Frontline Finale

and into battle we go!

The WW2 re-enactors did a display at the end of the day and everyone piled in to do battle.  I’m not sure if it was based on a historical one, but I doubt it.  It was great fun to watch anyway, and everyone survived!

The Germans are coming!!

 

never mind smiling for the camera- shoot the danged gun!

 

everybody out!

 

OOPS!! On yer feet son!

 

preparing

 

fire in the hole!

 

smokin’!

 

Our gun’s bigger than yours!

 

Get this thing pointed at that bagpipe player, he’s driving me mad!

 

Let’s get out of here, that bloke’s got a skirt on and I don’t think he’s wearing pants!

 

We surrender! We can’t take anymore of ‘Scotland The Brave’.

 

How very dare you? That bagpipe player has won the war single handed!

 

The End!

All photo’s embiggenable and

Loads more photo’s of the day HERE

Stay tooned for our next outing, when Sophie and I go to see the Tall Ships when they came to Sunderland.

 

Frontline – Part 6 – June 2018

These are some more photo’s of re-enactors taking part in WW2 and their vehicles.

I loved this next chap, thought he really looked like he’d stepped out of a movie

medic

and this lady was spot on with her costume and hair do

 

mustn’t forget the Germans!

 

channelling Clive Owen?

 

military police

 

Military Masterchef

 

raw recruit

 

Airborn Grasshopper

 

Another Military policeman.

 

This vehicle is (acccording to Phil, who knows these things) a Hanomag SDKFZ 251 Ausf C. Called “Magda” she is a half-track armoured fighting vehicle built on an OT-810 chassis, badged to the Panzergrenadier Divison Großdeutschland. Designed and built by the Hanomag company during World War II. The concept was to allow panzergrenadiers to keep up with panzers and provide infantry support as required. In practice, there were never enough of them and most panzergrenadier units had to make do with trucks. She was brought in by the Northern World War 2 Association, and I believe all the WW2 re-enactors belong to that.

 

They also brought along an American M24 Chaffee Light Tank. This appeared during the latter stages of World War 2 and saw considerable service in the Korean War that followed.

 

Not sure what type of jeep this is but I do like the motorbike fastened on the front.

 

That’ll do for today, stay tooned for our finale next time, when they all go into battle.

Frontline -Part 5-WW2-June 2018

The main event as far as Phil was concerned was the German armour and uniforms, and he was very impressed with the authenticity of both. The re-enactors covered the German, British,American WW2 and included some French resistance people too.  Lots of renovated vehicles were also on show, and at the end of the day they had a full on battle which was fun to watch.

Radio gaga – british communications display

 

British Army weapons

Previously mostly used for rail, industrial or agricultural hopper cars, the Kubelwagon was a light military vehicle designed by Ferdinand Porsche and built by Volkswagen during World War II for use by the German military (both Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS).

Volkswagon Kubelwagon

 

A happy German Afrika Corps Nurse

I have no idea what this next thing really is, (but had a guess)

a steam punk flux capacitor

 

There’s some Yankeedoodle peeps around somewhere!

The Resistance were here too

dot dot dash dosh dat oops

they were cooking lunch….

Ratatouille

 

More evidence of the USA contingent

 

and we found some!

Kilroy and friends.

I think that’ll do for today, but stay tooned for more WW2 next time.

 

 

Frontline ~ Part 4 ~ June 2018

The Civil War re-enactors really looked the part

Where’s this Gettysburg place then?

 

women and children to the fore!

 

Get your guns ready lads!

 

 

never too old for a good ruckus!

 

You fought all the way Johnny Reb

 

The Night They Drove Old DIxie Down

 

He died with his hat.

 

Shoot’em up!

 

Smokin’!

 

They looked good in colour too

 

lean,mean fighting machines.

 

come on lads.. er..

 

ooh this collar is itchy!

 

look lively, we’re going to win this time!

They didn’t.

 

Stay tooned for WW2 next time!

 

 

Frontline~ Part 3~ June 2018

As well as the medeival lot, we also found some Tudors (at least I think this chap is)

 

I’m Henery the eighth I am.

and some (not very convincing) Romans

 

Red isn’t dead

 

odd one out

 

Up yours??

 

hat’s off

 

Some of the people who came to see the show also dressed up in style

 

 

my favourites were this couple I saw walk past me

it wasn’t a great photograph as you can see so I ran after them and asked them if I could take their photo

 

Mr & Mrs Cute

how cute are they? 🙂

also spotted this chap,

Mr.Serious Photographer, with badges.

 

and this lady

Ms.Pink

Stay tooned for the American civil war next time!

 

Frontline~ Part 2~ June 2018

PART 1 HERE

On we go with some more pictures of the Vikings, or Northmen if you prefer, some more anglo–saxons I think. (Sometimes it’s hard to tell which are which). For the captions you need to have watched the TV series Vikings, sorry if you haven’t. (Really you haven’t ?? Have you been living under a rock?? Great TV programme, watch it now and then come back 🙂 )

Not Bjorn & Lagertha

 

not Ragnar

 

maybe Rollo?

 

Definitely Ragnar!

 

Definitely Athelstan!

 

Little Bjorn

 

Off to do battle

 

Don’t shove so hard! It’s only pretend!!!

 

This game is a development of the popular Roman game of duodecim scripta, also known as tabula or alea, which was also played in Germany and Scandinavia in the Roman Iron Age, where it appears to have been known as katrutafl. Several wooden boards for this type of game are known from the Saxons’ Germanic homeland, and metal fittings for boards of this type have been found from the Viking Age in Germany and Denmark. The only known surviving British example of a tabula board was found in Gloucester; dating to the eleventh century.

 

authentic hair.

 

Pointy hat lady with 4 legged friend.

That about wraps up the Vikings and Anglo-saxons, stay tooned for another journey into the past next time!

 

 

Frontline Event- Hardwick Park – June 2018

The Frontline  event is a 3 Day event, Friday being a free Living History event for the local community, and Saturday – Sunday a full Living History multiperiod event with arena battles/displays throughout the day.  Phil and I went on the Saturday and it was a great day out.  Lots of daft buggers dressed up in anglo-saxon/Viking/German/USA civil war & Roman gear/ plenty of re-enactment battles and a perfect day for photography.

We’ll start with the medieval lot. They learn  crafts such as cooking, bread making and butter churning, ale brewing, naalbinding, embroidery and  spinning as well as training in combat, which may include axe, sword, spear or Dane –axe and also formation and shield wall skills.  We sadly didn’t see their combat display as Phil was drooling over the German military displays, but I did get pictures of their more homely pursuits.

pointy hat lady

 

medieval masterchef

 

Lady of the ferrets

 

kidzone

Whilst we didn’t see the battles, we did see plenty of the warriors

knight in shining armour

 

men in waiting

 

man in a can

 

smiling in the face of adversity

 

Sir Pinocchio

 

WOMD

Next time we’ll have a look at the Vikings and a Tudor or too! Stay tooned! 🙂