Re-enactor Info

2017

• 15/01 - Info for Organisers

  If you organise a 1940s event, you may like to have a look at our new page, at the bottom of the ‘About Us’ menu, or here: nfs-afs.org.uk/about/info-for-organisers/ I wouldn’t look at the casualty folder of photos just before a meal!

2016

• 20/05 - Air Raid at Quorn Station, GCR 4th-5th June 2016 – instructions for reenactors

  The display will be at 1:10pm on Saturday and Sunday in Quorn Yard in the space between the Goods Shed and Marquee. Quorn and Woodhouse Station, Woodhouse Road, LE12 8AG. The detail of the scenario is here. Please look at the … Continue reading →
• 23/02 - Newark Air Raid 75th commemoration – final instructions

  The final instructions are now available to download. All participants of the event must read these carefully. Newark Air Raid Final Instructions Additionally, please let me know by 28 Feb (by email info@nfs-afs.org.uk): Your choice of what sort of casualty you … Continue reading →

2015

• 27/11 - 75th Anniversary Memorial Events 2016 – Newark

  7th March 1941 saw a daring raid by two German bombers on Ransome and Marles, the vital bearing factory in Newark. We are working with the events team at Newark Air Museum on a one day event on Sunday 6thMarch 2016, to … Continue reading →
• 21/09 - UXB On the Home Front at Rufford Abbey 26-27 Sept 2015

  ARP wardens and Police are keeping the crowds back from the UXB in the middle of the Long Meadow. One ARP warden in the raid was sure she saw three bombs fall, but only heard two explosions, and after a … Continue reading →
• 07/07 - Woodhall Spa Air Raid safety briefing

  >To ALL reenactors planning to take part in the Air Raid at Woodhall Spa on 18/19 July. It is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL that you attend the safety briefing at 11:00am on the day of the air raid, and that you SIGN … Continue reading →
• 01/07 - Newark Emergency Services Heritage Show 4-5 July

  We are down to do a Wartime NFS display at 12:00 and a Cold War AFS display at 15:30 on Saturday, but on Sunday the times are AFS at 10:00 and NFS immediately following at 10:40. We also hope to … Continue reading →

2014

• 26/09 - Rufford Abbey Air Raid timeline

  Important note for all participants: Briefing at 10:30 in the Turning Circle (Saturday) Start at 2:30 (Both Days) Siren is start of scenario. End of siren is cue for start of V1 approach sound. ARPs look to the sky, and … Continue reading →
• 14/09 - Decontaminating our gas masks

  Having read about the possible dangers of asbestos in WW2 gas mask filters, we decided it was time they were decontaminated to make them safe. In fact, provided the filter is in reasonable condition, it should be perfectly safe. In … Continue reading →
• 01/09 - On the Home Front at Rufford Abbey, 27/28 September

  The NFS & AFS Vehicles Group are again staging a major air raid on the old abbey buildings, with sirens, V1 approaching, ARP clearing the street,  a single big explosion, civilians evacuated by ARP, the NFS tackling the fire, WVS assisting … Continue reading →
• 08/07 - Air Raid at Kelham Island, Sheffield, this weekend

  We are planning to take the Turntable Ladder (which is currently round the corner at the National Emergency Services Museum) and a trailer pump to Kelham Island Industrial Museum for their 1940s event this weekend (12/13th July). A lone bomber … Continue reading →
• 08/07 - Particpants Briefings for Woodhall Spa

  ARP and Police Although there are several pages in this briefing, it is not all stuff that you need to know off the top of your head. Some of it is  a check list of uniform and equipment and other parts … Continue reading →
• 27/02 - Training session: Calling all ARP, Police, WVS, Medic and civilian reenactors in the East Midlands

  We (the NFS officers) would like to run another event, much shorter and simpler, aimed solely at ARP wardens, Police, WVS and Casualties, and we are suggesting a Saturday half-day in March. Starting at 12:30 with soup and a roll, … Continue reading →

2013

• 05/12 - Possible events for 2014

  February 1-2: Training Weekend for re-enactors See separate post for info on this here. February 22-23: Chesterfield’s Forties & Vintage Weekend, The Winding Wheel, Chesterfield, Derbyshire. Annual 1940s and vintage event with market, entertainments and dancing. June 14-15: Great Central … Continue reading →
• 21/11 - Training Weekend for Re-enactors 1-2 Feb 2014

