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Bovington wartime christmas festival and craft fayre

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:21 pm
by wolfsangel
http://tankmuseum.org/ixbin/indexplus?record=ART2933

Well I've just got back from the above show and I can thoroughly recommend for 2012 you do something more productive with your weekend. The final straw in a catalogue of disappointment and boredom was when one of our group members asked for a coffee and was refused despite seeing other reenactors not 30 seconds before being served, then asking if he could make it himself being told again no.

As far as I am concerned Bovington and their staff can all go poke, I won't be supporting their events in the future. Below are a list of words, most of which could be used in some context to sum up my experience today

crap
unwelcome
out of place
pariah
bored
semi-naked
in the way
washing machine
ill informed
left in the dark (literally at one point)
Stegosaurus


spot the odd ones out?

Re: Bovington wartime christmas festival and craft fayre

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:40 pm
by Steiner
I'm surprised at your comments. I found the staff to be extremely helpful. Supplied us with hot water for our coffee, free sandwiches, crisps and cake.

Met some really nice reeenactors - Russian, German, Brits. The only downside were the two idiot Germans - one wearing padded white trousers, who walked around with his hands in his pockets the whole time, and his mate, dressed with an officer's hat, with an unbuttoned greatcoat, swaggering around with an MP44. When they walked outside with their weapons, despite polite reminders from my mate that we were instructed not to take weapons outside, they behaved like a couple of morons. Yeah, way to go, guys. :roll:

Re: Bovington wartime christmas festival and craft fayre

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:52 pm
by wolfsangel
I was stood next to the guy that asked about the coffee when it happened, so I guess our experiences differ on that front.

I asked about weapons outside after hearing about the warning and was told it was OK, the only idiot I saw in an officers cap was the guy form Allo Allo - not sure if he's an idiot but that was the only officers cap I saw today. also didn't see any MP44s today.

were you at the same show?

Re: Bovington wartime christmas festival and craft fayre

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 12:32 pm
by barryG
Jen and I had a good time Saturday, we did get free coffee all day but felt the public werent too interested in the reenactors. I went as Heer FG on leave and my wife as a German civilian with gifts. About three members of public asked us about our portrayals but most just werent interested at all. However, not having a display was a bonus as it meant we could walk about all day.

Personally I find it a good event, something good to do in these winter months but yes its not the same as being at an outdoor show. Highlight was a good chat with a lady from Arnheim who was there during the war. She still has a set of Luftwaffe marked cutlery left behind, and she uses it for desert!

Re: Bovington wartime christmas festival and craft fayre

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 12:42 pm
by Peiper
wolfsangel wrote:http://tankmuseum.org/ixbin/indexplus?record=ART2933

Well I've just got back from the above show and I can thoroughly recommend for 2012 you do something more productive with your weekend. The final straw in a catalogue of disappointment and boredom was when one of our group members asked for a coffee and was refused despite seeing other reenactors not 30 seconds before being served, then asking if he could make it himself being told again no.

As far as I am concerned Bovington and their staff can all go poke, I won't be supporting their events in the future. Below are a list of words, most of which could be used in some context to sum up my experience today

crap
unwelcome
out of place
pariah
bored
semi-naked
in the way
washing machine
ill informed
left in the dark (literally at one point)
Stegosaurus


spot the odd ones out?
Ha ha :lol: :lol:
I'll remember to avoid this one then lol

Cheers Pipes :D

Re: Bovington wartime christmas festival and craft fayre

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 1:20 pm
by steve kellher
Hi Steiner
In defence of myself ( white padded trousers) what is the argument about..and what has it got to do with you how i walk around!!! do i know you or have i upset you or something ? you dont know anything about me or what i do,so my advice to you is maybe work out why you do your hobby rather than play the fish wife and have a dig at people on forums,when you could have and had the opportunity to come speak to me about why you are so upset about my hands in my pockets,as for taking my rifle outside..i was told after i asked staff if it was ok to take my rifle outside, rather than leave it propped up against a tank for someone to walk off with,also on that note..i dont see you mention other reenactors outside with weapons walking around,im not here to moan or snipe people,i have more important things in my life to worry about..like a new born on the way and going on tour in april,apart from that nice to see some old faces from the past,and well done to 2nd Guards for your display,you all look the part 100%!!!

Re: Bovington wartime christmas festival and craft fayre

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 1:29 pm
by ssparatrooper
Good luck on tour Steve

Keep your head down

Cheers kitkat

Re: Bovington wartime christmas festival and craft fayre

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 4:36 pm
by Steiner
steve kellher wrote:Hi Steiner
In defence of myself ( white padded trousers) what is the argument about..and what has it got to do with you how i walk around!!!
Steve, I apologise to you.

As a long-time supporter of the museum, what got me very annoyed was your comrade saying in a loud voice "Is it me, or are they trying to make it look more shit here every year?", referring to the cut away PzKpfw IIIN. Given how hard some people on this forum have worked to allow reenactors into the museum to use the tanks for free as backdrops to their displays, I can only hope that museum staff didn't hear it - I did and I was some meters away.

Re: Bovington wartime christmas festival and craft fayre

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 6:21 pm
by wolfsangel
so your initial post about what annoyed you is no longer what annoyed you?

As for using the tanks for free, I may be mistaken but the shows at the tank museum are for the benefit of the tank museum so why would we be expected to pay to use the vehicles? I sort of understand the point that it is unusual to be able to display around and using original armour, which is I assume what you're getting at.

