2009 events...

Hi guys,
Hope your all keeping well, have been thinking that we should try and figure out a plan about what events we can try and do as a group this year. I am really keen on getting something moving forward. Just need to sort out who is around when and where etc. I know money is tight, and outside life is number one at mo. But would be nice to make 2009 the year that we " Attack" the reenactment world and show them what the mighty 517th all about.

I guess the first thing to sort out is a event to go to? Would a small event be ideal first, chance to meet up shoot the shit, come up with ideas etc or should we go all out and try and work on a plan to try and do a big event? If we do that then need to come up with a display.

In regards to a display i think like has been mentioned before, a Bulge or maybe even a Martine Alps could be done with ease. With a very possable option of doing a Dragoon display.

I will try and post some links and or a list of small events which could be an option for us to do, from that we can each give it a yes or no if we like the sound of it, and if we can make it. and even if we cant make a weekend it could be good to get into some kit and do a one day thing. least with doing that we then get the ball rolling, sort some ideas out, make a appearance to other renenactors.. and have a beer.

Put your thoughts and ideas forward, so fingers crossed we can sort something

Darren

Hi Darren
Nice to see your working towards event ideas. I like your commitment mate.
I think personally as we are a new group and we do have limited members that we should look more into a display at a larger event rather than turning up to a smaller one. My reasons for thinking this are
-Small events tend to be s&%t and have limited space to display
-We want to impress with this new impression so to get more noticed by others we would be better off displaying at a larger event. If we turned up and where noticed at more low key events the effect of this brand new impression I feel would be dulled down.
We have loads of time tom plan a display. Even if it turns out to be a HQ display or a MG pit, it’s how you look that matters. We have enough kit now to do a basic display but s we all know a great display can be ruined by orange webbing, clean faces boot’s and uniforms. As has been mentioned before if we were doing a combat fox hole display we should have empty K-rat boxes and D-Rat bars. Empty cartridge cases etc etc. We should aim to look knackered and dirty.
What do others think?

Further to your post regarding events this year for the battling buzzards I have been thinking of what good events are out there and suddenly thought well what about attending the Glen Miller Festival?

Ok we know the organisers can be a little annoying but it’s really quite a good event. Not huge in the terms of re-enacting but you can dig in and as most will know there’s a good wooded area to display in. At night there is a good dance that we can attend as a group in our 517th Class A’s. I have always enjoyed this event every time I have gone as generally it’s quiet a easy going event. It’s also a three day event so we will have plenty of time to discuss ideas etc and get some pics. If we decide that three days is to long we can still go down for two?

So What do you guys think?

Sam

i totally agree about small events being a bit crap, with limited space.. the only reason i mentioned that was so it could give us some more options with dates, because most of us do things with other group.. the large events have take up are calender already.

I am really keen on getting noticed, the Glen Miller event would be a very good option, like sam said the use of the woods, and the evening dance, good chance to shoot the shit with the other re- enactor and try them what we are about.

Like Sam has mentioned, and others before.. We need stuff to go on display, without trying people how to spend there money, specially in these times. I just myself got a job after losing my one.. but how would people feel about having say two ammo cans each, maybe a .30 cal belt. set of K ration Boxs. If we do CP/ HQ display to get some bit for that. Does any one have a camo net? things we can have lieing around... jerry cans, wooden ration boxs, ammos boxs, maps.. i am in the market for a radio so that could be used.

what do reckon?

Darren

darrenbond wrote:i totally agree about small events being a bit crap, with limited space.. the only reason i mentioned that was so it could give us some more options with dates, because most of us do things with other group.. the large events have take up are calender already.

I am really keen on getting noticed, the Glen Miller event would be a very good option, like sam said the use of the woods, and the evening dance, good chance to shoot the shit with the other re- enactor and try them what we are about.

Like Sam has mentioned, and others before.. We need stuff to go on display, without trying people how to spend there money, specially in these times. I just myself got a job after losing my one.. but how would people feel about having say two ammo cans each, maybe a .30 cal belt. set of K ration Boxs. If we do CP/ HQ display to get some bit for that. Does any one have a camo net? things we can have lieing around... jerry cans, wooden ration boxs, ammos boxs, maps.. i am in the market for a radio so that could be used.

what do reckon?

Darren

Hi mate glad you agree. So do others fancy Glen Miller?

