Pickering Wartime Weekend

The last event of the year and the best if you like a warm, comfortable billet with toilets and washrooms next door, shops and, most important of all, pubs close by.

We had a quite a few turn up on Friday, so we sampled a few beverages in town. Woke to rain Saturday morning but luckily it cleared when the dining shelter and kit were set up.

This year we attempted the “D-Day landing craft storm the beach, destroy the gun emplacement” scenario. This actually takes only a minute and a half, so we did a walk-through first, followed by a mistake and being “told off” by the Sarge. With the pyros and blank firing, it turned out to be quite a spectacle for us and the public.

The weather just got better and better and we were down to shirtsleeves by the afternoon. In the evening we all turned out in uniforms of various guises including three Sergeants. Of course, we only have one official Sergeant!

Sunday morning and due to unforeseen circumstances we were a few men down but had a couple of new arrivals. The weather, as forecast, was dismal with rain till around 1.00pm so equipment needed to be covered but as  the public turned up for the first scenario, we didn't disappoint them. Fortunately, the weather improved later and the sun came out, so everything had time to dry out before packing away.
We were visited by ex-group members and familiar faces from previous years such as the two Dutch chaps and the three young Scottish RAF cadets.

We'd like to thank all the public and re-enactors who came to see us on both days.
And that's that for this year. This year has been unusual, with some events not happening, e.g. Rufford Abbey, and with some new events, e.g. Spetchley Park, but as a group we adapt and keep “soldiering on”. Roll on next year!

Pte Glen Cooper

Pateley Bridge 2016

I set off at around 6.30 pm. As I went up the A1M leaving Castleford behind, I entered a giant black abyss of a storm cloud, and I hoped that this wasn't what the weekend weather was going to be like. The further north I got, the more the weather brightened. By the time I had climbed the mountains to Pateley, the sun was out.

Tent up and bed made, we went to the pub. Saturday morning brought sun and the fabulous scenery of the Yorkshire Dales, by 10am the public had arrived. The scene was “HQ style camp" with Pte Pozniak's radio gear, 3 pup tents, the 14 man tent & dining shelter. The weapons, with the 3” mortar, Bren, P.I.A.T. and small arms were a great success with plenty of questions & interest. We all ate lunch together, thanks to ATS Mellor for doing the cooking.

Pte Roberts had an authentic shave and then gave Pte Klejnow a haircut.

Sunday was much the same with the addition of Pte Shelcock in the K2, which always gets a lot of attention. We even managed to put Pte Heaton in the back on a stretcher.

By 4 pm the show was winding down and we managed to get the tentage away dry. A great event and one for the book next year.

L/Cpl Heaton

Yorkshire Wartime Experience

A very late report on the very successful Yorkshire Wartime Experience.

I got over to the show ground late Friday afternoon to find theSarge already there. We soon had enough people to get the big tent and the radio tent up. We decided to leave the dining shelter in its bag and take advantage of Paul Browning's hospitality and use his.

Saturday morning arrived with a dry but overcast sky. It didn't look like it would be dry for long. The first task was to get all the kit up to the freshly dug trenches which looked much more the part. The trenches were quickly sorted with the 3" mortar and Pete Cartner's 6 pounder. We then were given permission to brew. So the next hour was spent trying to get enough hot water to dissolve the compo tea ration in. The next few hours were spent sitting in the trenches in the rain. We got a lot of interest and despite the weather had an enjoyable day. Eventually, it was time to do battle. This year we had the pleasure of following two of our big friends out onto the field in the shape the Cromwell Ajax and the Comet Victor. A real treat to be able to work with British Tanks. The battle is the last event so it was a quick clear of kit out of the trenches and back to camp for a hot meal and a beer or two. The Sunday followed the same pattern with the exception of a bit of fun pulling the 6 pounder out of the display so it could be towed around the arena behind a Bren carrier. The set up looked very good. Once that was done we had to get the gun back into the display. Adam Heaton's jeep made short work of the task. The battle in the afternoon was made interesting, as a rogue American tank inserted itself between the Cromwell and Comet and kept moving making it difficult to deploy without getting flattened.

Cpl Lycett 

Photos from the event can be viewed here

Driffield Vintage Fair 30th May 2016

We set off to the event on Sunday evening, around 7.pm, we headed to North Cave, then through Beverly home of the East Yorks and then up to Driffield. As I headed down what seemed to be farm track in the middle of nowhere my sat nav said "Arrived"...oh dear. With no phone signal to check the address, I set off back the way we came and spotted small wooden signs for Driffield, about half an hour later I found the show ground.

ATS Mellor greeted us and explained we could stay in the Russian tent for the night as they were in a caravan. PTE Klejnow had arrived by now. We went up to the caravan to thank them and shared some beer.

7.30 next morning we were all awake and ready for the day, we got all our kit ready and beds packed down and waited on PTE Hancock to arrive with the shelter half, PTE Shelcock and PTE Hancock both arrived within 5 mins of each other and the display was set up by 9.45

The event opened at 10 a.m. so we had just enough time for a quick brew, the crowd descended on us as we were right in view of the front gate and we didn't stop all day! With this event being in East Yorkshire we met lots of people with stories from parents and grandparents who served. I met a national service veteran who had been awarded the military Medal for services in Burma.

The event was very well received and so busy that PTE Hancock didn't manage to get any of the stew ATS Mellor made for lunch! I'd like to thank everyone who turned up and made this new event a great day. Well done to PTEs Klejnow and Hancock for keeping going all day. 

Cpl Heaton 

Photos from the event can be viewed here 

York Army Museum 14th May 2016

The group put on a one day display outside the museum on the 14th May. The intention of the event was to the profile of the museum.
York Army Museum
We were given permission by York City Council to display on the grass at the foot of Clifford's Tower opposite the museum entrance.

We had a good turn out and put on the usual, infantry kit and equipment display. Adam very kindly lent his Jeep for the day and Bill brought his radio Jeep to provide communications support.

The weather was kind to us and we got a lot more interest than I was expecting. Some conversations were quite difficult, I had forgotten how many tourists you get in York. Sadly I was unable to talk to any of our Polish visitors in their native language.

Rob and Dave L seemed to be talking non-stop to interested passers-by! 

SSAFA were out collecting for armed forces personnel and their families. We were able to put a couple of collecting buckets out and raise a few pounds.

We also had the pleasure of meeting and having a chance to talk to the very lively Ken Smith.
All in all the day went well and there was an improvement in the number of paying visitors through the museum door. 

For me, this is a very worthwhile cooperation with what is the East Yorks Regimental Museum. I would like to think that this can become a regular event.

Cpl Lycett 

Photos from the event can be viewed here