War and Peace. Anyone going?

[rocketeer]

I know this is buried in the airshows topic but thought I would give this a separate thread as it Has started already.

I'll be there Friday weather permitting, I just don't like splodging around in a muddy field here as previous experience can mean it may be awful.
I shall be the guy in the old A2 with mismatched bits and an old trilby hat , so don't be afraid to say hi, I may not know a lot about A2s but love wearing them and enjoy a chat.
Lots of old stuff to look at and lots of mates to say hello to(not been for years).

 

[Justhandguns]

Weather forcast shows heavy rain on Friday! I may go on Saturday of it is not too muddy.

 

[rocketeer]

Weather forcast shows heavy rain on Friday! I may go on Saturday of it is not too muddy.

If you have been before you know it will be a pretty good idea of 1940s England looked to the Yanks building the airfields. Don't wear your best low quarters and pinks no matter how much of a poser you are.
I never realised the show finished on Saturday rather than Sunday

 

[Tiki Tom]

For those lurkers who might be wondering...

https://warandpeacerevival.com/

 

[Ticklishchap]

It actually looks very interesting. I think I saw two men on the way to it yesterday in an extremely battered old Army Land Rover.

 

[Ticklishchap]

Will seriously consider it next year.

 

[GHT]

We used to be regulars at War & Peace, but we haven't been since it relocated to Folkestone Racecourse. This year though, it's returning to The Hop Farm at Paddock Wood. War & Peace can rival Glastonbury for a mudfest when the weather is inclement and if it's your first ever visit, do yourself a favour, invest in a porta-potty. You can smell your way to the latrines.

 

[Ticklishchap]

We used to be regulars at War & Peace, but we haven't been since it relocated to Folkestone Racecourse. This year though, it's returning to The Hop Farm at Paddock Wood. War & Peace can rival Glastonbury for a mudfest when the weather is inclement and if it's your first ever visit, do yourself a favour, invest in a porta-potty. You can smell your way to the latrines.

That is extremely good advice. As far as smells are concerned, you have revealed in another thread that you are (admirably) lacking in 'fart shame' and so we shall know the culprit.

 

[aswatland]

I was there on Tuesday when the weather was ok. Getting in was fun with all the mud! I spent most of time with Hornet Squadron, but did get a chance to look at the stalls.

 

[GHT]

That is extremely good advice. As far as smells are concerned, you have revealed in another thread that you are (admirably) lacking in 'fart shame' and so we shall know the culprit.

Did I say that? Where's the blushing emoticon? I know Granddad had no fart shame.
Last time that we were at War & Peace, the big blue marquee had been condemned as unsafe. A less robust and smaller tent had been erected. It not only lacked the space, whenever the wind blew strong or the rain lashed against it, you wondered if it would sail away. It was that year that someone had used the shower tray as a toilet. How gross some people can be.
Don't let me put you off though, the stalls, the re-enactors and the evening entertainment make the festival good value and highly enjoyable. We might be back next year, if I have had my hip replacement by then.

 

[Ticklishchap]

Did I say that? Where's the blushing emoticon? I know Granddad had no fart shame.
Last time that we were at War & Peace, the big blue marquee had been condemned as unsafe. A less robust and smaller tent had been erected. It not only lacked the space, whenever the wind blew strong or the rain lashed against it, you wondered if it would sail away. It was that year that someone had used the shower tray as a toilet. How gross some people can be.
Don't let me put you off though, the stalls, the re-enactors and the evening entertainment make the festival good value and highly enjoyable. We might be back next year, if I have had my hip replacement by then.

Apologies for the misunderstanding (although I hope you took it as a compliment).
No, not put off at all - it sounds a fascinating event and I shall get myself on the mailing list.

 

[Tommy-VF51]

Was there today with mini me, wish I'd spent more time looking at living history, but spent some time in Home Front area. Managed to blag a lift in for us in a Jeep, which was better than the shuttle bus!

Eastman have a reasonable stall and all the usual European repro stalls, including one that had a lot of decent Hawaiians. Went to the America's field, which was massive, but a little boring after a while since was just parked vehicle's with no info about them.

Lot of Nazi stuff, probably out numbering the Allied gear in places though.

Was briefly in the Victory Marquee and some of their entertainment seemed to have hi-jacked a jeep and PA...

