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PIP PK April 2014 Italian front tactical '44/ PO VALLEY

Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2013 8:11 am
by Pete Skillman
Date of event ; 26th/27th April 2014

NAME OF EVENT; "OPERATION CRAFTSMAN"

Armourer; John Oxlade HireandFire@hotmail.co.uk

VENUE ; Pippingford Park Estate East Sussex (A22)

Operation ; Italy April 1944 The Allied Advance into the Po Valley

Division ; 2nd Battalion of 349th infantry regt,(The Kraut Killers),

88th Infantry Division (The Blue Devils)

We are attemting to get groups of American reenactors to all rebadge and operate as one company in the field of 3 rifle squads...LHA RED1...GI 44/45...Ranger Reenactments.... The new AFLHA and 5th Inf Div so hopefully enough bods to give Ais reenactors a realistic impression of a company of Yanks in the field,Normandy '44 will also be in the field .

Axis troops in the field Heer.FJR and SS groups....anything Itailain front is welcome...have not seen Italian cammo wearing Axis truppen for a while, used to be all the rage!..


Usual Kit standards apply , best kit for Pip Pk NOT "battling kit" as Ive had it said to me in the past by groups who wanted to attend Pip pk wearing sub standard and in one case incorrect kit!..those who come to Pip from far and wide know what the score is..
At the moment it will be a static front line dug in scenario...allied troops will advance to take several hills before settling to a front MLR for the sat Afternoon/night...no tentage at the car park...all set up in the field behind the front line..
will have couple of Jeeps for water runs etc...

The thrust to capture the Valley and cross the River Po started April 1944...the 88th Division was in the thick of it.. The idea of this event is to have as many American re-enacting units rebadged and operate as one company of 2nd Battalion of the 349th infantry regt... KRAUT KILLERS of the 88TH Infantry division THE BLUE DEVILS.....we will operate if numbers are big enough as two maybe three Squads of a platoon....each Squad with minimum of 8 and max of 12 men in each squad.



HOW WE WILL DO THIS.

I will produce maps nearer the time....and forward on...please print off enough for your men to use in patrols etc..

Arrival Friday from 16.00hrs onwards..all to park at HUT D on the high grass area we normally use...

Book in and get weaps sorted with Oxlade...



Early Saturday AM we be transported to HUT F via GMC.. Here we will debus and from this and will have to wait for all the troops to arrive this area will be the start line for the event we will advance to the first Objective which is the bridge over the river RENO ,.....Once secured we then push on to the second objective which is to take and hold the SAN MARTINO heights that are over looking

the river PANARO ... Here we are to establish a defensive line (MLR)...emplacements/trenches and fox holes with Ops interconnecting tied in defenses using field telephones and immediately send out patrols to reconnoitre the thin but fast flowing river PANARO for crossing points...all to be recorded on maps ..here we will stay out over night in our positions...NO fires in the MLR..a rear area will set up for heating up rations and for those incapable of surviving the night to erect pup tents..



We will have the 15th Evacuation Hospital set up at HUT C ...anyone who is a casualty will form up on the main road (This will be marked on map) at a forward clearing station for vehicle collection to be transported back to the 15th Evac Hospital..you will be given a label that will denote your injury...on arrival you will have name and unit registered and you should produce this label from this you will be treated for that injury....30 min waiting and return to front line..
Nurses will be from UK and a group from France, both exceptional in their impressions...in kit and attitude...

REALISM

All rations should be correct as possible for the era we are portraying no modern cooking items please.
Allied and Axis food labels/Cig packets here...

http://www.atlas-repropaperwork.com/

No shot calling..

Be generous to the opposition on shots.

No Shot calling.....

No modern watches/jewellery etc..

No shot calling...............

No hand thrown pyro technic at all however Smoke are allowed.I am looking into Schermoolie Para flares for the night ...and also a supply of sand bags to build up the defenses...

The GMC will be back Saturday evening to bus people back to HUT D and to return with bedrolls and again Sunday AM to return bedrolls and collect weapons.. 06.00hrs.

The USO vehicle is not booked at this moment so its care for yourself in the field time....



American uniform requirements for the event

M41 Field Jacket,

M43 Combat boots,

M37 Wool trousers

M1928 Haversack

88th Inf div BLUE CLOVER LEAF patc

Read more: http://ww2lha.proboards.com/index.cgi?a ... z2iuDSzpIO

Re: PIP PK April 2014 Italian front tactical '44/ PO VALLE

Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 6:51 pm
by kurt koniger
All going well, I hope to get Guy, DC , DM and Mick inboard again. I'll speak to the 12th ( big on wop camo) too. Gary