileged to add you. Thanks very much for identifying the photo of those young men sans trousers which I had previouly posted but unknown to me. I had not a clue as to who they were. So very much appreciate you identifying them.

As you referenced in your email, I now use "trousers" when speaking and emailing with my British acquaintances. On my very first trip to your wonderful country, I learned the hard way not to use the term "pants" for trousers. Early on, I made some reference to my "pants," meaning my trousers, to good friends  and their other guests who reside there. I received immediate robust chuckles and raised eyebrows for that faux pas! I suppose it was not good form to even be talking about my pants. I was informed later, discreetly, that I had spoken about my underwear and not my trousers. I can only imagine what you Brits would call my boxer shorts. That was an embarassing misstep!  But I swallowed hard and was determined not to repeat that!

Calling our Union Suits / Cominations "onesies" makes me cringe. Something you and I have in common. 

Below, I've re-posted my March 5, 2023 Union Suit Fan entry and the cadets' photo, you've so kindly identified:

Pantless too! 

These soldiers couldn't find their pants. But duty calls.... 

Thanks to Kyle of Olympia, WA for emailing me this "pantless" photo of what appears to be eastern Europian soldiers wearing white union suits!  

And I added the following on March 15, 2023: 

Luke of Atlanta emailed me the following "pantless" photo of two celebrities he found on line. They too wear white union suits. Guess who?

On December 10, 2019, l had posted this jewel of possibly two bachelors' parties...  maybe it's the grooms and groomsmen partying without their trousers!  Or maybe it was just a bunch of guys out on the town, proud of their long underwear:

Pantless in Seattle....