The Re-Enactor Issue 13
Pictures by Markos Spanoudakis
100 Groups listed 78 Traders Listed 52 Events Listed
Readership 573
Greetings all Welcome to issue 13
In this issue you will find more groups listed, more traders listed and details of more events for 2010 I have been visiting various trade shows and “signing” groups and traders up to the ezine but I still want more, so if you have any details of groups/traders please let me know. I would like to take the time to thank you all for supporting me with this ezine and to wish you all a very happy New Year! Two competitions in this issue with more to come in future
Features This Month 1: Dilip Sarkambe, “The Few”. Available now! 2: Horse Archery alive today by Markos Spanoudakis 3: History Boot Camp 4: Justin Pollard Competition 5: Ben Kane Competition 6: War by Saul David 7: Event Listings 8: Hell On Earth by Stephen Davis 9: Wounded-The Film
issues with the support of such authors as Saul David and Dilip Sarkar MBE Contact: jason.okeefe@btopenworld.com http://thereenactor.webs.com Thank you to all those that are supporting this magazine, without your support I could not continue to produce the magazine. Please do
Competitions:
keep sending me your articles, stories, pictures
Win the first 2 books in The Forgotten Legion Chronicles by Ben Kane Win 3 books by Justin Pollard
and details.
AMBERLEY The history of the Battle of Britain in the words of the pilots from a unique archive of first hand accounts.
Available to buy now!
T: 01285 760030 F: 01285 760031
THE FEW The Story of the Battle of Britain in the Words of the Pilots DILIP SARKAR
Author has interviewed more Battle of Britain pilots than any other historian. ‘Dilip knows more about me and the pilots with whom I flew during the Battle of Britain than we do! If anyone ever needs to know anything about the RAF during the summer of 1940, don’t ask the Few, ask him!’ GEORGE ‘GRUMPY’ UNWIN, Battle of Britain fighter ace. ‘Dilip Sarkar understands perfectly the mysteries of air tactics and strategy, enabling him write authoritatively, lively and deeply touching stories of those days when friend and foe met in the air’ PETER TOWNSEND, Battle of Britain fighter ace. Over 100 historic photographs, most originate from the personal albums of Battle of Britain veterans and have never been reproduced before.
In 1940, the world was shaken when Hitler conquered France and the Low Countries in just six weeks. As Hitler prepared a seaborne invasion of England, only RAF Fighter Command stood against the Nazi dictator, and the world literally held its breath. BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION Publication:
June 2009
Price:
£25
ISBN: 84868-215-3
978-1-
Size: 172mm
248
Binding:
Hardback
Extent:
336 pages
x
100 photos Rights:
PRAISE SARKAR
World, all languages FOR
DILIP
T HE BATTLE OF B RITAIN : T HE P HOTOGRAPHIC KALEIDOSCOPE ‘An excellent book’ LADY BADER Bader’s Tangmere Spitfires ‘A most diligent and carefully researched account‘ JOHNNY JOHNSON, the RAF’s top scoring fighter ace in WW2 Fighter Pilot ‘This book deserves to achieve success’ DAME VERA LYNN
The Battle of Britain started on 10th July 1940, ending 16 weeks later on 31st October 1940. The Luftwaffe’s intention was to destroy Fighter Command, domination of the skies being crucial to Hitler’s invasion plan. During that fateful summer, young RAF fighter pilots, flying Spitfires and Hurricanes, were scrambled time and time again to face insuperable odds - and the Luftwaffe was, until that point, unbeaten. The enemy fighter pilots, in their brightly painted Messerschmitt 109s, were the most experienced in the world. But somehow the RAF pilots, fighting desperately in a spider’s web of intricate vapour trails, and with sudden and violent death an ever present companion, prevailed. Afterwards, Churchill paid homage to them all: ‘Never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few’. A legend had been born. Dilip Sarkar has been fascinated by the Battle of Britain since childhood and began seriously researching the subject in the 1970s. He wrote thousands of letters and travelled extensively over the UK interviewing the fabled ‘Few’. Over the last 30 years he has interviewed more Battle of Britain survivors than any other author and his archive is a unique collection of veterans ‘voices’. In this new book Dilip Sarkar chronicles the Battle of Britain from start to finish, drawing extensively from his interviews with pilots and support staff.
MARKETING, PUBLICITY, PRESS
Author is an acknowledged expert on the Battle of Britain with over 20 books on the subject to his credit.
Book signings at several major air shows in 2009 are planned.
Reviews in the aviation and history press to include Flypast, RAF News and BBC History Magazine.
Endorsement expected from Professor Richard Overy, author of The Battle of Britain (Penguin) and The Bombing War (forthcoming Penguin 2009).
Endorsement expected from Lady Bader.