As for the comments about the museum seeming to make the attractions worse rather than better, I think that comment is somewhat tactless but has an air of truth about it.

Re: Bovington wartime christmas festival and craft fayre

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 6:34 pm
by Steiner
wolfsangel wrote:so your initial post about what annoyed you is no longer what annoyed you?
The way my friend was spoken to when he politely pointed out that we'd been instructed that weapons were not to be taken outside annoyed me - but I've already mentioned it, so why mention it again?

Re: Bovington wartime christmas festival and craft fayre

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 6:56 pm
by stof
barryG wrote:Jen and I had a good time Saturday, we did get free coffee all day but felt the public werent too interested in the reenactors. I went as Heer FG on leave and my wife as a German civilian with gifts. About three members of public asked us about our portrayals but most just werent interested at all. However, not having a display was a bonus as it meant we could walk about all day.
And you both looked excellent ,however and please don't take offence at this,but the old gent who came along just after I took your photo couldn't understand why the Tank Museum let somebody " in a bloody jerry officers uniform" walk around all day. I explained that we were portraying Christmas on the frontline for all nationalities,he said he understood that ,and accepted the germans at the tank display but exactly in what context were you there,he felt it was innappropriate.
It was an argument I couldn't win, but it is possible that some of the others were a bit unsure about approaching you.
We were busy pretty well non stop all weekend,and the feedback we got was that they loved the reenactors and felt it brought the museum to life.

With reference to the comment about it getting worse every year,this was only the second time this event has been held, and as I am pretty sure they guy who made it wasn't there last year , and at the point where the rifles were taken outside ,when I politely pointed out that last year we were told under no circumstances were uncovered rifles to be taken out of the building , to be fobbed of with "thats b**l**ks ,they ain't real anyway" have to say that at that point I'm not convinced anyone had asked.

Re: Bovington wartime christmas festival and craft fayre

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 7:33 pm
by berlin1945
Why couldnt rifles not be taken outside after all its a tank museum surely they take the tanks out side, never ever been to a show were I was asked not to take a rifle outside, german and allied re-enactors are mature responsible people , I all my time I have never ever come across any display at any show were guns have been misused or mishandled or abused by reenactors as they tend to be the more sensible of gun holders and terach the general public a healthy respect for gun handling. I shake my head in disbelief at the immuture attitute of the organisers , surely re-enactors bring their exhibits to life and give a greater indepth appreciation of the period the time the places and the people.

I can see Matts post as a very valid one and he and others gave their time to display and be there it should have been appreciated by the museum staff that others were willing to give up time especially at this time of year.

Also I would like to take the opportunity to say to Steve best wishes in your up and coming tour of duty and stay safe as our thoughts and prayers will be with you , my regards to you Mairtin

Re: Bovington wartime christmas festival and craft fayre

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 9:05 pm
by steve kellher
this is getting a bit silly now dont you think! if your the guy who came out to have a smoke then lets get it straight what you said then my reply..you said no weapons outside or the guard over the road may consider shooting me and my mate! my reply..why would a guard shoot 2 men dressed in german uniforms outside the tank museum having a smoke,me and matt carried on our conversation to each other (not to you) so stop the gossip and get your facts straight..we never approached you with an attitude,you approached us with the attitude..and i dont remember at any point any of us swearing at you or being rude to you,i remember 2 mates having a smoke and talking like mates do about things and then being told i would be shot by a guard over the road..what planet are you on!!! ENDEX

Re: Bovington wartime christmas festival and craft fayre

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 9:34 pm
by steve kellher
steiner thank you for your Apology, KitKat hello mate!!! hope your keeping well and all is good, martin thank you.

Re: Bovington wartime christmas festival and craft fayre

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 9:43 pm
by wolfsangel
Just to mirror what Steve K has put - my recollection is somewhat different to the one inferred above as we didn't give any attitude when told about weapons and following the discussion outside I then went and asked for clarification. At this point I was told there wasn't an issue with either walking around the museum or its grounds with a deactivated weapon.
At no point did Steve say the quoted line, or anything with the implied attitude, which to my mind is bordering on defamation. This seems to be getting away from the original point that I was trying to make in a lighthearted way and seem to have obviously failed so I'll try again in plain English.

The weekend advertised itself as wartime christmas fayre sort of theme, with living history displays etc etc. The reality was literally 3 or 4 stalls that were tenuously linked to WW2 or militaria - they were a bloke selling dragon dolls, a stall with books and a couple of models of rail guns and 2 stalls of militaria. The remainder of the stalls were craft fayre stuff with lots of home made jewelry, knitted things, teddy bears and fluffy toys, how to make paella, a wine tasting thingy, and a chap selling fudge. The exact numbers I have no idea about however they accounted for over 90% of the traders there.

The original allotted area we were to display in had been over run by one of the many teddy bear fanatics so we decided to try and make the best of a bad situation and pitched up infront of the only other accessible german armour the Puma. Our options were now limited to stand in front of the puma, or lie down next to the puma - we tried to spice things up with a mixture of one then the other.

Its everyone's personal choice to go or not, that is what I was hoping to discuss, but others seem to have decided calling me and my friends morons was more appropriate. Hopefully the backing down when challenged rather than my own confirm or deny statements will help you make up your mind who are full of it and who aren't.