Wartime Clumber

at Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire 

Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 June 2010 11am to 4.30pm

70th anniversary of the completion of the Dunkirk evacuation, 1940

66th anniversary of D-Day, 1944

 Free admission (free parking for National Trust members, modest charge per car for non-members).

All allied and civilian 1940s re-enactors, dancers, vehicle owners and enthusiasts are warmly invited to participate*

Our third, extremely enjoyable event at Clumber Park evoking the home front during WWII, following the success of our 2009 event (with over 12,000 people visiting). The estate was a huge munitions centre and with Winston Churchill present, in 1941 hosted the testing of an impressively large (but following the recent Blitzkreig warfare, clearly obsolete) trench cutting machine. A perfect place then for a weekend of 1940s nostalgia with living history, entertainments, music and song. 

For a taste of things to come, please see the collection of photos of the 2009 event taken by Red Zebra Photo (click on Album). Step back in time to the 1940s, check out the exhibition room about Clumber's role in WWII, explore the living history exhibits, take part in an interactive display about Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain in this, the 70th anniversary year, laugh at Mr Punch versus Adolf Hitler, see wartime fire pumps in action and have a go aiming the hose, talk to US troops training in the area prior to D-day, welcome back survivors from the beaches of Dunkirk, try Home Guard drill and military training and join in with favourite songs (and the dancing!)...and have a go at training for battle! Some wonderful period vehicles will be on show, too.

Plus on Saturday, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire!

Participants

Ancient Wisdom (with his interactive Dunkirk & Battle of Britain display and hilarious Mr Punch vs Adolf Hitler); 2nd Tales (British casualty dressing station) 2/13th Diggers Living History Group (Australian Home Guard); Discover History (Home Guard, Sunday only), Airborne Eagles Living History Group (US 101st Airborne); Behind Enemy Lines (British auxiliaries) - Saturday only; Bomber County Swing Jivers (dancers); Earley Days (Children's activities); The Festival Swing Dancers; Foreign Field (battle school for children); Forties Chums (civilians); Histeria (SAS living history & exhibits); JJ's Vintage Hats (hat exhibition);  The Lost Patrol (US 82nd Airborne); Lovat Scouts (Scots snipers and mountain/ski troops); National Fire Service (firemen and pump); Notts & Derby Living History Association ("Dunkirk - the return");  Mansfield Fire Museum (fire engine - Sunday only); the Moonlight Serenaders (music and song); Marth'a War (cooking with wartime rations); US 1st Division LHA (American infantry, Omaha beach, D-Day); Virtue to Victory (Women's Land Army); The Writing 69th (USAF reporter) and numerous couples and individuals, including dancers and period vehicle owners.

All Allied and civilian 1940s re-enactors, vehicle owners and enthusiasts are warmly invited* (including Germans/Italians as POWS, as they both worked on the Clumber estate). Visitors are once again invited to join in with the spirit of the event by coming in period dress (completely optional, of course!).

Groups or individuals wishing to participate in this event are invited to register  with us, so we can forward full details, and to click the link for our terms and conditions of participation (link above). Bearing in mind this weekend's anniversaries, we particularly welcome 1940 and 1944 impressions, although any wartime era is fine.....if you would like to portray one of the 150 or so estate staff/workers, how about the following: Air raid wardens, the Clumber Park Auxiliary Wartime Fire Service, first aiders, special constable, patrolmen, drivers, agricultural workers, drivers, builders, housewives, children, visitors including civil servants.  Military personnel stationed on site included the Ordnance Corps, Royal Engineers, Cheshire Yeomanry, ATS, Women's Land Army with Home Guard nearby. Entertainments were put on by ENSA. However, all allied civilian and military impressions will be welcome.

Please note, As Clumber was a British base, we’d prefer not to have too many American impressions, and as a Home Front event, no axis impressions except for Italian and (non-SS) German POWs (who worked there) please. POWs must be unarmed and wear soft hats, no helmets, and be suitably subdued (but being friendly is okay too). Ideally they should carry a spade or similar tool to show they are working on the estate. 

* So long as you agree to abide by our terms and conditions of participation! Classic and military vehicle owners please click here.

Timetable of displays and activities  

Other activities

• Living history and static displays

• Meet “Winston Churchill”, portrayed by Robert Burns

• Visiting 1940s military personnel and civilians of the 1^st US Division, 2/13^th Diggers Living History Group, American Eagles Living history Group, Lovat Scouts, Virtue to Victory, Writing 69th and others.

• Dunkirk – the Return, with the Notts & Derby Living History Association

• Dressing station, with 2^nd Tales

• Cooking with wartime rations by Martha’s War

• A display of maps books and a radio, all related to the Intelligence community, by Henry James (subject to final confirmation)

• Dancing by the Bomber County Swing Jivers

• Children’s activities - make a gas mask or a Lancaster Bomber, & dress up in 40s style clothing with Earley Days  (a small charge applies)

• Fire Engine from Mansfield Fire Museum (Sunday only)

• Classic civilian and military vehicles on display

• 40s stalls and traders

Don't miss our other 1940s events this season:

Victory at Hughenden, Hughenden Manor, Buckinghamshire on 8-9 May.

^{Powys at home and at war, at Powis Castle, Wales, on 12-13 June.}

On the Home Front 1930-45 at Rufford Abbey Country Park on 18-19 September.

Wimpole at War, at Wimpole Hall, Cambridgeshire on 26-27 September.