THE AUTHOR Fascinated by the Battle of Britain since childhood, Dilip Sarkar remains both moved and inspired by the story of Churchill’s fabled Few, those young airmen who stood between freedom and a Britain dominated by Nazi Germany. Since the 1970s he has met and interviewed more Battle of Britain pilots than any other historian. He has researched the subject thoroughly and has published over twenty books, titles which include the only biographical works formally endorsed by the families of both Group th Captain Sir Air–Vice-Marshal 17 Douglas CenturyBader Life & and Times Group ProfileJohnnie Johnson. In 2003, Dilip was made an MBE for services to aviation history, and elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Historical Society in 2006. He lives in Worcester.
Horseback Archery By Markos Spanoudakis - a place of green fields and wide blue skies ! Horseback Archery is primarily for me a place . A place within myself where certain feelings arise and I feel quite at home. My journey to this place was a long one. I realized the direction I was taking after I jumped off my first mount, a wonderfull mare that took my heart away galloping across the Egyptian desert towards the pyramids of Gyza. I realised right there, that “my favourite place on this earth was on the back of a horse” and although some parts of the route were not as scenic as others, I am still holding to this view . It was very soon after that, that the bow also came into my life, bringing with it a mighty figure of a warrior, a great personality, that made a big impact on my llife - Lajos Kassai. I first heard about Lajos Kassai when researching to buy a traditional bow. Questions brought answers and soon I was meeting people who visited his Valley of Horses in Hungary, I heard stories, saw videos and the excitement was building up. Then things started to really unfold faster, and soon Lajos was visiting Greece after our invitation, to open the ceremony for a European Archery Competition, I was invited back to his Valley and there I was trully amazed to realize it was as if I never left this place at all ! Let me say a few things about the historical background. Hungarians, or Magyars as they are originally called, are horse people. Their ancestry, as well as their country, is all about horses. Their history goes back to ancient cultures, the Scythes, the Avars, the Huns, people who rode on horseback from the Asian plains to Central Europe, following an irresistable urge for freedom and the open country. They were rugged people, fighting their way through various physical obstacles and this is perhaps what bonded them so well with the horse, who bears a similar attitude to life. To the eyes of the horse, these people made good leaders and between them they mastered a way to sweep swiftly through river and dale, through mighty armies and pleasing meadows to reach the green and lush Great Plains of the Carpathian Basin. Modern Hungary has a living tradition on equestrian activities. It boast many exemplary riding schools of all disciplines, from competition riding to carriage races. The Hungarian language is an equestrian thesaurus with more than 300 words still in use, to describe the colouring and markings of a horse ! The Hungarian Equestrian Tourism Association (MLTKSZ) presents a wonderfully organised brochure with rated facilities and information for finding the place of your riding dreams. The folklore competitions, from which the most famous is the Puszta 5 - where a rider drives a team of 5 horses, 3 in front and 2 at the end, riding with each foot on the back of the last pair - keep the traditions alive, while the local cowboys called csikós, still keep herds of horses in the open. Amids this equestrian treasury, there‟s a place in which many of the old Magyar traditions are kept alive by a band of visionaries, people for whom life cannot be anything but freedom, where experiences are marked with sweat and effort, where life is lived wholely and wholesomly . Let me introduce Kassai Lajos and his valley ! Master Kassai is a bowyer. But he is much more than that, as, his desire to craft traditional bows, such as his forefathers bore on their horses, brought him to realise a much bigger picture of his life. As he explains in his own words, “ I was born on September, 16th, 1960, in Kaposvár (Hungary). I was six years old when I made my first bow, bent from a switch of willow. A man cannot always see ahead of him, what rivers and mountains there are in his path of life. Sometimes, only when looking back many years later, is it possible to connect these paths to realize his destiny. I think that we are born into the world not with an empty sheet, but in the majority of cases the original
intentions of our soul are obscured by our superficial everyday pursuits. Only those, who are able to live unselfishly, leaving behind the reasonable, certain, usual, are able to find the soul. This is how I became a bowyer. The bow was one thread of silk, as thin as a hair to me, which I collected and followed to the world of our ancestors. The horses were galloping on the steppes endlessly in my mind, the arrows were whizzing, and snow-white yurts were illuminated in the sparkling sun-shine. The world inside me was revealed; I knew the purpose for which I was born, and what the meaning of my life was. Straight and unbroken, the way led to the creation of horseback archery. My life until now has flown away like a moment. I imagined my performances as campaigns, and I was wandering through Europe like my ancestors. After this came the United States and Canada.’’ Kassai Lajos, after establishing himself as a bowyer, created a system/competition/course that involves shooting arrows on a three-faced target while galloping. This is, of course, not a new thing in Hungary, or even the world for that matter. The difference is, that, what Kassai is practising in his valley, is more of a way of life, rather than a sport or a show. Since the beginning, Kassai performed in country fairs and schools, trying to „breathe life‟ in the ancestral traditions of his people. And as more and more people were attracted to his cause, a „school of thought‟ was formed, that allows for extraordinary feats to happen. Kassai himself holds three international records. In the first one, a Guinness validated record, in 1998, he rode for 12 hours, shooting more than 1000 arrows in 286 gallops. Then in 2002, during the same time frame he made 323 gallops and shot almost 3000 arrows. Finally, on June the tenth of 2006, he made his third record, in which, riding for 24 hours straight and making 661 gallops, he shot 5412 