A Farewell to Arms

 Long term readers may recall that along with playing with toy soldiers, I also like to dress up and play at soldiers. Mainly milsim type things using Airsoft guns, although I have dabbled a bit in re enactment too, with real weapons firing blanks. 

I've been doing this stuff for 18 years now, made lots of good friends along the way and been to some amazing places around the country, including both the tunnels at Drakelowe (now closed) and the tunnels under Fort Southwick near Southampton as well as military training sites such as Piddington. 

I've lost track of how many events I've been to, I stopped counting once it got to 70, but a combination of illness and injury meant I've only attended two events in the last 18 months. The reality is that I'm just not physically up to it any more, and I've finally decided to hang up my spurs. The writing was on the wall last year when I had a big kit clear out, but reflecting in the New Year, I realised that for the last few years I've mainly been going along to these things to enjoy the weekend camping! 

So, the last of the stuff is being sold as I type, I've got buyers for all my ACW, Star Wars, Viet Cong and WW2 British, German and Russian gear. The last bit left is my 1980s BAOR stuff, which funnily enough is what I started with, but that will go later this year. 

Here's to some happy memories, and at least a taste of trying to cook a meal on a hexi stove in horizontal rain, understanding why woollen uniforms are so much better than cotton, and experiencing more than once the astonishment of being out flanked. Wtf did they come from!? 

I am going to keep my extensive collection of soft hats though. 

A fairly random selection of photos from various events.

Siege of Sevastopol - the ruined Crimean buildings in the background are actually near Dartford in Kent! The 50mm mortar fires smoke rounds. 

Russians at one of the '900 Days' Siege of Leningrad events. This is why I paint my Russians mainly brown, not green. 

GIs in the sunshine.

And Germans in the smoke.

Elite Volksgrenadiers! Ahem. The Panzerschreck is actually quite light, but not especially handy in woodland. 

Thomas Atkins.

One of the first Eastern Front events I went to. This must be 14 years ago at least.

A weekend when I discovered the Plash Palatka is the most waterproof poncho invented, goodness knows what it is treated with. I'm on the far left. 

On the field phone. They work surprisingly well, as long as they are wired up correctly.

US camp in the morning mist.

Luftwaffe Field Division.

Polish Paras.

Volksgrenadiers again. A rather cold day in December for a Bulge event. 

My lovely Bren MK I.. Sold some time ago alas. 

This is why I paint my 8th Army helmets a luminous sand colour. As one of the guys said, they should be visible from space. 

Assault Pioneer. I lugged the full pioneer pack and assault shovel around all day. I was younger and fitter then.

Pak 36 built by some of the Military Vehicle Club members. It fires blanks. 

HQ and medical equipment.

British Commandos on the beach at a D-Day event in South Wales.

And Germans in the dunes at the same event.

British Para, at one of the numerous Arnhem events. 

More plucky Tommies.

75mm LeIG with spoked rather than solid wheels. This one comes apart so it can be man packed (we were doing Gebirgsjager impressions at the time). It also fires blanks like the Pak 36. My good friend Tim is supervising operations. He sadly died suddenly a few years ago.

Coming down off Devils Hill in torrential rain. This event was up near Otley. 

Loads of GIs.

And loads of Fallschirmjager.

Russians. A colourised B/W 35mm photo.

Germans in the woods.

A 1944 Panzer Division! 

Well, that was a ton of fun while it lasted, but now I've made the decision to stop, I'm glad I've let it go. Thanks for the many happy memories and experiences.