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Post by grenademan on Apr 12, 2009 14:50:58 GMT -5
Hi everyone,
Are there any UK based members of this forum interested in joining together to do some Bataan & early Pacific US Army living history displays?
Yanks LHG would like to develop this but we are short of members to make it work so we are inviting any groups and individuals interested in this part of WW2 to consider pooling impressions and resources on an event by event basis to tell a story that so many seem not to know much about.
Please PM me and I will gladly explain to you what Yanks LHG can contribute, our history as a group and how we have operated to date.
Thanks everyone,
Tim Dean
Yanks LHG unit organiser
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Post by VeeVee on Apr 12, 2009 20:58:23 GMT -5
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Post by grenademan on Apr 14, 2009 10:06:42 GMT -5
Indiosbravos?
Yes I know. I've exchanged e-mails with him a while back but don't seem to be able to get any reply either from that route or via a PM.
This really should be got up and running because it is such an awesome period of history, and something so different to the endless ETO 1944 living history that we see.
Hopefully I will hear from him soon. Meanwhile, the invitation is there, for anyone with the appropriate kit, whether it be 31st Infantry, Scouts, Phil army, 26th Cav, Army Air Corps or even US Navy - there were so many scratch units at the time - to join us in developing this.
Just PM me & we'll take it from there.
Tim
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Post by insurrectomad on Apr 15, 2009 8:34:10 GMT -5
Dear Tim, I saw a Few chaps at Kent County Fair Combined Reenactment annual Event (last year?) Indiosbravos was one, and he lives in Northhampton. Try contacting London Cultural Attache & The Philippine Express newspaper. The Philippine War Study Group (PWSG 1898) of which i was the Secretary, had only 2 Pinoy members, and 5 brits. & Spanish members. i have met several Pinoys in the British reenactment soc.s Such as the English civil War, Vikings & Vandels, Napoleonic Soc. but it seems few of the young Fils., whether in England or in the Phil.s have much pride or interest in their own peoples past history or achievements alas. I wish you the Best of British Luck, mate!-David
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Post by VeeVee on Apr 15, 2009 16:17:08 GMT -5
So far more Filipinos are into airsoft than the historical reenactment. There could be a few that may crossover. Indiosbravos started with airsoft too. So did I. I believe there are a lot of airsoft-playing Filipinos there in the UK. -victor
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Post by grenademan on Apr 26, 2009 15:51:03 GMT -5
Just a week to go until we make our first tentative effort at a Bataan display.
Our group, Yanks LHG, has been going since 1996, but this year, as we're going through a period of low membership & so many are effected by the general negative economic situation, some of us thought it would be a good opportunity to develop 'another string to our bow', as the saying goes, while things are quiet. Previously, as with most other WW2 US themed groups, we've concentrated on ETO 1944. The time has come to tell a wider story I think.
I'm hoping Idiosbravos will join us, as we've exchanged several e-mails and I'm already impressed with his enthusiasm & his personal impression.
Small and simple for a first time out. Wartime tent at the rear with an awning to the front that we can set up as a simple CP with period tables & chairs & an original working BD71 telephone exchange.
Sandbags to front of that, a couple of period cammo nets over the canvas and some fake barbed wire, (rare enough at the time, I've read, according to 'Bataan, our last ditch'). Add to that, our personal impressions, a few weapons, a little set dressing in the way of ammo crates inert ammo & a subdued sound system, playing morse, combat voice & period news - including that of Bataan & the rock to give a little ambiance. An original 48 star flag will go up, but it would be nice to have a period, or reproduction period Philippine flag as well.
After a weekend of filling sandbags & making props to hold up the cammo, rigging my WW1 webbing & such I'm pooped!
I'd appreciate any direction on sourcing period Bataan maps that we can use on the display. We have a lot of typical period army paperwork, typewriter, kerosene lamps & such, but maps to put out on the tables would be a great touch of detail.
I've also thrown up a rough direction signpost, blank for now, which I thought might look good with Abucay & Mabatang pointing in opposite directions, to help to 'place us' near to where so much fighting took place. We've refrained from displaying the CP of a definitive unit as in time, we'd like to see guys add Army Air Corps, Philippine Army & Naval Battalion impressions to give a more rounded impression of the personnel that saw action in Bataan.
It's early days for what is such a different WW2 display here in the UK, but already I've had a couple of seasoned UK re-enactors contact me with a possible interest in joining us...
Now, I wonder if I may call upon the knowledge of forum members with a few questions?
Firstly, food. It's very apparent how terribly off the guys all were at the time, first with half rations, then less & then less still. It just amazes me that they all kept going.
Rice seems to be a staple & while we may not be able to replicate Caribou or Donkey, I did read that canned sardines & salmon, or all things, seemed to be more common than C rations. I'm considering putting together a simple typical meal while were open to the public that the guys can eat from mess kit & we can then explain the food situation, as it was, to any visitors. Can anyone confirm if I'm on the right track?
Period Philippine flag. Are there any available? A good reproduction would suffice, to be flown alongside 'Old Glory' (That wouldn't cause any offense, would it?)
M1917 bolo knife. I keep coming across vague references on the net to reproductions, but I haven't been lucky enough to find a source. Can anyone help?
Philippine Army sun helmets. Something for a future impression for one of our guys. A member of this forum was making repros recently. Would one still be available?
Finally, a question put to me yesterday by one of our members. Was the M1918 'knuckle' type trench knife used in the Bataan campaign? His reasoning in asking is that as so much other WW1 equipment was issued at the time, was it possible that even a small number of these were issued also?
Please feel free to comment or make suggestions on our plans & ideas!
I'll try to post some pictures after the event.
Tim
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Post by grenademan on Apr 26, 2009 16:10:59 GMT -5
Another question guys, if you don't mind?
Can anyone advise me of any 'ad hoc' or expedient tactical signposts that might be appropriate to a CP in the Abucaay / Mabatang area?
Thanks,
Tim
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Post by VeeVee on Apr 26, 2009 17:33:00 GMT -5
Good luck on your display. Please post some pictures here after the event.  So many questions but I'm not sure anyone here can answer most but here's one for starters. Will this signpost do? click for bigger  How about some pineapples and small fish "caught" from a stream or Manila Bay:   Also, send Rayadillo a PM. He makes those repro Phil. Army coconut helmets. |
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Post by legionnaire on Apr 27, 2009 5:27:52 GMT -5
Rice seems to be a staple & while we may not be able to replicate Caribou or Donkey, I did read that canned sardines & salmon, or all things, seemed to be more common than C rations. I'm considering putting together a simple typical meal while were open to the public that the guys can eat from mess kit & we can then explain the food situation, as it was, to any visitors. Can anyone confirm if I'm on the right track?
LUGAW - rice porrage- The Filipino community in England would be able to hlep you guys on how this is made. It was commonly fed to the troops in Bataan. They ate almost anything they could catch in the jungles.
White mosquito nets were used by the field hospitals in Bataan.
Sand bags were hardly every used in Bataan, barbed wire with those WWI style metal pole bars with loop holes in them and bamboo stakes were commonly used in Bataan defenses.
No camo netting on your Kelly helmets if ever they used captured Japanese helmet nettings.
And lastly don't forget some San Miguel Beers!
Philip
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Post by indiosbravos on Apr 27, 2009 7:05:31 GMT -5
I'm in contact with Tim nice man and knows his stuff. I know I will learn a lot from them, I'll be joining them....I'll keep you posted. |
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