arrows ! When reading his book for the first time, I was amazed at the depth of his dedication to horseback archery. Then, after I met him personally and lived in his valley, I realised that his closing words on his book cover were absolutelly true : “ Horseback archery, which had once allowed me to fly on a magic steed through space and time, has become a ritual for me that furnishes the framework for my everyday life. For me, it represents science, art and religion all in one. I have tried to learn as much as possible about that activity using reason, then tried to present it in an artistic manner to the best of my abilities and by the time I got that far, I noticed it had become my faith.” In the Valley of Horses, everything is set for you to join in the Horseback Archery preparation. The rolling hills provide just enough cover to hide from you the next step of the training, the next target, the next riding opportunity. Horses are living free in the greatest part of the valley and the people who live there are well versed in horse handling – always whistling gently in every turn to make their presence known to any stray horse. The horses train along with the riders every day to keep their skills honed and ready. The seasons come and go, allowing colourfull tones to the, otherwise unchanged, everyday routine. The valley is an area of approximatelly 15 hectars. It provides the grounds for the grazing land of 12 to 15 horses (most of them stallions), their open stable, a small natural lake, the Horseback archery compatition course ( a galloping run of 90 meters with the three-faced target ), a 150 year-old yurt (the ancient round tipi of the Huns), the fantastic buildings made for the living quarters of Kassai and other functional purposes (most of them designed by a known Hungarian architect, Antal Gracz) and the covered training arenas. The whole place, though aesthetically magnificent, is a very simple place. There are no romantically placed benches, or waste baskets or vending machines. Visitors are asked to pick up their own trash, guests who visit to train do not have the time to sit idly to ponder about the valley and although technology provides quite some modern features on the training halls and arenas, they certainly do not provide shortcuts for anything. Life in the valley is not about ease or comfort. It is about the beauty of working on yourself to realise an ideal. Horseback Archery is a strange game of coordination between a horse, a rider and a bow with arrows.
The rider needs to be consious of the horse beneath him, it‟s steady galloping rhythm and length of pace. He needs to control the horse ( or simply follow the horse…) with his lower body. In the same time he needs to become one with the bow and arrows that his upper body holds, and “face” the target with his upper torso while galloping – that is, in front of him, on his side as he goes past it, and on his back as he rides away from it. In the Horseback Archery competition, you are allowed to shoot in all of these three positions, as many arrows as possible whithin the timeframe of 16 seconds – the maximum time the horse should gallop through the course. As anyone can guess, the time window is too small if you try to ride and aim and shoot and reload and try again…... You simply have to exist at this wonderfull place, on the back of a galloping horse, with the wind in your face and the green plush hills around you and….somehow….there seems to be ample time to experience the wonderfull feeling of Horseback Archery taking place in you and in front of you! As Kassai wonderfully explains in his book, in Horseback Archery the horse – the equestrian part – is all about the motion and the power of the world outside, while the bow – the archery part – is all about our inner self, our sense of spiritual direction. The Horseback Archer is similar to the mythological Centaurs of Ancient Greece, part human part horse, and this wonderfull marriage allows for such an experience to manifest. In order for all of this to be able to happen, everyone trains and trains and trains……. There is ground training and riding training. A typical programme, like the ones one can see on Opening Days (the first Saturday of each month the Valley is open for a small fee to everyone interested to see what Horseback Archery is all about….) involves the following: early morning group work – cleaning the stables and horses, gathering firewood etc. group ground training – a set of exercises to help correct individual posture and coordination between the students, group riding training – to help correct posture on the horse, games between the riders involving balls and soft clubs, as well as dodging obstacles, Horseback Archery performance by the senior students and lastly by Kassai Lajos himself, The horses are trained under the Parrelli system. What was really amazing to see, was a full scale attack by a band of reenactment knights in full armor against a group of horses. The charging warriors stoped just in front of the horses and immediatelly petted them and went back for another charge. The horses were not at all intimedated by this, had seen it before, and not one of them tried to look away or move away from their place. Indeed, this peace of mind was displayed by them in every activity and it was explained to us that a significant part of their training is targeting to associate the Horseback Archery competition activity as a game rather than training, for the horses. In this way they will be even more relaxed and willing to comply, than otherwise. From this first visit in the Valley of Horses, I made a good friend, a Bulgarian horseback archer Vladimir Mustakerski, without realising how our predestined paths would eventualy have us living and training together. It was less that 3 months away from this meeting, that I was called to move to Bulgaria for professional reasons and then I was again pleasantly amazed to see another heavenly place on earth, not a valley, but a Hill of Horses this time. Vladimir's farm is a rough mountainous area, shielded by the modern lifestyle by lush forest and rough terrain. In this paradise his horse herd is living free, more or less like a wild herd, with the exception that for these lucky horses, man is presented in the true and proper sense, as a wise, loving, providing leader, that shares with them unique moments of fun and joy ! Life in the hills of Bulgaria is not easy, neither for man nor beast, but nothing in Horseback Archery comes without cost. And the cost is dedication ! In Vladimir's Hill, much like the Kassai Valley, people come and go, but their heart never leave !
