Brave Little Belgium

It's only 8 years to the centenary of the Great War. Ok that may be a long time but looking ahead to 2014 I thought maybe it would be interesting to look at the armies at the start, and where better to start than Belgium. Belgium's unexpectedly strong and able resistance threw the German invasion timetable off for good. They started the war in uniforms more suited to the Crimean war - see pic from the excellent 'Great War in a Different Light site'.
Eventually the uniform changed but not before Belgian Guides, armoured cars and the famous Civic troops forced to disarm by the German deicision to treat them as terorrists were the admiration of the British and French.
Does anyone reenact these troops? I'll search the web to find out and let you know. Here's some repro stuff that looks good.
Belgian Armoured Cars in Russia
Fort Liezele page
Belgisch Leger 1830-1914
Forts of 1914

5,000 hits

I don't know - am I sad mentioning this? I was the 5,000th visitor to my blog - bang goes my dream of hunting whoever it was down and giving them a cd or a toy Humvee - probably tells you who is the main person reading it too. I was also visitor 666 an' all. What is it like writing a blog? I hear you ask.... well imagine you are at a car boot sale on your own with your stuff, some good, some crap - some old toys, the odd video - but you're blindfolded - noones buying anything - but you hear the odd tut or maybe a chuckle as someone looks at something and maybe the sound of a teapot lid being lifted, the smell of a waft of tobacco smoke - someone familiar - then you think to yourself - Why did I do this car boot sale? Was it for money? To get space? Something to do on a Sunday morning? Am I lonely? Should I just leave all the stuff in a pile and drive home? Or maybe I should whistle a merry tune and talk to myself, and say phrases like 'lovely day' or when someone drops something 'they'm all alive!' I remember saying to Bea 'nobody visits my blog' and she said 'how many other people's blogs do you visit?' and I said 'None' and she said 'well there you go then'. So maybe I ought to. Write less read more maybe that ought to be my new motto. Now I have you feeling sorry for me listen to the Bad Detectives Yard Sale of Sorrow in sympathy.

A joke

As told by Rich this morning;
Man; 'How long can you keep a chicken in the freezer'?
Woman; 'oh about 4-6 weeks...'
Man; 'Thats funny - I put one in there last night and it's dead'.

The Radstock Mutineer?

Another piece of paper from my parents and another tale of my Granddad. It is a wage slip from 1921 for three months with the Army Reserve but from here hangs a tale. He didn't talk about his experiences much - after all everyone that mattered knew, and he had a full life raising ten children and eventually running a successful bookmaking business. But there is an interesting military postscript to his military career (see below) and now I think he his story should be told as it tells a lot about all that is brave, beautiful and bolshi about old Radstock.
Back down the mines things for Granddad and his mates had improved; state control of the industry during wartime had seen advances in conditions and pay - now control and ownership was about to go back to the coal-owners and with this move a return to a lower rate of pay - those who didn't agree would be locked out. The Miners went on strike. Including my Grandfather. But the troops were sent to the coalfields and the reservists called up, including my Grandfather. Now why a Mines Rescue and resuscitation expert would be called up in a Miners strike is a bit worrying and it will be a few years before the official papers will be released but with no choice he mustered at Chatham. Incidentally person or persons unknown planted explosives at Middle Pit in Radstock during the General Strike to blow up the head gear, but it was discovered and a police guard placed there. Who, why or what I don't know, but I mention it in passing.
Anyway one thing life underground taught you was the value of comradeship. This spirit was even more acute in Military mining. The miners of the Kent coalfield were not the enemy - they were people like them - drawn from pits all over Britain mostly there by the nature of them being considered troublemakers back home and forced to relocate, as Kent was an unpopular working environment for mining. And don't forget this was 1921. The Russian Revolution was still raging, miners were striking all over the world. So he formed a committee. Meetings were held. A decision reached. A message was passed on. 'We will obey our orders. If the order to fire on miners is given, we will fire alright - at our officers'.
Sadly the strike was crushed. After three months of starving the Miners unsupported after Black Friday , they had no choice. It was a foretaste of the General Strike of 1926 when this time my Grandfather vowed he'd rather eat grass than work underground again and he never looked back. As a postscript to all this wasn't all bad none of his family finished up working in the mines and his son, my Dad had a succesful career as a socialist politician contributing to the landslide defeat of the detested Churchill in 48 (during the General Strike of 1926, Churchill was reported to have suggested that machine guns be used on the striking miners) and standing for MP in Grandfather's much loved North Somerset getting massive support in 1970.
Images from Staffordshire coalfield from the strike of 1921

Cosplay at the London Expo

Yesterday daughters C and B (with James) went to the London expo to take part in a Cosplay competition. Cosplay is an import from Japan and it involves making and dressing up as a character from animation. My two went as Princess Mononoke and Alice in Wonderland. They didn't win but had a great time. They're used to dressing up - being reenactors since toddlers I'm really proud that they get a kick out of it. They got lots of photos taken and tv interviews - very similar to a historical event! The winner was great, apparently, dressed as Yoshi - funny as we have a cockerel called that. The Expo was brill apparently - they got a lot of toys including some cool Army of Darkness figures and a subscription to Neo magazine.
Wiki on Cosplay

Toga party

Great fun. We managed to get back to the true meaning of 'bunfight' - that is - a battle fought with baps and shields. As you can see my knowledge of the Romans' contribution to the world is pretty sketchy. The gorilla faced ancient briton is a reenactor from St Petersburg Russia - no names - no pack drill! 'Russian in a toga I know I know - it's serious'

THE NOISETTES / DON'T GIVE UP

This is pretty good - kind of PJ Harvey meets Bow wow wow - a London band supporting Muse later this year but don't let that put you off - this is the sort of band Purr club in Bath features when they're just starting out.

