Worcester Re-enactors

Armoured Picnic 2007 – Spetchley Park 6^th October 2007 

Yet another new venture for Worcester re-enactors – a multi period Living History event. This event came through cantact made with the Battle of Worcester Society. They were talking to Henry Berkeley who is one of the patrons, the talk got round to re-encators and that is where we came in! They would like to see more re-enactors there and so a meeting was arranged.

The original thought was a few tents and hold a period picnic on their lawn. ”Let’s invite a few friends”  someone said. Suddenly we had English Civil War, Napoleonic, American Civil War and WWII.  With about 80 re-enactors, living history camps, drill displays musket and canon fire, WWII vehicles and display tent.  We had good weather for the weekend and we even got on telly, a Film crew were recording a year in the life of the Berkeley estate and was shown on Sky channel, Horse and Country for which we took up about half of the programme. There were some great living history camps and if you click on the link http://www.lhiw.org.uk/?q=gallery&g2_itemId=197 You will see some of the pictures from that weekend, there are a lot more to add.

There were so many good things that weekend it’s would need a book written to log them all down. Sharon cooking has to be one of them though, the public, Film crew, the Berkeleys and even the other re-enactors were impressed, making her own sausages and butter on the day. A firing through the ages display from the Matchlock Musket through to the WWII rifle. WWII were impressive, with motor bikes coming down the drive, sirens wailing, and bivouac with barbed wire protection  (plastic really – but looked very realistic). Birch’s and Foxes’s provided the ECW encampment, showing both soldiers and civilian life. The ACW had their version on Napoleonic rifles with their Sharpshooters. Napoleonic camp included the Garde Imperiale artillery with a howitzer. 

There has to be a big thank to everyone that attended and made it such a success, and is to be repeated this year as a two day event on 4^th and 5^th October – bigger and better. Keep an eye on our web site for updates on this and any other events coming up.