This year, I attended my third ‘Military Through the Ages’ at Jamestown Settlement. For those of you who have not attended this event, it is a high-quality, prestigious time-line event. Since it takes place in the environs of the reconstructed Jamestown Settlement and museum, it is doubly interesting. As usual, there were a wide variety of living history impressions on display here. It is always a challenge to capture them all on film, but I have done my best. There is only a limited amount of time to do so, since we have to man our own displays as well. Again this year, the 193rd was well represented by our membership. This year, we concentrated on representing a Red Army field hospital, which was well-received by the public.
The timeline represented this year extended from the time of the Emperor Charlemagne (around 800 A.D.) though the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, represented by groups from the Hundred Year’s War though German mercenaries from the 1500’s and English privateers preying on Spanish shipping in the late 1600’s. The various conflicts of the eighteenth century were well represented, both in Europe and North America by such groups as Roger’s Rangers and His Majesty’s Detached Hospital in North America.
After a brief stopover in the War of 1812 (Fort Norfolk Garrison) the timeline marched into the American Civil War with a large representation of Yanks and Rebels of various units, including the ‘Nancy Hart Militia’ (imagine women in hoop skirts carrying muskets!)
One of the highlights of this year’s encampment was the British 24th Regiment of Foot from the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. This guys always look sharp, but this year, they upped the ante and brought some Zulus with them. The Zulu reenactors looked great and knew their stuff and this aided the group in netting some of the top awards.
There were several good WWI units as usual and this year included for the first time since I have been going, Imperial Russian (11th Siberian Rifles). Then we had another good display from the Irish War for Independence with the West Cork Flying Column and their nemesis, the Black and Tans. Then on to an extensive WWII array including our group, British Commonwealth forces, Americans and Germans.
The last two displays moved into the Cold War period with a fine Vietnam display (which gets better every year) and the First Company of 154th Independent Spetsnaz Detachment in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, 1987, who put up an excellent and creative display for their first year. I know that I haven’t mentioned every group here, by a longshot, but there are just too many. Come out next year and see for yourself.
This is a great show, which would be worth the drive, even if your group wasn’t participating. For me, it is a hoot just to see impressions that I don’t get to see in the usual single time-period events. Apparently the public thinks so as well, given the turnout, which I understand was larger than anticipated. I know we had a lot of people come through our camp and show a great deal of interest. That is, of course, one of the most gratifying aspects.
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