future event Broadmayne 'D5' & Weymouth at War.

[ammoboot]

Working alongside ‘Weymouth at War’ the Broadmayne Second World War Society is holding a weekend of events which will bring the village community together, both in remembrance and in a fun and educational way. With the support of the local Parish Council, Church, School, landowners and history group, we wish to turn back time in the village in order to recreate the D-Day marshalling camp known as ‘D5’, where thousands of American personnel were based prior to sailing from the nearby ports of Weymouth and Portland for the shores of Normandy. The village of Broadmayne is inviting any civilian, (Allied) military re-enactors and period vehicle owners that will be in the area over the weekend 20/21/22 June to be guests of the village, with free camping and parking. The fields you will be using made up the actual tented areas of Overlord marshalling camp ‘D5’ and have good access for vehicles of all sizes, widths and lengths (chemical toilets will be on site). The village has a shop, petrol station, a number of B&B's and a Pub with B&B (& plenty of cider and warm ale!!). All this in a couple of minutes stroll from the camping areas.The only planned re-enactment 'event' will be the road run down into Weymouth. An aim of the event is to have large numbers of (Allied) military personnel and civilians based in the village to give the local community an idea of what the village was like in June 1944. The areas are available for all wishing to take part in the Weymouth at War event. You are more than welcome to take part in any of the activities/entertainment over the weekend but other than that just use the village as marshalling camp ‘D5' and enjoy yourselves.'Broadmayne D5' and 'Weymouth at War' are supporting each other in order to create what we hope will be a well coordinated, fun re-enactment event. Anyone interested in attending please get in touch with either …Myself (Steve) - broadmayneww2soc@gmail.com Gary - info@weymouthatwar.com Hope to see you there!

Edited November 26, 2013 by ammoboot

[dando1944]

We are constantly being asked for answers….. so here they are.

 

We are a new event and not connected with the great Maiden Newton at War as was… we are not involved with Broadmayne but are happy to run alongside with it - Weymouth at War is a larger event taking place all across the town of Weymouth over the Saturday and Sunday 21st / 22nd of June 2014. It is simply going to be a great place to take in the WWII atmosphere and enjoy yourselves with like minded friends.

 

Anyone is welcome to come along and take part… do as much or as little as you like… walk around and absorb the wartime atmosphere, take part in things, talk to the re-enactors and generally get into the wartime spirit.

 

To commemorate the 70th Anniversary of D-day the town of Weymouth is turning back the clock on the weekend of the 21st / 22nd of June 2014.

The event is being staged alongside the annual Veterans parade next year and will be taking place right across Weymouth. Called “Weymouth at War” it is being organised to coincide with the veterans parade which annually attracts tens of thousands of visitors to the area. The organisers aim to literally turn Weymouth back into a WWII town for the whole weekend and anyone visiting can take part.

You can visit a miliaria fair, dance to 1940′s music and stroll down 1940′s street. Fish and chips on the quayside as you watch the US Army gear up for D-day. The aim is to recreate the harbour much as it would have been in the days running up to D-day. With Spiv’s selling nylons – alongside “Yanks” giving out gum and chocolate…. everywhere you go there will be something happening.

 

On Saturday afternoon there is going to be a Bridge Laying and assault by the Royal Marines and this is going to involve taking over a good portion of the beach area. This is free for all to watch.

Our aim is to add more to the annual Veterans Day commemorations and ceremony and what we aim to do in a big way. There are dozens of re-enactment groups already booked in and there was a general consensus that something big should be done on the south coast for the 70th anniversary of D-day. And where better to do this, than the very place the invasion was started.

Weymouth is the ideal location given its WWII history and for the Allied re-enactment groups coming, it will be a unique opportunity to place their vehicles and equipment just as they were in the run up to D-day.

There will be lots for visitors to see including wartime searchlights, school children dressed as wartime refugees, anti-aircraft guns around the town – not to mention Wardens and wartime policemen checking papers… and even a WWII Air Raid Shelters at the Nothe Fort and even Jive Dancing lessons in a church crypt… Jive Dancing in the streets and much more. Another group is building a wartime street… and another a wartime shop, police station etc. to fit in alongside wartime themed cafe’s.

All across the town of Weymouth more things are being added weekly as Allied groups sign up and there will also be activities organised around the 1944 embarkation in Portland including a vehicle convoy.

Alongside the Weymouth port there will be vehicles loading and we are hoping to have an original US WWII LCVP Higgins Boat landing craft alongside the harbour. But as always this will depend upon the Port Authorities and compliance with their regulations.

We are also delighted to be able to have the Pavilion to host a militaria show on the Saturday daytime – followed by a 1940′s dance in the evening…. If you want a table at the militaria fair please email us. info@weymouthatwar.com

 

There will be thousands of interested people in Weymouth… it will be a great opportunity to sell and buy kit.

As more activities are added they will be put onto the official website – so please look at this version as just temporary. Since news of the event appeared in the national press, we have been taken back by the level of interest from all over the country. Which has caused us to speed up everything – the website was due in a week or two !.

If you would like to book a provisional booking for a table at the militaria show then please email info@weymouthatwar.com and then there is a space for displays all alongside the harbour. But this is filling up quickly.

If you would like to book a ticket for the evening 1940′s dance please go to our Wristband and Dance Tickets page for more details (www.weymouthatwar.com). Wartime dress is optional – but preferred.

