Category: WWI

  • Beverly Heritage Days

    Beverly Heritage Days(July 23, 2022), a timeline event in North-Central West Virginia is in need of reenactors: Particularly WWII and Colonial period. 19th Century impressions are, of course welcome as well.

  • 2022 events

    All listed events are tentative pending Covid restrictions, government rulings, etc. Several events have not yet posted their schedules. February 2022 18th Century – February 25-27. Prickett’s Fort, Prickett’s Fort State Park, Fairmont, WV. 18th Century Firearms and Accoutrements Show.  http://www.prickettsfortstatepark.com/events.html March 2022 Timeline – March ? No info at this time. Reenactor Appreciation Weekend, …

  • Events for 2021(?)

    I know that I have been pretty quiet as of late. The situation with Covid restrictions has been tough to assess. They seem to be loosening up in some areas and some groups are finally starting to plan events. There are other questions that I have heard expressed by concerned reenactors. Will Cancel Culture put…

  • Events: January to June 2020

    This is what we have so far: January 2020 WWI – January 10-12, 2020: “Fortifying the Line” (Unit Sponsored Event) (Hosted by Fusilier Regiment 90). Time period: Early 1915. Event held at the Caesar Krauss Great War Memorial Site, Newville, PA. http://www.greatwarassociation.com/Schedule.html

  • A Quick Overview of 2018

    A Quick Overview of 2018

    Here is a quick overview of events that we didn’t cover in individual articles. April 6-8. School of the Longhunter – Prickett’s Fort, near Fairmont, WV. This is a very informative seminar on life on the frontier in the 18th Century. Subjects can vary from an enlightening discussion on the life of Simon Girty to…

  • This Year’s Coming Events

    Here is what we have so far: January 2019 WWI – Jan 11-13, 2019: “The Calm Before the Storm”(Hosted by FR 90 (German). Time period: Winter 1917-18. Event held at the Caesar Krauss Great War Memorial Site, Newville, PA. http://www.greatwarassociation.com/Schedule.html

  • Initial 2018 Calendar of events

    Here is what we have so far for the coming year through April. January 2018 WWI – Jan 12-14, 2018: “Bathelémont: Baptism of Fire”(Hosted by FR 90 (German) and the 18th RI (French)). Time period: November 1917. Event held at the Caesar Krauss Great War Memorial Site, Newville, PA. http://www.greatwarassociation.com/Schedule.html WWII – Battle of the…

  • Events – January – May 2017

      Below are the events on which we currently have information. More to follow. January 2017 WWII – Battle of the Bulge Reenactment, January 25- 29. Ft. Indiantown Gap PA. Contact: http://www.wwiiha.org/new/index.php/fig February 2017 WWII – Elbe River Event, February 18,  Old Bedford Village, Bedford, PA. regardless of the weather as usual. They still have…

  • Memorial Day

    There are numerous stories and legends about the origin of Memorial Day that have grown up over the last 150-odd years. From the freedmen of Charleston, SC, who cleaned up and landscaped the burial grounds of 257 Union prisoners of war buried at the Hampton Park Race course and then held a memorial service for…

  • Upcoming 2015 Events – January through April

    The following is what I have so far for our general region. Some events have not yet released their 2015 event information. Check back for updates and additions. January 2015 WWII – Battle of the Bulge Reenactment, January 27 – February 1. Ft. Indiantown Gap PA. Contact: http://www.wwiifederation.org February 2015 Civil War – February 20-22,…

  • Raise a Glass of Vodka to Sergei Mosin and Leon Nagant

    The following is a reprint of a wonderful bit of philosophy from my good friend, Patricia: The Mosin Nagant is truly a manly piece of hardware. Let’s discuss why. 1: First, the Poison Maggot is a time proven design. Dating from 1891, all the bugs have been worked out. This assumes there were any bugs…

  • Great War Association Fall event – 2013

    On Friday, November 1, I once again made the trip to Newville, PA for the Great War Association’s Fall WWI event. The parking lot was full, indicating a good turnout and the Flea Market was extensive and busy. This year, the weather was quite favorable during the event and although the sky clouded up Saturday…

  • Reenacting and Gun Control

    Reenacting and Gun Control

    As many of you know, it is the policy of this blog to avoid political discussions. Frankly, many of us, including myself, are sick to death of politics. However, there are some topics that have a direct bearing on living history and reenacting, and gun control is a primary example. In the aftermath of the…

  • 2012 – A Retrospective

    2012 – A Retrospective

    2012 has been an interesting year, with more than its share of ups and downs, to be sure. As some of you know, I have had some personal bumps in the road, including some unpleasant health problems, which have affected my ability to get out to events as well as mind this blog as much…

  • Veteran’s Day

    I noticed a post the other day from a friend who noted that this is the first Armistice/Veterans Day in which there are no longer any WWI veterans alive anywhere in the world. Certainly a solemn note and a reminder of the need to remember and thank those veterans who are still among us. To…