Radstock Field Gun Mystery

I had a visit from local historian Chris Howell to drop me off a copy of his acclaimed book on the Great War No Thankful Village. I asked him about a story I heard through the family about the post-war years in Radstock. What I heard was that a German Field Gun was placed in the square in front of Victoria Hall as a memorial but it was deeply unpopular as many widows thought it might have been the machine that took their loved ones. Entreaties were made to have it removed, letters printed in the Radstock Observer, all to no avail; the powers that be were set in their resolve, it was going to stay. So in the dead of night all the veterans including my Grandfather, dismantled it into pieces and hung them ominously on the trees lining the approach drive on the local Lord's estate. The police were brought in and an enquiry started. Noone would speak about it though all the veterans were known to have done it - who else could have? It was a typical miner's wall of silence. Anyway Chris was able to confirm there was a Field Gun memorial in Radstock and it was taken away, but the rest he hadn't heard about. I think the fact that it was there is enough evidence for me - I'll see if I can find some letters in the local paper about it. I wish I could get my hands on a 77mm now though! More about Radstock history at the Museum.
Picture is of a 77mm Field Gun from a feature on reenactors from 1st World War.com

Toga party

Is this friday come along if you're free. Theoretically it should be easy to find us - tell them Ralphadeus sent you. Actually I am going to be on spear duties hopefully not too busy spearing people who try to get in without a toga. I was planning on having some gladitorial combat as part of the activities but this might not be so good with all the rain we've been having. A vomitorium should be ready for use. I wanted the family to watch Caligula to get some ideas but noone wanted to watch it - the more I described it the more noone wanted to watch it. Funny that. I thought they liked Malcolm McDowell.

Russian comic

This is an elegantly drawn comic that seems to be an interesting item - check it out - the black and white artwork is inspirational.

Jacko Monkey

Susan really wanted one of these things (made by Chad Valley in the 60s) but never got one - they used to hang on the walls high up in Woolworths and looked to me a little frightening - if someone had told me they were made from naughty children I would have believed them. But I was young - I believed there was a crocodile living in Warminster boating lake and a giant predatory hare lived in my wardrobe too. I was more interested in the Airfix aeroplanes that also were suspended on pegs but to Susan this ape was an object of desire. You'd think she would get one now off ebay - they go for about 30 quid - but she says that the moment has passed and she can't recapture it. I still like toys and the magic they contain and can't pass by a good toy shop - most of my happiest childhood memories are connected with them. Jacko Monkeys however, still scare me. A little. Maybe that's why Susan doesn't get one.

Woodland Indian Reenactment photos

These photos are from the late 90s with me in the much travelled redcoat reenacting the French and Indian war. For more on woodland indian reenacting, links and more photos go to my webpage. Finding suitable locations for staging skirmishes in this country was not easy - but the American Museum near Bath was perfect - the woodland surrounding the museum has the right feel and the content of the insides was complimentary. My Flintlock and Tomahawk blog has some interesting features you might like.

Battle of Chateauguay

This battle between Canadian and Mohawk forces and the United States in the War of 1812 was a defeat for the Americans. Info on the uniforms here The picture of me as a Mohawk warrior (in paint) was taken at the Bison Farm near Warminster a place with woodland trails and many interesting beasts including bison, elk and racoons. Worth a visit. Try the Bison meat, it's lovely.

Ants fanzine

Interesting interviews with Lester Square and Andy Warren are the highlights of this Ant related fanzine.

Charge of the Light Brigade

Today in 1854 saw the world famous charge of the gallant 600. The poem by Tennyson written in response to the news helped and also the movie featuring Errol Flynn made this one of the most celebrated battles of all time. Who remembers the Charlie Drake hit 'I'm too heavy for the light brigade - had to have another pair of trousers made' - classic comedy record from 1964...

WW1 reenactors at Old Sarum 2006 (4)

There's a sequence of these good quality videos from an event this summer. . .this section shows German reenactors in a trench.

World War One - Tanks

footage of those lumbering behemoths we have come to know as tanks. Note the camouflage pattern.

Far From the Madding Crowd

Far From The Madding Crowd - swordplay

This scene is filmed at Maiden Castle - an Iron Age hillfort in Dorset once stormed by the Romans. Sergeant Troy demonstrates his prowess with the sword - a Salisbury Plain charge scene is inserted too - apparently this scene was extremely dangerous to film - note the flashing in front of Christie's eyes. Anyway this film just screams rural Dorset in the Victorian era though one scene is shot at Devizes Wilts - another scene is shot at Gold Hill - see Hovis ad below. If you get a chance get this rural romance - one of my favourite movies ever. Wiki

Jena 1806 reenactment

Schlachtgetümmel mit Schussalven

The fog of war - 1 minute of blackpowder action that gives a taste of Napoleonic warfare - give it a whirl...

Moby featuring Debbie Harry - New York New York

This is great - everything a hit should have - and that includes Debbie Harry