War and Peace Revial

I’ve been going to War and Peace for more years than I can remember and now, as The War and Peace Revival, it’s an event I wouldn’t miss! Even though my interests have changed somewhat over the years, I’ve always found plenty to keep me busy during my visits. It’s great to be able to see and examine (with the owner’s permission of course) all manner of deactivated pistols, rifles, sub-machineguns etc. on the many static displays, where re-enactors have all their gear laid out for visitors to see. You can also buy just about any type of deactivated gun at the show, from tiny .22 pocket pistols to mighty .50 calibre Browning machine guns. New EU regulations have impacted those who collect this sort of thing but Worldwide Arms and D&B Militaria, amongst others, looked busy enough.

The whole ‘living history’ side of things has really grown over the years and I love the ‘Home Front’, where you get to see how people lived during the war. It’s not all static display though, as there are many re-enactors who are ‘strollers’, who can be seen all over the showground and really add to the overall effect, as policeman, the Home Guard, etc. wouldn’t have been confined to one area during the war. As well as those portraying military personnel, there was also a VW camper van full of members of the peace movement and it was great to see this side of things, as a counterpoint to the more usual style of display.

Wheeled wonders

I’m into military vehicles in a big way and spent ages examining tanks, armoured cars, motorbikes, Jeeps and Land Rovers and, best of all, was being able to see them put through their paces in the main arena, where it’s either thick mud or flying dust, depending on the year and the weather! We obviously had one of the hottest summers on record, so it was a year of red faces, burnt necks and frequent trips to the bar, even if I could only have soft drinks, as the nominated driver for the day…

If, like I do, you collect inert ammunition, artillery shells. you’re in a luck, as when I visited some of the traders, they had a huge selection for sale and I could have bought a wide range of tank rounds, including German 88mm rounds fired by anti-aircraft guns and tanks; there was even a brass shell case about 2 feet across from a railway gun! There was also a mind-blowing array of cap badges, medals and general ‘collectables’ and I could easily have spent a small fortune!

So, another fantastic day but I’ll try and stay over next year, as the entertainment in the evening looks fantastic as well. If you’ve never been before, get down to the Hop Farm Show Ground in Kent and see for yourself why I keep going back each year!

Next year’s event will be on the 23rd to 27th of July 2019. For more information, go to warandpeacerevival.com.