  • Sgt. York

    Sgt. York

    The following is a report by our correspondent, Matt Gillespie: With the electricity off in West Virginia and no freezer, gasoline or water, just to mention a few items, I decided to take the family to a place with all the afore mentioned amenities; Pall Mall, Tennessee, the home of World War I Medal of…

  • Helmut’s Newville

    Helmut’s Newville

      The following is Bill Donegan’s report on the Spring GWA event at Newville: Newville 2012 For several years my friend and neighbor, Katz, has been inviting me to the WW1 event in Newville Pa. Since I collect WW1 German equipment as well as WW2 I decided to accouter up as an Old Prussian Sgt.…

  • Great War – Newville, April 20-21 2012

    Great War – Newville, April 20-21 2012

    Ваня! А вот и они! Alexei, the number two man on the Maxim gun yells to his gunner, who is reloading belts. The Huns are once again swarming across no-man’s land. Soon Uncle Maxim is belching fire and death towards the dreaded sausage-eaters. Mortar rounds shriek off into the gathering dusk. Somewhere to the right,…

  • Mission to Moscow II

    Mission to Moscow II

    The next stop on my trip to Moscow was the Central Armed Forces Museum, which is also known as the museum of the Soviet Army. The former is probably now more accurate, since there are exhibits from the post-soviet period as well as sections being developed that cover the whole history of Russian arms back…

  • Great War Association Event – November 2011

    Great War Association Event – November 2011

    GWA events are always a hoot and this November was definitely worth the price of admission. When I arrived at Newville on Friday afternoon, the parking lot was full of more cars than I could remember seeing there. With a forecast of good weather for the weekend, a good turnout was probably a sure thing.…

  • Troops and Trains II

    Troops and Trains II

    Here is Part two of  Bill’s report on Troops and Trains: Following our train ride with the Federal Generals, we returned to the museum to guard tables for the Nowacks (WW2 Army Air Corp, and Homefront), as well as Greg Hall (Vietnam display). On the walk back we spoke German to some tourists who could…

  • Troops and Trains 2011 pt. I

    Troops and Trains 2011 pt. I

      Bill and Linda Donegan attended the annual Troops and Trains event in Strassburg, Pa over the weekend of November 5th. Here is their report:   Strasburg, Pa November 4, 2011 had dinner with Dave and Lois Nowack. Saturday November 5,2011 we had breakfast with the Nowacks.  Linda and I dressed in Civil War attire and…

  • Last Combat Veteran of WWI Dies

    The last combat veteran of WWI, Claude Choules, who served on the British Battleship, HMS Revenge in WWI, died in a nursing home in Australia at the age of 110. According to the  BBC news release, Mr. Choules witnessed the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet in 1918 and its subsequent scuttling at Scapa…

  • GWA Spring Event

    GWA Spring Event

    It’s spring, 1918 and on the killing fields of France, the armies are stirring in the mud and filth of the trenches. The Kaiser’s forces prepare for an offensive that will strike a decisive blow and divide the allied lines. The western allies including the new American troops and the hardened veterans of the Russian…

  • Military Through the Ages 2011

    Military Through the Ages 2011

    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…

  • Great War Association Fall Event – 2010 pt.2

    Great War Association Fall Event – 2010 pt.2

    On the weekend of November 6, I was able for the first time, to take part in a WWI event at the GWA site at Newville, PA., thanks to the support and loan of equipment from John Pepper and Keith Allen. The group I was with, is La Legion Russe, which portrays “a machine gun…

  • Veteran’s Day

    A warm thank you to all veterans for your service to our country and its people. The debt is deep and profound. We should also take a moment to remember the men and women of the armed services still serving. God bless and come home safe!

  • Happy Birthday Marines!

    November 10, 2010 marks the 235th birthday of the United States Marine Corps.  Thank you Marines for your bravery and sacrifice down through the years…and Happy Birthday!

  • Local Events You Don’t Want to Miss!

    I wanted to give everyone a quick preview of some great events coming up in North Central West Virginia over the next few months. First of all, is the 5th Annual WWII Living History Weekend in Rowlesburg, WV on the weekend of June 19, 2010. This is West Virginia’s premier WWII event. Located in the…

  • A Hidden Treasure

    A Hidden Treasure

    On April 24, Mark Tennant and I drove to Oakland, MD for a scheduled Civil War living history. We were to meet up with some other reenactors at the gazebo by the train station,  however, to our dismay, we learned that there had been a glitch and the event had been cancelled, but no one…

  • MTA 2010 – Beautiful weather- Great time!

    MTA 2010 – Beautiful weather- Great time!

    The title says it all. March 20-21 was a great weekend for the annual Military Through the Ages event at Jamestown Settlement. Despite having been out at Newville the previous week and dreading the 7-hour drive, I still felt compelled to attend. I’m glad I did. This was even better than last year. I don’t…

  • Last WWI Veteran

    As many of you know, the last living WWI veteran lives in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle. He recently celebrated his 109th birthday. The story was covered by the Charleston (WV) Daily Mail: “CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. (AP) – America’s last surviving World War I veteran is now 109. Frank Woodruff Buckles celebrated his birthday Monday with…