Photos of the first ten years 1978-1988

[Bill Medland]

I have reproduced this topic elsewhere, I believe it is of interest to all reenactors,
and as such goes beyond all inter-unit borders. If the LHA wish to copy this for their own use, they may do so.

I had started posting images on a thread in General called "Reenactment 1978", that was until I realised how many
pictures I have from the 70s and 80s. I thought it best therefore to start a new thread here in the Photo Section.

Battle of Molash 1st-2nd July 1978



The original event programme, I have left the image in large so you can read it all.



This pic was taken with an original Kodak box camera, it shows the American advance onto our positions.



This 70s haircut is sported by the late Dave Bennett.



We were very Farby for our first events... the first ever reenactment photo of Bill Medland



German ambush team waiting for an American tank.... foreground, Ron Suthers.

[Bill Medland]

Battle of Molash 1st-2nd July 1978 part 2



Badger Ross getting the "Kraut Crusher" ready for the battle.



The American advance to our positions, the battle went on all day, just look at the distance they had to cover!



The battle reaches its end, the last two standing protecting the flag.



Very young John Lancaster (later SBG) and Bill Medland.

[Hoffman Grink]

Some brilliant shots of BGS Sumpfmuster Bill - I still have a set somewhere! Wonder if it in itself is collectable now?

Shows the "then and now" of it all doesn't it?

There is still fun to be had......... make no mistake about that!

[Feldjager]

I'll have to have a delve into the BRA/LHA archive material I have - there is a box with dozens of photos of this event and some of the others up to about 1983ish.

[Bill Medland]

I'll have to have a delve into the BRA/LHA archive material I have - there is a box with dozens of photos of this event and some of the others up to about 1983ish.

That would be great Dave, you must have loads I have not seen, I am going to post all what I have....

Just afraid that if I do not reproduce it here it may end up in a skip somewhere, then it would be lost.

Thanks for your comments PD, everyone do not hold back, comment on the pics if you recognise anyone etc.

I will just continue to scan, upload and post

Battle of Molash 1978 Part 3



This poster was so huge that I had to scan it in quarters. if anyone is serious about producing a copy, then I will
be willing to pass on my huge quarter scan images in an e-mail. The poster is the very one that was in the background
during the interview with Mike Ross in the film "Its all a game". It hung for several weeks in BRA HQ and as such is a real
iconic object in reenactment history.




This A5 flyer was printed in thousands and handed out throughout the home counties...how many survive today?




This A4 size poster was handed out with recruitment papers from about May 1978 until the battle.
(I have kept it as a thumbnail, so you can read all of the details).




"Last Chance Dance" The evening before the main battle, I had ticket number 3.

[Franz repper]

Thats great to see them bill I was knee high to a grass hopper then ,I can remember seeing my first battle at a show around then .

[Bill Medland]

Battle of Molash part 4 - The "Last Chance Dance" 8pm 1st July 1978



My first reenactment uniform...early days.



A great time was had, new friends were made



It was standard in the early days that you could wear whatever you wished at the social evenings, regardless as to
what uniform, awards or rank you decided on, nothing was banned or considered tasteless in those days.
(left is Ron Suthers, the other ones name, is sadly gone from my memory).



In the middle is poor old Chippy from the north.

[Bill Medland]

Battle of Molash 1978 - Media



Issue of "Titbits" from July 1978 (pages 20 and 21) Below are sections of the article enlarged.





The media at this time were always friendly.... both us and the press were very innocent in those days.



Read the caption in the picture.... no health and safety back in those days.

[Bill Medland]

Battle of Molash 1978 - Media




A chat and something to eat after the battle.



This picture got me into big trouble. I was serving in H.M. Forces during this time, I was ordered not to take part due to
the fact that I wanted to wear a Wehrmacht uniform ( My W.O. was close to retirement and had served in WW2).
I went ahead and he found out because he read this article... I am the second person (BGS camo uniform).



John Lancaster with his ice cream, jokes went on for years about that, but it helped our image with the press.



Our first major public event, it could have made or broke the hobby in the UK..... we were very successful... or lucky.

[Herr Taff]

around 1981-82 I cant recall exactly,after seeing an ad in either the exchange and mart or the QM at the Angel catlaouge, I sent for the BRA information pack. I recall there being a photo included of two german reenactors, I think cocking a MG 34 or a 42. I thought Wow! this is for me but alas living in mid Wales aged 14 with no car it was to be 20 years later before I could get into it!
Thanks for sharing Bill!

[Bill Medland]

around 1981-82 I cant recall exactly,after seeing an ad in either the exchange and mart or the QM at the Angel catlaouge, I sent for the BRA information pack. I recall there being a photo included of two german reenactors, I think cocking a MG 34 or a 42. I thought Wow! this is for me but alas living in mid Wales aged 14 with no car it was to be 20 years later before I could get into it!
Thanks for sharing Bill!

I have part of the information packs, two versions 1977 and 1980.... I intend to scan them soon

[Herr Taff]

Yes please! would love to see it again!

[Bill Medland]

Yes please! would love to see it again!

I will do it tomorrow as I am off to bed now (it is one hour later here in Germany) and I get up at 3:30 a.m.

Cheers, Bill.

[Bill Medland]

Recruitment in the early years




Today I want to look at recruitment as it was in the early years, this was a time before the internet, so it was mostly
newspapers and magazine adds, such as the military section of Exchange and Mart for example.
In my case, I read an article in a newspaper, which interviewed Mike Ross and behind him was a BRA poster. With the aid
of a magnifying glass I was able to pick out the address on the poster and I wrote off to it.






The 1977 recruitment flyer.





The 1978 recruitment flyer





The 1980 recruitment flyer (different to the 2nd one because the address on the front is different and the Wehrmacht
unit is no longer the "Sturmgruppe Adler"... but is now called 352nd and the 116th has been formed).

[Bill Medland]

Recruitment in the early years

It will have been forgotten long ago, but when the B.R.A. was first formed, the late Mike Ross also prepared a training
manual...called the Field Actors Reenactment Training Manual.... or F.A.R.T. Manual



A 1980s membership card



The reverse of the membership card



The BRA "Veterans" Badge.



A recruitment application from 1988, this was printed in the newsletter, it was everyones duty to find one new recruit,
once they had joined themselves, this caused a recruitment "snowball" effect.


Tomorrow I will be looking at the 1978-79 training programme for German troops..... cheers, Bill.