Darren I have access to a radio and x2 Brit Army WWII Cam nets so that would help with a display idea

For a .30cal I have one, plus 3 tins and x2 belts and around 100 empty cartridge cases, so there isn’t allot more needed for that really.

I also have 1 K-Rat Crate (I can get one more) and some K-Rat boxes.

If we did Glen Miller then it’s obviously going to be wooded so Bez is there a scenario you can fit us into?

just out of interest does anyone own any of the U.S. Army Field Telephones?
Sam

do you mean the leather cased telephone?....

Hi Sam,

I don't have a problem doing it, but before making any further plans i think it would be worth contacting the organisers. Reason i say that is because since the new owners took over they have pretty much completely elliminated the WWII reenacting side of things and it is now almost predominantly music based. The reenactor side of things used to be organized by Lee, but since he and most other groups were kicked out of (or asked nicely to leave) Twinwoods there has been very little other than swing weekends held there, and the new owners are apparently very ignorant to History, and the Airfields history, and allow for the bands to play simply because they have the facilities to do so and know they can make pennies from it. On the other hand the reenactors require insurance, and that means money, and im afraid the new owners simply pocket any profit made by the Airfield.

Regards, Bez

darrenbond wrote:do you mean the leather cased telephone?....

Yer I mean that.

Cpl Bez wrote:Hi Sam,

I don't have a problem doing it, but before making any further plans i think it would be worth contacting the organisers. Reason i say that is because since the new owners took over they have pretty much completely elliminated the WWII reenacting side of things and it is now almost predominantly music based. The reenactor side of things used to be organized by Lee, but since he and most other groups were kicked out of (or asked nicely to leave) Twinwoods there has been very little other than swing weekends held there, and the new owners are apparently very ignorant to History, and the Airfields history, and allow for the bands to play simply because they have the facilities to do so and know they can make pennies from it. On the other hand the reenactors require insurance, and that means money, and im afraid the new owners simply pocket any profit made by the Airfield.

Regards, Bez

Hello my mate thanks for the reply.

Yer I apreciate what you are saying, but if we are going to events then the insurance bridge is going to have to be crossed at some point. Have you got any ideas regarding this?

I know that the re-enacting side of things was at best alright when I was there with Lee. I hadn't realsied that things have gone worse. Have the Rangers left there as well then?

Do you have any contact deatils for Twinwoods then?

Sam

there is a leather cased phone on ebay i am hoping to get.. fingers crossed.
i have been on thw twinwood website, there is contact details on there.. but looked on the events page about the glen miller day and there is no mention about reeanctors, or displays. and the pictures from last year didnt have any reenactment ones included, not sure what that is to go on but contacting them would give us a yes or no answer.

if Glenn miller isnt a option does any one have any oher ideas?

Darren

Yeah thats what i saw Darren, a bit dissapointing really because they were good events at a good location.

Putting aside group insurance the owners of Twinwoods would have to have their own insurance too and probably have to pay a license to run an event that a large amount of public go to, and the new owners just don't want to pay this.

In regards to our insurance, when we're ready to do and event and are confident we're at that right stage we may become a part of AFRA, which unlike most insurance groups insures the individuals and not the group, although they do insure groups if thats what we want.

Bez

would it be worth contacting them any how, or should we give it a miss and find another one to do? if so any ideas. i have been keeping my eyes out for events, looking on other groups websites etc but i cant find anything worth mentioning really. ill be keeping my eyes out and list as and when i find something i think we can do.

Darren

Hi guys,

Just wondering are people planning to go to both the war and peace show and Military Odyssey with other groups? find a events daily through the Milweb, link below.. list a number of events. First one in wales i dint know how people felt about Multi-Period event? it is a new ish event, but looks ok.. i have been to the place before for a festival. loads of space etc.

Have a look on the site below and you will find the links to the event list, with all the web sites on there

http://www.milweb.net/events.php?etype=reenactor

see what you think


Darren

Hi Darren,

both of those shows are unfortunately out of the question. People are active with other groups at both and therefore we'd be reduced in numbers, and since we dont have that many to start with....

Regards, Bez

yeah i understand, was there any other event on that list on the link that you thought could be a option regards to numbers and dates?

talking abouting numbers does any one have any thoughts to how we can get more guys interseted in the group? Thinking once we get some group pictures taken we post them on the ww2 forum, maybe that would bang up some people. I guess the other way is just showing are faces out and about.

Darren