Horseback Archery, although a wonderful fun for horse and man, is a "jealous lover". It means you don't see many new faces (not many who will spend all their free time on horseback ), but you see a lot of the familiar one's ! Vladimir's farm has 3 yurts, a wooden cottage( he build himself ), 8 horses, a couple of dogs, and all of them, along with his wife and son, are part of a very warm and cordial welcome everyone receives, everytime he reaches his place. He is the official representative of the Kassai school for Bulgaria, a fully-dedicated horseback archer, a musician, a thinker and a very warm person. I was very fortunate to see Vladimir develop as a horseback archer, and I have benefited tremendously from his instructions. He has a unique ability to watch and "decypher" techniques and after practising himself to a good level, instruct others. His son, Panajot, and wife, Litka, are also proficient in training both on horsemanship and archery, thus creating a very powerful nucleus for Kassai Horseback Archery in the Balkans. I would love to talk to you about the horses, some of which I have known since their birth, about the dogs and the trees where I rest my bow each time, about the worn out targets which I helped destroy, about wonderful moons and stars lighting the wonderfull paradise where we all share precious moments, but I realized lately that the less said about horseback archery, the better ‌.. you simply have to experience it ! I need to say this last thing though, that if it wasn't for Lajos Kassai, the spirit who not only re-established this wonderfull practise/world in modern times, but also set out - by example - the rules of this universall association, our individual efforts would not be focused and coordinated. But through his presence, the experience remains alive in the hearts and guides and inspires everyone to give an extra "mile" . Thanking you for taking this tour with me on my "Horseback Archery" place, I would urge all to read Master Kassai's book and try, at least once to visit his Valley of Horses on an Open Day !
For more information about Kassai Lajos and theThe Valley of Horses you can read : Horseback Archery (ISBN 963 9337 66 8) , a wonderfull autobiography of Kassai, or you can visit his web site at www.horsebackarchery.com , a complete guide to the valley and the Horseback archery equipment of Kassai in three languages – Hungarian, German and English. The Bulgarian Torz (Kassai school or group or family ) is present in the internet on www.horsebackarcherybg.com
Editors Note: A huge thankyou to Markos for this superb article, it is so obvious how much Markos loves what he does. Well done Markos and keep up the good work.
History Boot Camp April 9th & 10th and 11th 2010 will see the third multi-period History Boot Camp take place at Phasels Wood Scout Camp near Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire. A completely new and unique concept, it features Master Classes in such useful and interesting topics for re-enactors as fire-lighting with flint and steel, the history of make-up, book-binding, calligraphy, forge-work, cooking, and the medicinal and culinary uses of herbs, as well as archery competitions, lessons and archery improvement, you can even take the fletching seminar as well as sword fighting, and the safe use of black powder weapons. Retail therapy is at hand, as are good food and subsidised beer, together with hot showers, plenty of proper toilets, even dormitory accommodation for those who prefer it, and the exclusive use 96 acres of playground – really the only limit is imagination! Set up and run by Laurie Wignall and David Smith, it has proved massively popular with those re-enactors who have already tried it, and re-bookings are already at record levels. The whole thing is financed by charging a modest £23 per adult camping fee, which includes most of the classes although some have a small charge for the materials used. Traders, many of whom are providing the master classes, get free pitches. Laurie runs his Trollsbottom Bar from the centrally located “Storm Hut” and is considering erecting his 12m by 6m Party Tent adjacent to this, as it can get rather crowded of an evening! Add in a huge log fire just outside, tarpaulins strung from the trees as wind breaks, the subsidised beer, and you can see why the social side of the camp is as highly praised as are the varied and useful classes. Add to this the excellent food offer situated onsite, not to mention the food available after the cooking seminars “It‟s a great kick start to the re-enactment season,” said Mr Wignall, “it gives everyone a chance to shake out the cobwebs and get some wood smoke into their lungs!” A dedicated web site at www.history-boot-camp.co.uk has the details and Booking Forms.
th
History at its fascinating best, published in paperback by John Murray on September 4 , priced £7.99 each… CHARGE! The interesting bits of military history 'Another fusillade of facts, with some stirring, some farcical and some grisly tales from some of the odder crannies of military history . . . This will keep the dear old brigadier supplied with anecdotes for months‘ — Sunday Telegraph War brings out the very best and worst in people although, frankly, its usually the latter. But for all our thousands of years of practice at this most dangerous art there is precious little evidence that we're either outgrowing it or getting any good at it. It is a book about the smaller tragedies and triumphs that actually go to make up the big picture — toilets that sink U-boats, unsporting attacks on Christmas day, armies that stop for tea, bombs on renegade balloons, drunk generals, blind kings, blind drunk generals, circular warships, and all the joy and misery that such things bring with them.
