Veteran's Week march filled with vintage uniforms in Charlottetown

Members of the Canadian Armed Forces were out of the streets of Charlottetown Tuesday, with a show of force that hadn't been seen in decades.

That's because many were dressed in vintage uniforms from the military that went back to World War II.

It is snug, but it still fits. I'm proud to be able to still wear it.- John Yeo, wearing his 1966 uniform

It was done in honour of Veteran's Week, leading up to Remembrance Day, and featured crew from HMCS Queen Charlotte and members of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 1, Charlottetown.

The idea was to help people feel more familiar withthe military of the past.

John Yeo, the command president of the P.E.I. legion, even got into his old uniform for the walk.

"I was issued this in 1966 when I first joined the army," said Yeo. "It is snug, but it still fits. I'm proud to be able to still wear it."

The armed forces and legion members spent several hours downtown, stopping and chatting to people about the day's mission.

Most were impressed with the vintage uniforms, most of which had been donated to the Queen Charlotte unit over the years.

"They mimic what we wear today, however there are many different things," said Lt. Jim Smith, unit public affairs representative for HMCS Queen Charlotte.

"The medals are different, the fabric is different, and just the whole overall look. They were being gone through very quickly during the war years, and so they weren't made the same way as they were today but they have stood up well to the test of time, and certainly nothing like we wear today."

It was a different approach to reaching out to the public, but for Yeo, it was still the same, important message.

"It's remember what others before us have given, so we can enjoy the life that we have today," he said.

"When you look at things that are going on in the world today, we don't have to worry about somebody coming in and taking us, or kicking us out of our country, and having to escape to another one. And it's those people that sacrificed so that we could have the freedom and enjoy it, that we do today."