The whole “Weymouth at War” event revolves around people taking part and we have already some big groups attending. There will be all types of Allied units guarding key installations, but it does not stop there. Are certain times we may move some units out to other locations – creating a constant series of strategic objectives that must be manned at all times….

For example a vital position guarding the harbour is under the Nothe Fort where there is a wartime Pill Box and cafe. This must be guarded at all times, so that there is no interruption to the public’s access to a good brew !

We have have had nothing but support from everyone we speak too and a huge number of the towns shops want to take part. Many will be offering discounts to re-enactors and this is getting bigger every week.

News of the event has already crossed the pond and amazingly we are now getting interest from the US newspapers and TV as the D-day anniversary is going to be comprehensively covered from there. They want to see it and we have it – as it was !

We have been speaking to the makers of a well known US chocolate bar for sponsorshipand chewing gum manufacturers love the idea of getting involved in the “Got any Gum Chum” weekend as one of them called it. The US soldiers all gave out gum and chocolate – so we are hoping to be able to supply all the participating vehicles with a quantity for just that purpose.

We are looking for Great British brand names to take part … this is your history as well. So many of Britains’ food and home front brands still exist and are thriving. We hope that some of those brands can see the value in reminding the public how they helped us get through the war years. It is all about remembering our heritage. The British and US armies lived, trained and fought alongside each other – and most importantly they lived alongside the great British public in Weymouth as well.

Through air raids and rationing the public endured it all waiting for D-day. Once such group of men – the US Army Rangers were stationed in the Dorset area before embarking in Weymouth harbour… their destination – Omaha Beach – Normandy. It was one of the most dangerous missions of the whole war. If they failed to take the beach – then everything else behind them failed.

WWII Ranger veteran James Gabaree who left from the quayside (near Weymouth Pavilion) for the D-day assault on Omaha Beach is delighted that this has been announced. “We all loved our time in England in 1944 and were given such a warm welcome by everyone. It makes all the surviving US Rangers proud to think that our time spent in Weymouth has not been forgotten. We wish this event well and hope it is a great success.”

Mr Gabaree a member of A Company of the 5th battalion US Army Rangers was one of the first to land on Omaha Beach in Normandy and he was twice wounded during the famous battle for Pointe du Hoc. He thinks it is unlikely that he will be able to attend the event, but he has not ruled it out. “I would love to come over again. I have such fond memories of Britain at that time and I would love to involved if I can – I know some of the other guys are considering coming over.”

There will be a display of WWII vehicles along the beachfront in the afternoon of Saturday. This part of the event will be free for all to watch and you can meet the people who drive them. - After the Royal Marines have finished their bridge laying exercise.

There is also talk of a flypast of wartime aircraft and the council have informed us that there may well be a Spitfire Flypast. Many of the local shops and businesses are getting into it by offering “Wartime discounts” and you can guarantee that plenty of “wartime spirit” will be coming out of the pubs and cafes.

Businesses such as the Crows Nest Cafe in Hope Square will be turning back the clock and embracing the wartime atmosphere. Cafe owner Rosie Farnworth thinks it will be great for the town. “We all know about the soldiers here during the war and its fantastic to think that we can remember them in this way. We are delighted to get involved and support this – it really is good for the whole town.”

The veterans weekend and parade is traditionally the second busiest weekend of the year in Weymouth and it is thought that with the influx of extra visitors for Weymouth at War, it could well become the top event of next year.

So if you have a WWII vehicle, a display, or perhaps you want to involve your school – or even promote your business by running something in your premises, there is literally no other opportunity on this scale, actually inside an original embarkation wartime town, where it can be done.

This is a temporary website just to get some information out. A larger website with a wholelost of local information such as camping, accommodation and a detailed schedule of events will be coming soon.

It will be the Allied Weekender of the year and is already set to become an annual event !

If you would like to be kept informed or want some info – please just drop us an email to info@weymouthatwar.com

Edited May 28, 2014 by dando1944

[ammoboot]

Broadmayne D5, 20^th – 23^rd June continues to grow. Listed below are just some of the weekend’s attractions.

 

 

Groups confirmed as attending;

 

Royal Engineers 5th Beach Group.

4th Dorsets.

Rangers Reenactments.

The 1st Division.

Normandy 44.

Auxiliary Units LHG.

25th BD Co RE LHG.

 

 

Displays confirmed as attending;

 

The Keep Military Museum.

Anthony Cooke ‘Reflections of RAF Warmwell’.

CART Dorset.

Broadmayne WW2 Society.

Dave Lancaster ‘D5 militaria collection’.

Womens Land Army.

 

 

Entertainment confirmed as attending;

 

The Durnovaria Silver Band.

The Moonlight Swing Band.

Jayne Darling.

The Victory Arms.

Bright Button Productions Vintage Cinema.

 

 

Events confirmed;

 

Military camping area.

1940’s pub night.

1940’s Church Fete.

BBQ/Hog roast.

Swing Band evening.

Service of Remembrance.

Vintage Cinema night.

History Trail.

Geo-cache.

 

Plus much, much more.

 

Broadmayne D5 is a Heritage Lottery Funded event and is free to all those wishing to attend. We remain in full support of any other events taking place locally and would encourage visitors to enjoy what the area has to offer during this busy weekend. If camping at D5 you are welcome to come and go throughout the weekend as much as you please. All we ask is you dress appropriately to the period and enjoy yourselves.

 

Steve (Broadmayne Camp)

[ammoboot]

For more information about the history of the camp and further details of event see 'Broadmayne Camp' on Facebook.