  The NFS and AFS Vehicles Group are organising a training weekend next year. There are several aims behind this – we want to improve the realism and quality of the Air Raid scenarios that we have been doing in the … Continue reading →

2012

• 07/11 - Woodhall Spa 1940s weekend, 3-4 Aug 2013

  We have been invited to the Woodhall Spa 1940s weekend, and being a village setting, it has the potential to be a very realistic Air Raid scenario involving lots of people. We have also heard that the management of The … Continue reading →
• 03/09 - The Air Raid on Rufford Abbey, 1-2 September 2012

  The Scenario The ARP wardens were relaxing in their posts when the alert came in. The air raid sirens sounded – five in all around the site, and already the crowd had gathered. You could hear the approaching drone of … Continue reading →
• 16/05 - Upcoming events for the NFS Vehicles Group

  June and early July will be a very busy time for the group, with a number of great events coming up. 9th / 10th June is the wartime event at Quorn Station on the Great Central Railway. (www.gcrailway.co.uk) They also do … Continue reading →
• 24/04 - Welland entries

  This year, we are again restricted to a limited space, so I will be looking for a good diversity of entries. As ever, I do need a lot of manpower to put on a good display, so if you would … Continue reading →
• 24/04 - Operation Bridgett at Mercia Marina, Sunday 20th May

  Our next outing is an AFS display to try out our new 6″ pipe bridge with water. The location will be Mercia Marina, Willington, just off the A38/A50 junction a few miles South of Derby. The objectives are: to demonstrate … Continue reading →
• 19/04 - It can now be revealed – A Re-enactor’s War

  Some months ago, we were invited to contribute to a book, edited by John Leete, about our experiences in re-enacting. But we had to keep it secret until the book was announced. We decided to use our chapter of the … Continue reading →
• 01/04 - New uniforms acquired at Sheffield today

  Had a lovely time at the Sheffield Fire and Police Museum memorabilia sale today. The NFS re-enacting group in the South East (Heroes with Grimy Faces) had some surplus tunics, including three in large, with trousers. I also picked up … Continue reading →
• 26/03 - 1940s weekend at Crich Tramways Museum

  We are planning to take the K4 Turntable Ladder to Crich Tramway Museum 1940s weekend on Easter Sunday afternoon and all day Monday. At 31 miles, although not the furthest trip it has undertaken (that honour is taken by the Rauceby … Continue reading →
• 16/02 - Review of Trip to London Fire Museum, 13th Feb 2012

  On Monday we had a very successful trip to London. By driving to Milton Keynes, we got tickets costing £10 adults, £1 children day return to London with Central Zone tube thrown in. A real bargain. We took the tube … Continue reading →
• 14/02 - Building an AFS 6″ Pipe Bridge

  Tony Henwood and David Moore hatched a plan to build an AFS pipe bridge. Unfortunately, it is believed that the whole stock of AFS pipes was scrapped when Marchington closed down. So a few Tee pieces were sacrificed to supply … Continue reading →
• 06/02 - Visit to London, 13 Feb 2012

  This is the plan for Mon 13th: Meet Lowdham 7:30 and drive to Milton Keynes. We will need the Sutcliffe 9-seater van and probably one car. Aim to catch the 9:47 Milton Keynes to Euston train which gets in at … Continue reading →

2011

• 08/09 - NFS display at Rufford 1940s Home Front weekend 10-11 Sept

  This weekend is the 1940s Home Front weekend at Rufford Abbey organised by Eventplan – details are at www.eventplan.co.uk So far, I have heard from: Richard Townsley – both days. Bringing trailer of equipment? Meet at Rufford. Peter Townsley – expected … Continue reading →
• 06/05 - Saturday Timings for Old Market Square display

  09:00 Re-enactors arrive at Central Fire Station 09:15 Briefing 09:30 Ensure everything is ready 09:45 Doors open to public 09:50 Air raid siren sounds in Fire Station – crews on alert 09:55 Bells go down – all vehicles turn out. … Continue reading →
• 27/04 - Nottingham Open Day update

  Two wartime ambulances, based at Papplewick, are coming for the weekend, and will be based in the Fire Station appliance room over the weekend. They will form part of the convoy to the Market Square, and will render first aid … Continue reading →
• 22/02 - AFS at Welland

  There is a major Steam Rally at Welland, which is between Malvern and Upton-on-Severn. It happens on the last weekend of July, which this year falls on Fri-Sun 29-31 July. We go to the Rally on Wed 27th, and spend … Continue reading →