Last year at the Tutbury event we nealry got heat stroke doing staffords NWE in July...
Yith had an easy time for an hour or two in his khaki drill kit that made us think its a good optional kit.
So...
We can easily do staffords in KD for the preparation for Op Huskey, but if we wanted a 'desert war' infantry impression (requiring nowt more than different headress really) we'd need a new unit.
Evo suggested Sherwood Forresters and I thought that was quite cool, anyone have any thoughts on the matter?
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
My suggestions for what they are worth are;
I am not sure the Sherwood Foresters are the best choice due to the relatively short time they are involved in the WD campaign. They are as likely to have spent most of their time in Serge BD as KD.
"In June 1940 the 1st Battalion was moved from Palestine to reinforce the Garrison of Cyprus, where they suffered their first war casualties in an air raid. On late February 1941, they were ordered to take the Italian Dodecanese island of Kastelorizo with one company, but the swift enemy's reaction prevented their landing and the combined operation was aborted. Early in 1942 the Battalion was moved to Egypt, converted to a motorised role, and joined the Desert Army. Unfortunately, after a sharp engagement in the Knightsbridge Box, the Battalion was ordered to surrender when the garrison in Tobruk capitulated." with thanks to Wikipedia.
I would prefer to develop as the first KD presentation the S Staffords in N Africa and Sciliy. A unit we already are getting to know the history of. We have documentary photographs of them wearing KD so know what kit we need to have.
If we want to have an North Africa Airsoft event the Sherwood Foresters would be a fine unit to base this on as we could do a near enough presentation of them.
For Re-enactment events I think we have enough experience to know it is more than just the cap badge change and the devil is always in the details.
bugger. i got a sherwood forrester badge too.
I've had one for ages, Nige... it's a local regiment, we'll do 'em at some point! 
In fact I've already had it on a commando beret.
I just had a pm from Forester, who can't write in this forum.
Hi Rich i cant post on this thread but just to let you know that the 14th Bn Sherwood Foresters served with distinction at El Alamein with the 8th Army.
Keith.
We should get keith posting privs on here asap....
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Yes, they served heavily in N. Africa, only the 1st Btn surrendered. it was my grandfather's regiment, (and great grandfather, but that's the wrong war!) which saw action all over the place:
Paraphrasing:
The 14th Battalion had been originally formed as the 50th Battalion in 1940 but was renumbered after a few months and then in July 1942 had been converted to a Motor Battalion. In January 1943 the 2/5th Battalion, by now renamed the 5th Battalion, joined the 1st British Army in Tunisia and was followed shortly by the 2nd Battalion. The Battalions took part in severe and difficult fighting, in particular at Sedjenane and the Medjez Plain and suffered many casualties before the remnants of the German Armies capitulated at Cap Bon.
The 5th Battalion were next in action in Italy at the assault landing at Salerno in September 1943. They suffered heavy casualties there and later in the difficult and fiercely resisted fighting advance up to the Cassino area.
The 2nd Battalion took part in the assault landing at Anzio in January 1944 where they were joined later by the 14th Battalion and took part in what was probably the toughest fighting of the whole War. After the fall of Rome the 2nd, 5th and 14th Battalions continued the difficult fight up the length of Italy, adding a further eleven battle honours to the seven earned in North Africa.
This has reminded me i need to do some more research!
We should get keith posting privs on here asap....
Done.
So how about we continue with S Staffords in KD first for this year. We have a year or two of research already invested in their impressions.
We continue on research 14th Bn Sherwood Foresters for a fighting in N Africa impression to be developed for next Summer. I am thinking that several areas will need research and equipment sourcing. For example are they equipped with SMLE and Thompsons or No.4 and STENs or a mixture etc.
Yup, that's one thing with the S.Staffs NA impression. It's No4s and MkII stens (with skeleton stocks)
Yup im happy with that as a plan.
Take a year or two to research and acquire forresters kit (and should a brit NA game come about we can wing it)
BTW Dave Barrett told me his grandfather was a forrester in the war and he has some original snaps we can look at for reference!
Excellent eh?
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
BTW Dave Barrett told me his grandfather was a forrester in the war and he has some original snaps we can look at for reference!
Excellent eh?
Mine too, and so do I. 
