jul06 Colchester Military Festival

Visitors enjoyed a superb line up of quality re-enactment and living history groups depicting soldiers through the ages, from Classical Greeks to WWII. In addition to ongoing living history displays, there was a chronological "time line" of history through individual displays within our own separate arena depicting the uniforms, weaponry and tactics of each era, plus Redcoats through the ages show, English Civil War, Jacobite Rebellion and American Civil War skirmishes in the main arena. Our groups also took part in the Grand Finale - Salute to Colchester - a parade of all military participants, the 1812 Overture, followed by Sunset, which was even more spectacular this year with the addition of two more army bands, making four in all.

Other displays and attractions arranged by the army included a modern-day infantry assault, the Red Devils parachute display team, daredevil motorcyclists, Army bands, military vehicles old and new, army tug of war, archery & air rifles, garrison radio road show, helicopter rides and many static displays....all in all a fantastic day out.

Chariot Racing on Sunday !

Participating groups
As usual with our events, we only invited top groups to take part, ensuring authentic yet entertaining displays;
Ancient Greek: The Hoplite Association
Romans: The Colchester Roman Society
Medieval: The Lincoln Guild
English Civil War: The Marquis of Winchester's Regiment of Foot, Fairfax Battalia and Hungerford's Horse, from the English Civil War Society
C18th: Lace Wars and New France & Old England
Napoleonic: The Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, 33rd (West Riding) Regiment of Foot, 52nd (Oxfordshire) Light Infantry and 2nd Battalion 95th Rifles.
American Civil War: The Southern Skirmish Assn.
Victorian: Boers of the Heilbron Commando
World War One: A Lewis Gun Section from the 10th Essex Great War Living History Group plus Andy Smerdon (as Australian Light Horse) riding Mack.
World War Two: The WWII Display Team (with 25-pounder field gun), Vickers Machine Gunners Society, 21st Army Group (C.M.P.) Living History Group, "Das Heer" re-enactment & living history society, Za Oberonya, Blackout Volunteers and Croix de Guerre

Admission
Adult £5.00p, OAP/under 16s £3.00p, Family £15. Car parking costs £2. All profits go to charity.