 

[rocketeer]

Weekdays appear to be more the enthusiasts days and weekends(Saturday at least) more general public on a day out.
As Tommy VF said lots of Nazi and Yank gear as most re enactors like the look better than the British stuff. Just about anyone can wear an A2 these days as everyday wear, maybe not a Herr Flick long coat and British WWII stuff is just itchy.
Again, yes not much info on a lot of the displays though this is down to the owners enthusiasm I suppose. Too many Jeeps for me and some owners there will truly cringe at the thought of getting them muddy, let alone allowing someone to ride in it as a favour.
On the whole I have found that the German re enactors tend to be more open about showing you their stuff, allowing children the chance to hold weapons and crouch down behind a machine gun as they did with my son and see how these men had to cope in the day. The Allied, a little more reserved, posing a bit and talking among themselves rather than getting involved with the general public, but thats only my opinion from a few years ago.

I was there on Tuesday when the weather was ok. Getting in was fun with all the mud! I spent most of time with Hornet Squadron, but did get a chance to look at the stalls.

Had a nice time then, it's great to meet up with your mates at events like these and show your stuff off.
What is the Hornet Squadron? Just curious, don't worry I won't be trying to join.
Cheers all

 

[Tommy-VF51]

Lot of people in full on SS gear though. I don't really have a problem with the u-boat and navy, the Luftwaffe, even the regular wehrmacht. But there were some seriously dodgy t-shirts and items for sail. I'll stop peering into that can of worms now, since I think we all know it's there...

Those who were dressed as Brits were well and accurately dressed. Some interesting ww1 and European uniforms. Several Polish. Loads of Soviets, who were quite friendly, even getting my son down into their trench to explain stuff.

US stuff was as Rocketeer has stated a real mixed bag. Some really well done, some cheaper gear. Apart from those battle re-enacting those in the cheap hbt seemed to be having the most fun- there gear was dirty and they had big grins. Oddball seems to have been pretty busy down the commune, mind you, he even had female daughters!!

 

[aswatland]

"Had a nice time then, it's great to meet up with your mates at events like these and show your stuff off.
What is the Hornet Squadron? Just curious, don't worry I won't be trying to join.
Cheers all "

Hornet Squadron is one of the WW2 RAF groups I am a member of. My main group though is RAF at War, which I'll be with at Biggin Hill and Military Odyssey with next month and at Kenley on 10th September.

 

[Tommy-VF51]

Where was the Hornet squadron located? Saw some RAF Pilots on the home front, along with the RFC.

 

[GHT]

Tommy is right, we don't want SS shoved in our faces, let alone glorified. A venue that you might want to pencil in is: The Great Central Railway's 1940's wartime weekend. What they do there is to segregate the different armed forces, giving each of them their own location at one of the stations. It works very well. I don't know the 2018 dates but you can see what it's like by clicking here.

 

[Ticklishchap]

This is quite off-putting. It's hard to understand why anyone at all (other than 'alt.right' trolls) would want to dress up as Nazis - except perhaps a small number of very hard core S&M enthusiasts.

 

[aswatland]

Where was the Hornet squadron located? Saw some RAF Pilots on the home front, along with the RFC.

Just behind the fence next to the main entrance into the event. There are with the Hurricane and Mk IX Spitfire, so should be easy to spot.

 

[Tommy-VF51]

Tommy is right, we don't want SS shoved in our faces, let alone glorified. A venue that you might want to pencil in is: The Great Central Railway's 1940's wartime weekend. What they do there is to segregate the different armed forces, giving each of them their own location at one of the stations. It works very well. I don't know the 2018 dates but you can see what it's like by clicking here.

We did the Watercress Lines War on the Line last month. Probably as many Re-enactors as regular passengers, American, British (civillian and military),Resitence and Soviet. Axis Re-enactors were in theory banned, but there were 2 'SS POWs' who were being moved about by MPs.

Getting back to War and Peace, let me make it clear there were those in German uniform, that were just dressing up, some thriving on playing the bad guy- I saw a General with an eye patch talking with some Poles who had been quite standoffish at first. However I think they were discussing an Invasion of Poland battle with the Polish winning before I left the bar area.

But there were also people wearing 1488 ("We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children" in case anyone doesn't know what the 14 means) t-shirts, stalls selling British Union of Fascist flags and other Mosleyite propaganda.

There were also allied re-enactors wearing t-shirts with slogans like 'FCUK HTLR' and 'Your granddad didn't play for fascists, he shot them'.

I think I've made my point firmly now and I'll try to avoid continuing it from now on.

There's plenty of good stuff - including 'Nam re-enactors, stuff for kids, flypasts, bit of rockabilly stuff which is good for me since I'm into the music. There does seem to be a cross over between the Rockin' and the US re-enactor scene which is good for me!