Fire Power Museum
February 17th/18th 2007

Military Vehicle Weekend

A quick phone call found us  attending a small MVT event at  the Firepower museum in London. Braving the traffic on the Friday night and getting stuck in roadwork's we arrived late in the evening. Billeted in the Academy building for the weekend this was an enjoyable and unique show.  Once the Museum opened e set the display up in the museum in the Shadow of a FH70 and  a Saracen Command vehicle. 

Whilst the Vehicles braved the Icy wind blowing in of the Thames estuary we were treated to the soundtrack of incoming artillery fire.  Visitors to the museum during the event was light and gave us time to look around and get some pictures done.

Part of the display in the shadows of a FH70 and  5.5" Guns.

The other end of the display with a Saracen Command vehicle as a back drop.

Colchester Military festival 
June 16/17th 2007

The Colchester Military Festival was billed as one of our premiere events.  We arrived to find our selves pitched right next to the Armies Falklands History tent in the middle of the Armies display area.  As we went into the Saturday the weather promised to be at least a bit wet with sunny spells, wet? we were drowned, about 2" of rain in 20 minutes but the public still lingered.  Again a lot of interest in us and at times just a little too much interest... 

With the heavy downfall came the wind that blew the ponchos away that were protecting the kit displays, saturating the clothing from the CEMO to a degree that it took a week to dry them out.  With our beleaguered members we  managed to attend two arena events on the Saturday and one on the Sunday.

Sunday was a totally different show for us.  As the Army pulled out of the show on the Saturday night it left us a little off the beaten track and stuck in the middle of nowhere.  We had a few visitors but no where near as many we had the previous year.  But we were still busy as it allowed us to spend more time with those that sought us out.  I think the most surreal moment for us was  when two Roman re-enactors visited our camp and was seen with a SLR slung over one shoulder with a mug of tea in one hand and a hotdog in the other. Now you may think that we would have had the chance to take some pictures of our camp at the event but no, we completely failed to do so and checking with the other members they also seemed to have forgotten as well.  The display seems to be coming together just needing a few details added.  With the best comment we had was "It's like walking onto a film set." 

All in all a well and truly enjoyable event.

War and Peace
18th to 22nd July  2007

Firstly: Sorry if you did not find us at this event, this was outside our control and was down to the shows organization, 
or lack of it.

We arrived on the Wednesday to find that we had not been assigned a pitch on the living history section and was put in the Americas (Vehicle) field instead. Which meant that anyone looking for us would not be able to find us and the chance that the public would be able to find us was also zero. This major setback was to haunt us for the whole show as numerous people were asking us where had we been when we did the walk round. But Hey-Ho, nothing much we could do about it. The display as set up on the day we arrived. Along with the brilliant sunshine we hoped would stay with us for the rest of the week, Yeah right....

Thursday we spent the day fund raising for SAMA ready to start displaying on the Friday but the above weather turned to this below...

Because of this weather we kept the kit display packed away and set up a display that at least gave something for the public to look at. We had a few visitors one of which was an Argentinean who was interested in the Radios on display and spent quite some time with us and was a pleasure to meet. But what with the rain  and the un-necessary movement of vehicles buy their owners which turned the roads into 6" deep Mud, there was no way we were going to get many visitors. With the weather worsening we gave up on the idea of putting on a static display and carried out a Walk round display instead on the Sunday. 

The Sun decided to shine on the Sunday but it was too late for us, having been towed of site due to the muddy conditions we donned full kit and walked round the Living History field drawing quite a bit of interest from the paying public.

Jon with the new toy, a GPMG and Darren 
recreating the photo from the Falklands.

WAR WHEELS
18th & 19th August 2007

Well it was another wet show. Heavy constant drizzle on the Saturday with, Strong winds and threatening clouds on the Sunday. Saturday night saw the heaviest rain. As last year, we limited the display due to the weather and struggled with the wind which again was blowing the rain in at all angles. Thankfully it stayed dry on the Sunday but with Strong winds the tents were taking a slight beating. Not many public attended this show due to the weather which seemed to also dampen the spirits of the other participants. 

It was rumored that due to the poor attendance by the paying public last year and this year that this may be the last show for War Wheels. If this is the case it is a sad lost as with a little more perseverance and a little more support from the Military enthusiast world this show could become a premiere event.

We are hoping that this event will take place next year and if it does we will continue to support it as shows of this type are scarce in this part of the country.

   

Flying the flag as ever, but just look at those clouds.

Sheffield Fayre
August 26/27th 2007

What a smashing little event this turned out to be, lots of sun for a change and not a drop of rain anywhere. We only attended the Sunday as I had unfortunately double booked my self and rather then let every one down I split my bank holiday between the two commitments. We found our selves for once being next to other members of c20 which gave us a chance to see what they got up to and vice versa, something we don't get to do often. It was quite a contrast that within a couple of feet you traversed 65 years of history, from world war one to the Falklands.

The display was smaller by our normal standards, but as usual the interest was high. The Idea was that all that was displayed was all that I could carry in the 58 webbing and large pack representing a realistic combat load or CEMO.

Webbing contents for the show:

• 4x 20 round mags.

• 1x  30 round mag.

• 2x L2 Grenades.

• 50x 7.62mm linked rounds.

• Small mess tin.

• Hexi Cooker.

• Sewing Kit.

• Small Wash Kit.

• Shoe cleaning kit.

• KFS & Can opener.

• Face Cam paint.

• Spare socks.

• Sandbag.

• Poncho, tent pegs and Bungies.

• Pick axe

• 24hr Rat pack.

• 2x Bottles of water.

• SLR Cleaning kit.

• s6 Respirator & Decom kit.

• 2x Shell dressings.

• Bayonet.

Weight:15.5Kg

Large Pack:

• 100 rounds 7.62mm linked in sandbag.

• 24hr Rat Pack.

• Spare Water.

• 3x Pair of Socks.

• Thermal underwear.

• Spare Shirt.

• Norgi shirt.

• Lightweight Trousers.

• Windproof trousers.

• Woolen Jumper.

• Water proof jacket.

• 3x Shell dressings.

• Wash kit & Towel.

• Gaiters.

• Head over.

• Woolen Gloves.

• 2x L2 Grenades.

• Shelter Pack.

Weight: 13Kg

NBC Roll:

• Mk3 NBC Suit.

• Overboots.

Weight: 3Kg

Also Carried:

• 58 Pattern Sleeping bag.

• Kip Mat.

• Law 66.

• 2 Bandoliers.

Weight: 4Kg

Total weight of CEMO:

35.5Kg

or 36 bags of sugar!!!

This does not include the Helmet and SLR along with if you were unlucky either a Radio or Charlie G.