THE INTERESTING BITS: A treasure trove of history's interesting bits Did you give school history lessons your undivided attention? Even if you did, you’re probably none the wiser as to how exactly Henry II of France came to have a two-foot splinter in his head or why Alexandra of Bavaria believed she had swallowed a piano. Or where terms like bunkum, maverick, John Bull and taking the mickey come from; or how the Tsarina of Russia once saved a life with a comma; or why Robert Pate hit Queen Victoria on the head with a walking stick.
Justin
Pollard read Archaeology and Anthropology at Cambridge. He is a historical writer/consultant in film and TV. His credits include Elizabeth and Atonement, as well as over twenty-five documentary series such as Time Team on Channel 4 and The Tudors for the BBC. He is a researcher for QI and the author of several books.
NEWSFLASH! JUSTIN
POLLARD’S
NEW
SECRET
WORK
BRITAIN- CHOCK FULL OF INCREDIBLE STORIES FROM OUR HISTORY IS PUBLISHED 15 2009.
TURN PAGE FOR MORE DETAILS► PRESS CONTACT: Anna Kenny-Ginard on 020 7 873 6438 or email anna.kg@johnmurrays.co.uk
TH
OCTOBER
COMING SOON Justin Pollard unveils Britain’s secret history -shhh, don’t tell anyone… SECRET BRITAIN THE HIDDEN BITS OF OUR HISTORY PUBLISHED BY JOHN MURRAY th ON 15 OCTOBER IN HARDBACK, PRICED £12.99 Some of our most intriguing history is missing. Perhaps there has been a conspiracy, a cover-up? Or maybe some stories have been lost, forgotten or were just too embarrassing to talk about at the time? But now they are back, revealed in all their glory: secret passages, events, societies, loves, identities and even dark secrets of the grave. After much sleuthing, Justin Pollard takes us into undisclosed historical waters to discover why the city of Burlington isn’t on the map; how ‘Agent Pickle’ saved the lost treasure of Bonnie Prince Charlie; what Sir Thomas Overbury knew in 1613 that got him murdered with a poisoned enema and how Virginia Woolf sweet-talked her way aboard HMS Dreadnought dressed as Abyssinian Prince. Secret Britain will also reveal the tragic love story behind the Rolls Royce mascot; how agent Garbo managed to get an MBE and an Iron Cross; the sinister properties of the Hand of Glory; the lost smuggling ship Peggy; the Mystery Runner of Nos Galan; the extraordinary history of the Fairy Flag of Dunvegan; London’s only Nazi war memorial and the secrets of the WWII Monopoly board. Secret British places, people and events, Justin Polland reveals underground tunnels, hidden identities and hushed-up gatherings…among many other fascinating insights into whats gone on behind the scenes of Britain’s history. For further information please contact Anna Kenny-Ginard on 020 7 873 6438 or email anna.kg@johnmurrays.co.uk
Competition To be in with a chance of winning these 3 books by Justin Pollard just read The Fairy Flag of Dunvegan (next page) and answer this Question: What was the name of Harald Hardrada's battle flag? This Competition will run until February 15th, the 3 books sit upon Justin‟s desk just waiting to be signed or dedicated to the lucky winner. Send your answer and your full postal address to the usual email address Jason.okeefe@btopenworold.com
The Fairy Flag of Dunvegan" from my book 'Secret Britain Whilst there is, to be honest, very little hard evidence for the presence of fairies in Britain, at Dunvegan Castle on Skye is a relic whose supposed fairy origins have, it is said, protected a clan for a thousand years and whose true, secret history may be just as remarkable as the legend. The fragment of tattered yellow silk known as the Fairy Flag of Dunvegan was said to have been given to the clan MacLeod by the wife of the fourth chief of that clan, Iain. He, as legend has it, was lucky enough to marry the daughter of the fairy king. When the couple returned to this mortal realm after their nuptials to rule the clan, it was only on the understanding that after seven years she would have to return to her own world. Of course time flew by; when the seven years were up she tearfully bade goodbye to her husband and the baby she had just borne. As the couple parted on the fairy bridge she asked Iain to promise that the child would never be left alone, as the one thing she would be unable to bear was to hear it cry. That night there was a great feast to take the clan chief‟s mind off a rather depressing day and, being a man, he completely forgot about his promise. So too did the nurse sent to tend the baby, as she had sneaked out of the nursery to hear the singing and pipe playing in the hall. The lonely baby had duly cried and when Iain spotted the nurse in the hall he suddenly remembered his vow and dashed to the nursery. He was just in time to glimpse his wife who, having heard the cries, was rocking the baby back to sleep and singing what is now known as the Dunvegan lullaby. The moment he entered the room she vanished forever but on the baby‟s cot she left a silken blanket. This fairy flag was said to be able to protect the clan from danger when waved but could be invoked only three times, on the last of which both the flag and its bearer would disappear. Since then the flag has been