Re-enacting the Prussian Landwehr

 Here I am at Chalke Valley festival of History last week. It was a boiling hot day and the dark wool uniforms became like ovens in the heat. This is me learning the drill, complete with Landwehr beard. I upgraded my sideburns for the weekend.

 It was quite hard learning a new drill, but even more so because the landwehr drill in German! After a while I started to get the hang of things as some of the words did sound quite English. I like the fact that even the language has been adopted so that we sound as well as look authentic.

 I got to fire my first flintlock musket as well which was amazing. After all my years reading and drawing history, I finally got hands on with it. I was amazed at the shower of hot gun powder that blows up when the gun goes off. It was a little scarey at first with the noise being louder than you expect, even though I hear them going off all the time next to me. I think I am now hooked!

Here is a nice group shot with most of the regiment marching in formation. My musket was a replica Brown Bess I bought ten years ago. I was very pleased to be using it in anger, as I thought It would just sit in a cupboard for the rest of it's life. I will apply for my shot gun and black powder licenses soon and when I have them, I can buy my own working musket and take the fight to the enemy. Until then, I will have to rely on the old cold steel!

 Being the man with the replica gun, It was my job to die in glorious fashion every now and then. I enjoyed this very much. I also got to play a Frenchman on the second day to help the poor old out numbered French...this was the highlight of the weekend for me.

Here i am on the second day in borrowed French uniform.

The excellent pictures were taken by Pat Patrick, Sarah Ford and Barry James Wilson.