Yorkshire Wartime Experience

[Richard A Thackeray]

Is anyone going to it?

Primary visitor days are Saturday 9th/Sunday 10th August


https://www.yorkshirewartime.co.uk/

I'm told by a couple of attendees (one is a WW2 re-enactor) that it's possibly second only to 'War & Peace'!
I''m on a 'long weekend off' (Sat/Sun/Mon/Tue), so will hopefully get there again

For anyone interested, it's not that far (couple of miles, or so) from jct 26/M62 (the M606 interchange) & signposted from there

16 of my images from last years show are here


View: https://youtu.be/PxcoNhBDGFw?si=DhYDEiKcHGfCA1df



View: https://youtu.be/zzx8rrGzqvg?si=1apxh-_xpGZhSN_6



View: https://youtu.be/1VP-eaSJ1aY?si=MAU1OcVLgJkkNYGo

 

[presta]

I'd quite like to see that.

For anyone in the area, there's another good Yorkshire Wartime experience here, too.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Honestly, I'd give it a miss. That may have more to do with my current situation and background, but I'm happy experiencing what Germany has become.

 

[Drago]

That looks awesome, but sad,y won't be there.

 

[Cycleops]

I can understand that @Andy in Germany but I think it's important to remember past conflicts and what happened as a result, particularly in view of the current instability in Europe.
Many are not not seeking to glorify it but are fascinated how the UK came through it. It was a very bleak time for a lot of the population.

 

[Kingfisher101]

There's enough conflict on the streets of the U.K at the moment. Its getting like Northern Ireland in the 1970s.
It wouldn't be something I'd go to.

 

[Gillstay]

Yeah, I went to War and Peace once with a model making chum and came away with mixed feelings.
Some people looked a bit too comfortable in their Nazi uniforms. But then many in Yank uniforms would have been English as well.

 

[gbb]

Been to a couple 40s weekends in Cambridgeshire a few years ago, they're usually a mix of relaxed fun and re-enactments, dressers up, vehicle displays ( many simply classic cars) etc, if youre lucky a small aircraft display overhead (a YAK in my case)...and they're quite enjoyable.
I never got re-enactors, be they Viking, WW2 etc.... not my thing. The dress, the vehicles etc yes, but recreating battles ...not for me, although the noise from a German MG 42 ? was quite blistering

I'd go...on a nice sunny day, they're really quite fun

 

[Rusty Nails]

I'm not sure this sort of thing is less about remembering than glorifying because we were on the winning side thanks to the support of our allies.

I assume Germany would have similar reenactment events if it is about remembering.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I can understand that @Andy in Germany but I think it's important to remember past conflicts and what happened as a result, particularly in view of the current instability in Europe.
Many are not not seeking to glorify it but are fascinated how the UK came through it. It was a very bleak time for a lot of the population.

I'm not sure that this is the best way to "remember" those conflicts. It isn't attempting to show the UK's experience because thankfully, the UK never saw German troops or T34's in the war, so this is creating a spectacle and and can only show an extremely sanitised version of events. Inevitably this means they are telling a crowd pleasing story, not presenting a realistic impression of history.

In the current situation I think a sanitised version of war with nearby states being presented as the "baddies" is possibly unwise. If you want to understand how people in the UK survived the war, there are plenty of primary sources available, or maybe have a week-long "experience" of living in a street in London during the blitz; that would also have to be sanitized, but might at least help people understand how devastating a war is.

At the very least it would help if schools taught how endemic war was in Europe until 1945, where the periods of peace were just long enough for a new generation of young men to reach fighting age and be sent into the next meat grinder.

 

[Drago]

Its amazing how many with opinions have never even been in the military themselves.

I think its great at many levels. The history, the equipment, a real educational talking point, and every person there is one less in front of a TV or on an Xstation.

The people that don't like it are free to stay away if they so wish, but they only have that freedom to choose because people did fight for their right to make such a choice. The rest of us are happy to bear that salient reality in mind as we attend.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Its amazing how many with opinions have never even been in the military themselves.

I think its great at many levels. The history, the equipment, a real educational talking point, and every person there is one less in front of a TV or on an Xstation.

The people that don't like it are free to stay away if they so wish, but they only have that freedom to choose because people did fight for their right to make such a choice. The rest of us are happy to bear that salient reality in mind as we attend.

I'm with you on most of that; my question is if this specifically is the most respectful approach.

I also don't think not being in the military should mean an opinion is less valid. Yes, the freedom we have is because of the fact that the allies won, but that was also because of people like my Grandad who spent the war shunting ammunition trains in the West Midlands during air raids.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Its not too far from me but I have plans that weekend. "over 500 military vehicles on display from the 1st and 2nd world war, including post war vehicles right up to the present day" sounds absolutely great. I'm a subscriber to the Tank Museum Youtube and love a large military vehicle (the small ones are ok too!).

I think to make up for not making it a visit to Royal Armouries Leeds is coming up soon

 

[stephec]

I've been there once and as a 'fun packed' type day out it's one of the best of it's kind.

As @gbb said earlier though there's lots of events, that seem to be mainly around the east and south of England, that are run more on a remembrance type of line.

Quite often the whole town/village joins in with shop fronts decorated, and plenty of stalls and entertainment in the centre, a lot of them welcome German groups as they're usually presenting both sides of the story equally, they all have a no SS or nazi uniform policy though.

 

[sheddy]

A WW1 wounded troops, hospitalisation and recovery weekend in Suffolk

https://www.kentwell.co.uk/warevent