waved twice but, not surprisingly, no one is too keen to wave it again, although Dame Flora MacLeod of MacLeod valiantly offered to wave it over the white cliffs of Dover during the Second World War, should an invasion seem imminent. MacLeod pilots in the war were also given fragments of the flag (or pictures of it) to carry with them for protection. Although all this may seem a shade fanciful, the flag is undoubtedly a mystery. Made of yellow silk spotted with red, it appears to be of Mediterranean origin and is around a thousand years old. One suggestion is that this is the flag known as „land-waster‟, once owned by Harald Hardrada, who was defeated by Harold II at Stamford Bridge in 1066, shortly before the Norman invasion. He picked up this „magical‟ flag when captain of the Varangian guard in Byzantium and, according to Snorri Sturluson‟s saga Heimskringla, flew it in the battle. Such magical „raven banners‟ were often used by Viking warlords, not least against Alfred the Great whose forces are recorded capturing just such a talisman, although in 1066 it seems to have malfunctioned and Hardrada was killed. Passing to Godred Crovan, later king of the Isle of Man, it may possibly have come down to the MacLeods. That certainly is the view of eminent Scottish historian Sir Iain Moncreiffe. So the fairy flag may have more bloody origins, not as an elfin cot blanket but as a war banner. Perhaps the last word on the subject should be given to a MacLeod. When Sir Reginald MacLeod had the flag inspected by the Victoria and Albert Museum and was told it might well be the remains of „land-waster‟, he politely thanked the curators for their opinion but pointed out that he had it directly from family sources that the flag had been given to them by the fairies.
You still have until January 15th to enter the competition to win the books by Ben Kane. The Forgotten Legion by Ben Kane. Romulus and Fabiola are twins, born into slavery after their mother is raped by a drunken nobleman on his way home from a good night out. At 13 years old, they and their mother are sold: Romulus to gladiator school, Fabiola into prostitution, where she will catch the eye of one of the most powerful men in Rome, and their mother into obscurity and death in the salt mines. Tarquinius is an Etruscan, a warrior and soothsayer, born enemy of Rome, but doomed to fight for the Republic in the Forgotten Legion. Brennus is a Gaul; the Romans killed his entire family. He rises to become one of the most famous and feared gladiators of his day - and mentor to the boy slave, Romulus, who dreams night and day of escape and of revenge. The lives of these four characters are bound and interwoven in a marvellous story which begins in a Rome riven by corruption, violence and political enmities, but ends far away, where Romulus, Brennus and Tarquinius find themselves fighting against the Parthians and overwhelming odds at the battle of Carrhae. Roman history fans will know that this was one of the greatest defeats suffered by the Republic, but 10,000 legionaries survived as prisoners of the Parthians. These men - 'The Forgotten Legion' were marched more than fifteen hundred miles east to Margiana, where they served as border guards for their captors. The Forgotten Legion is published by Preface, and is available in paperback now from all good bookshops and Amazon, Play.com etc.
The Silver Eagle by Ben Kane They fought against almighty odds at the very edge of the world – and lost. Ten thousand legionaries are all that are left of a once powerful army, now captives of the Parthians. Among them are three friends, Brennus the Gaul, Targuinius the Etruscan soothsayer and Romulus the bastard son of a Roman nobleman. United in their hatred of Rome, they never stop dreaming of freedom, but in the brutal fighting which lies ahead of them, only two will survive. Meanwhile, Romulusâ€&#x;s twin sister, Fabiola, has been raised to dangerous heights by her lover, Brutus. He has freed her from a life of prostitution, but not from danger and now he is far away, fighting beside Caesar in Gaul. Hunted by the vicious slave catcher, Scaevola, she must undertake a terrifying journey to find Brutus and save her own life.
About Ben Kane Ben Kane was born in Kenya and raised there and in Ireland. He studied veterinary medicine at University College Dublin, but after that he travelled the world extensively, indulging his passion for ancient history. He now lives in North Somerset with his wife and family. His first novel was The Forgotten Legion For more information: www.benkane.net
Competitions
Ben Kane Competition To be in with a chance of winning both of Benâ€&#x;s books, The Forgotten Legion and The Silver Eagle just ask these simple questions. (Both from The Silver Eagle) 1. Where is Brutus, lover of Fabiola, fighting alongside Caesar? 2. Who is holding the Roman Legionaries captive? The winner will be drawn on January 15th, 2010.
Send your answers with your full mailing address to: Jason.okeefe@btopenworld.com
Editors Note: A huge thank you to both Justin Pollard and Ben Kane for their continued support of this publication with their books for the competitions.
