Did anyone see Lofty-Boy at Detling?

[Casbah Rock]

There was a female russian soldier in the monday afternoon battle as well

Was that the same one I ....ahem shot trying to escape at the Sunday battle ?

[Casbah Rock]

Stigs got it in one !

Are we thinking on the same lines Seb? funny enough i am watching Charlie and the choco factory

Shame those ruby slippers hadn't been clicked a couple of times Mike

"Theres gnome place like home !"

[Reich Crispies]

Thats quite permissible, not common but it happened. Lots of tank crew and pilots but some infantry.

In Normandy?

[Stigroadie]

No, not in Normandy.
But there are lots of german units that turn up in Normandy battles that were never within 1000miles of normandy. It's one of the compromises that have to be made.

[Peiper]

I am sorry, but I must say something. If Lofty is out there, please feel free to comment

lofty boy.jpg

LMFAO!
Who was it???
Does anybody know???
Seriously somebody should have told him to clear off.

Cheers Pipes

[poteau rottenfurer]

i think i can clear this up-lofty boy i believe was our arab freind from the italian display!
when he said "fire"-apparently mg42s openned up!
as to the gear etc-well we were doing US 9TH ARMD DIV may 1945 in our display hence our double buckle boots and m43 jackets
If people think we are going to get changed for what amounts to an unrealistic blatt with US/BRIT airborne fighting alongside brit and US infantry in a battle which never happened then think again.
credit to the german groups who all combined to represent a normandy 44 impression but then you could say do these groups all look the same and where is the diversity?

if we really want a normandy 44 battle- pick one- CAEN/ST LO/ RANVILLE/LA FIERRE/COBRA etc and stick to only those units-otherwise its just a public blatt in my opinion for which we were contractually obliged to participate in -probably like some others.

regards

dave g
TFH

[supermario]

Ok, Having Asked 'Lofty boy' about this, this is what actually happened.

Lofty went to watch the battle with two members of mediterraneo. he was approached by someone who asked him to join in on the battle. He didn't have a blank firer, but one was sourced for him. The german reenactor who invited him was also dressed in tropical uniform. My guys told him that it wasn't appropriate to go into 'Normandy' in full tropical gear, but as other parties were so insistant, they didn't have much chance to get him to sit it out. (it was his first chance to take part in a public battle). It was even commented that if he had to take part, couldn't someone lend him a stahlhelm and camo zeltbahn, but apparently not. As to ordering the Fallschirmjager to open fire, complete myth. He never uttered a word. Nonetheless, he had a lot of fun taking part, and thats whats important.

Now as Italians, we never take part in public battles as the Regio Esercito never fought in Northen france (unless they were forced labour putting up rommels asparagus). Unless a scenario allows Italians to take part, then you'll never see us on the field. We are expected to take part in battles, but the organisers understand we don't want to look historically out of place. Reading through the Posts on here, it also seems there were alot of units that historically weren't there (9th US Armed, Soviet snipers). Stigroadie also comments on the fact that plenty of reenacted units 'historically' wouldn't be there, but as the uniform is similar, then what will the public know. I know Tropical kit sticks out in these scenario's, but surely if the senior German commanders didn't have an issue, whats the problem?

Personally, i think there's a lesson to be learnt from this, and that is that there should be a kit inspection prior to the battle. If there was ever a North Africa public battle, you can be sure we'd want to cast an eye over any Italian 'rogues' entering the field, and i'm sure that DAK reenactors would have to ask any SS reenactors to leave the field for historical accuracy. A soviet female sniper would be asked to take map reading lessons before being politely asked to sit it out.

Hope that helps end the mystery of one DAK soldaten getting down and dirty in the bocage.

Neil

[Butcherboy]

Hi Lads.
I'll Add a bit more to the scenario. I saw "lofty" mingling with the SS re-enactors at the kick-off point. He was about to climb on board the halftrack when i told him that he stuck out like a sore thumb and ruined the normandy impression. the SS guys around there didn't object to him taking part, and i said if you have to, then please wear a stahlhelm and smock to at least be in context. then the guy with the other tropical approaches and takes "lofty" to the Ambush line... i asked an SS guy, riding a combi, to get "lofty" off the field if he did anything silly. i then watched the battle, cringing somewhat and imagining Glen Swallow's stream of expletives if he saw it... ( no offence to Glen )
As Supermario said, We don't participate in public battles due to the scenario's. the last one i did was at Detling in 2006 against the Russians... we all carried deac's...ran forward and dropped under a hail of fire!!!! took about 8 seconds in all...
Steve

[carentan]

No commenting on what this guy was wearing, but more importantly, presumably if he'd had no intention in taking part in the battle previously to going over to watch it, he hadn't attend a safety briefing or signed a disclaimer. Do they have these for the battles at Detling?

[Gren-Schell]

No commenting on what this guy was wearing, but more importantly, presumably if he'd had no intention in taking part in the battle previously to going over to watch it, he hadn't attend a safety briefing or signed a disclaimer. Do they have these for the battles at Detling?

Yep, every morning... ask the SBG lads who have to march there and back (hangover and all)

[carentan]

I guessed there would be, same as Beltring...(hangover and all ). In which case if this guy hadn't attended the safety briefing(?), then I think that would be of far more concern than his uniform. You can cover a uniform with a Zeltbahn, but you can't so easily put a cover over ingnorance of the battle plan.

Not getting on a soapbox but Paul Dalby hit the nail on the head this weekend at the Victory Show. If you see another re-enactor in the battle who you know hasn't attended the safety briefing then it's your individual duty to remove him.

[Matelot]

To help clear up things even more, i was on the field with this guy. I, dressed as FJ, was the one who blew the whistle to initiate the MG's, not the DAK guy.

Whilst lying in wait for things to kick off, i noticed him on the "start line", and feeling much the way you lot do, went over to him to ask him what he was supposed to be doing.

His response was that he had been invited to participate, and was being "guided" by "lofty". I asked where his helmet was and he replied that he didn't have one. Also, he only had a pistol, which i'm sure i asked him not to fire, as it would look even more daft.

Having no authority concerning the battle, there was not much i could do. I couldn't tell him to "fcuk orf!" as i had been told he had an invite, and i wasn't aware of who else was involved in that process. For all i knew, i could have been Gary Howard himself giving permission.

To add, that by the time i had had a chance to talk with this guy, i had other things on my mind such as the MG's and the other FJ troops. I did ask him to stay where he was, and not to advance, same as Lofty. I do believe this is what he did, and the only direction he moved was to the rear,with Lofty.

Manny