Entry to all competitions is free to all registered recipients of The Re-Enactor
WAR FROM ANCIENT EGYPT TO IRAQ Editorial consultant: Saul David To be published in hardback by Dorling Kindersley on 22nd October 2009, priced ÂŁ30 FOR NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ISSUES Q. Who is the most decorated military hero in history? Q. What is the most bizarre weapon ever used in warfare? Q. What was it like to be held captive in Vietnam for almost 2,000 days? Q. What was the greatest feat of military engineering?
Combining a clear and compelling historical narrative with hundreds of outstanding paintings and photographs, WAR is an unsurpassed visual history of every major conflict over the past 5,000 years, from the earliest battles to the War on Terror. With a wealth of supporting features including eyewitness accounts, detailed galleries, and an exhaustive directory of battles and military miscellanea, WAR guides the reader through the strategies, tactics, warriors, weapons, technology and individuals that have shaped human warfare. From sword and shield to shock and awe, this is the story of war with all its momentous, world-changing impact and extraordinary human stories. Saul David is Professor of War Studies at the University of Buckingham, and a writer and broadcaster. He is the author of several critically-acclaimed books, including The Indian Mutiny : 1857 (shortlisted for the Westminster Medal for Military Literature), Zulu: The Heroism and Tragedy of the Zulu War of 1879 (a Waterstone's Military History Book of the Year) and Victoria's Wars: The Rise of Empire . He is also the author of the acclaimed historical novel, Zulu Hart . An experienced broadcaster, Saul has presented and appeared in history programmes for all the major TV channels and is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4.
Saul David is available for interview and to write features. For further information, please contact Anwen Hooson at Riot Communications on 020 3174 0118 / 07899 798885 / anwen@riotcommunications.com
Events Listing February 2010 6th & 7th Foreign Fields Northern Reenactment Kit Fair, Building 21, Elsecar Heritage Centre, Barnsley www.foreign-fields.co.uk/renfair.html 26th, 27th & 28th International Living History Fair, Warwickshire Exhibition Centre, UK http://www.livinghistoryfairs.com/
March 2010 19th, 20th & 21st The Original Re-enactors market (TORM) Sports Connexion, Ryton on Dunsmorre www.reenactorsmarket.co.uk
April 2010 4th & 5th The Knights of Royal England at Knebworth House, Hertfordshire, UK www.knightsroyal.co.uk 9th - 11th History Boot Camp, Phasels Wood, Hemel Hempstead, UK Seminars, workshops, traders, re-enactors For more information or to book your place visit: www.history-boot-camp.co.uk/
May 2010 1st - 3rd The Knights of Royal England at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, UK www.knightsroyal.co.uk 1st – 3rd Cosmeston Battle weekend, Cosmeston Medieval Village, nr Cardiff, Wales www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/ 1st & 2nd Margam Park South Wales, Multi-Period Event www.webster.uk.net 8th & 9th Two day Costume and Textile Fair, Rodber Suite at Northamapton Saints Rugby Club, UK Contact for information: david.smith34@ntlworld.com or smcnern@googlemail.com 8th & 9th Snailwell Medieval Festival, Snailwell, Uk, CB8 7LX www.yayevents.co.uk 30th & 31st The Knights of Royal England at Hedlingham Castle, Essex, UK www.knightsroyal.co.uk 29th – 4th June. 2010 Pirate Festival at Lulworth Castle, Wareham, Dorset, UK http://pikeandshot.com
June 2010 1st -6th The Knights of Royal England at Leeds Castle, Kent, UK www.knightsroyal.co.uk
6th & 7th Templecombe Medieval fayre, Templecombe, Dorset, UK 12th & 13th The Knights of Royal England at Royal Gunpowder Mills, Essex, UK www.knightsroyal.co.uk 18th – 20th The Knights of Royal England at Cardiff Castle, Wales www.knightsroyal.co.uk 19th & 20th Tatton Park, UK Contact: plantychrisb@yahoo.co.uk 25th, 26th & 27th Chatteris Historic Festival, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, UK For information contact: thebeardeddragon30@hotmail.com 26th & 27th The Knights of Royal England at Ruthin Castle, Wales www.knightsroyal.co.uk
July 2010 3rd & 4th The Knights of Royal England at Linlithgow Palace nr Edinburgh, Scotland www.knightsroyal.co.uk 3rd & 4th Chetwynd Medieval Fair. Commemorating an actual historical market and Chetwynd, Shropshire in1318. The current location is at Shropshire Lavender http://www.shropshirelavender.co.uk 3rd & 4th Dorset Medieval Festival, Winterbourne Came, Dorchester, Dorset, UK 10th & 11th The Knights of Royal England at Linlithgow Palace nr Edinburgh, Scotland www.knightsroyal.co.uk 10th & 11th Tewkesbury Medieval Festival, Tewkesbury, UK www.tewkesburymedievalfestival.org/ 13th – 18th Viking Market in Gudvangen http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=592381455&ref=name#/pages/Gudvangen-Norway/Gudvangen-mostbeautiful-spot-on-planet-earth/331462555230 17th & 18th The Knights of Royal England at Hever Castle, Kent, UK www.knightsroyal.co.uk 17th & 18th Kelmarsh Hall, Northamptonshire, UK Multi-Period event 23rd – 24th The Knights of Royal Engalnd at Hever Castle, Kent, UK www.knightsroyal.co.uk 24th & 25th Berkeley Castle Skirmish, Gloucestershire, UK www.berkeley-castle.com/reenactments.php 24th & 25th The Battle of Azincourt, France www.azincourt-alliance.org.uk 31st & 1st The Knights of Royal England at Hever Castle, Kent, UK www.knightsroyal.co.uk
August 2010 6th – 8th The Knights of Royal England at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, UK www.knightsroyal.co.uk 7th & 8th Midlands History Festival at Stratford Armouries, Stratford, UK http://www.stratfordarmouries.co.uk 13th – 15th The Knights of Royal England at Hever Castle, Kent, uk www.knightsroyal.co.uk 14th & 15th Spetchley Park-Multi-period event, Worcester, UK 14th & 15th Bodelwyddan Castle, North Wales 21st & 22nd Scotlands Festival of History, The Royal Borough of Lanark, UK http://www.scotlandsfestivalofhistory.co.uk 21st & 22nd The Knights of Royal England at Hever Castle, Kent, UK www.knightsroyal.co.uk 27th & 28th The Knights of Royal England at Hever Castle, Kent, UK www.knightsroyal.co.uk 28th – 30th Herstmonceaux Medieval Festival, Herstmonceaux Castle, Kent, UK 28th – 30th Military Odyssy, Kent Show Ground, Detling, Kent, UK. http://www.military-odyssey.com/ 28th – 30th Medieval Spectacular at Pensthorpe Park, Fakenham, Norfolk http://www.blackknighthistorical.co.uk 29th & 30th The Knights of Royal England at Hedingham Castle, Essex, UK www.knightsroyal.co.uk
September 2010 4th & 5th Campaign of La Boissiere-Ecole 1815 The village of La Boissiere-Ecole situated 17km west of Rambouillet near Paris 5th The Knights of Royal England at Knebworth House, Hertfordshire, UK www.knightsroyal.co.uk 11th & 12th Early Medieval Alliance (EMA) event at Caldicot Castle, Wales, UK 18th & 19th The Knights of Royal England at Leeds Castle, Kent, UK www.knightsroyal.co.uk 25th & 26th The 17th International Napoleonic Fair 2010 www.internationalnapoleonicfair.co.uk
October 29th-31st The Living History Fair, Warwickshire Exhibition Centre, UK http://www.livinghistoryfairs.com/
30th & 31st Medieval Fair & Market, Tutbury Castle, Staffordshire, UK Contact: david.smith34@ntlworld.com
November 27th & 28th Ludlow Castle Medieval Christmas fair, Ludlow, Shropshire, UK Craft fair, medieval traders, combat, have a go archery http://www.ludlowcastle.com/
HELL ON EARTH Stephen Davis
This book is a record of a time in history which no one alive today has witnessed. This is a true story written by a young man from a midland town which under the conscription act, immediately after his eighteenth birthday joined the army and went over to France in April 1918, just after the big German offensive. His regiment was sent to a spot where the British line had been broken, and soon they were in retreat. First told over 70 years ago the story has finally made its way back to where it belongs. This book is only available direct from the website: www.hellonearth.org.uk Or via email: srddavis@hotmail.com
Wounded-The Film Wounded, an action packed medieval short film, had its world premiere in October in front of a packed cinema at Fox Studios in Sydney Australia. Developed over two years, including two months of casting and six months of training and fight choreography, Wounded has become the first fully realized medieval short film to be shot and produced entirely in Australia . Sponsored by Lemac, Krispy Kremes and others, Wounded proves an entertaining film with high production values can be made on a limited budget. Set in 1428 AD, while the Hundred Yearsâ€&#x; War raged throughout Western Europe, Wounded follows two knights and a foot soldiers struggle to survive in a forest infested with enemy. The short film enlisted some of Australiaâ€&#x;s finest talents including cinematographer, John Biggins and experienced actors Ricky Price and Ben Maclaine. Wounded was not only produced to sell and distribute as an independent short film but also to promote a Project Greenlight semi-finalist feature screenplay of the same name. Director, Chad Aston, is a firm believer that a well produced film of this genre will have a strong international appeal and profitability and that a quality feature can be produced for well under 4 million USD. With production now complete they are inviting potential distributors, producers and investors to view the film, read the screenplay and help them get the feature film made. To follow the progress of the Wounded feature and view the trailer go to www.woundedthemovie.com. There are links to the facebook, twitter and youtube pages from there. If you think you might be able to assist getting the feature made or know someone that can help with funding, producing or distributing you can find contact details in the presskit on the website.
Editors Note: Thank you to Chad Aston (Director on Wounded) for this article