Page 14 - History of War - Issue 05-14

Events WWI LOVE LETTER AND POPPY

4-6 JULY SELL FOR £6,000 AT AUCTION
Buckfastleigh Military Weekend Poignant missive from US soldier to his sweetheart goes under the hammer
Iconic Devonshire military vehicle
weekend, held in collaboration with n American soldier’s love letter and poppy “I will be careful and you must be good and write
the South Devon Steam Railway.
Relive wartime Britain with period sent to his sweetheart back home were very often. Tell me everything as you do, and let the
vehicles, trains, trucks and dancing. the stars of a recent Derbyshire auction. French poppy which I am enclosing represent my
www.southdevonrailway Discovered in a treasure trove of militaria kisses for you – dearest girl, all my love. Remember
association.org A belonging to a Derbyshire man, the letter me to your mother – yours, Chas.”
– written on YMCA paper headlined “On Active The centenary auction at Hanson’s Auctioneers
4-6 JULY Service with the American Expeditionary Force” in Etwall, Derbyshire, attracted a large crowd to
The Yorkshire Wartime Experience – and the enclosed 100-year-old poppy, which view the items, which also included a First World
Huge display of military vehicles, still had its red colour, fetched £6,000. War soldier’s notepad (sold for £600), and a Red
WWI and WWII battle re-enactments Sadly, nothing is known about the letter’s Cross nurse’s album of First World War events,
and sales of memorabilia. Plus 1940s
entertainment and a Battle of Britain recipient, or the author, Chas, who wrote: which fetched £4,000.
flypast. Huntsworth Lane, Bradford.
www.ywe-event.info
5-6 JULY Thinkstock
Capel Vintage Military Vehicle Show
Two-day display of tanks, Jeeps
and armoured vehicles, with period
entertainment. Aldhurst Farm, Surrey.
adenjohn@virginmedia.com

5-6 JULY
Massed bands, dog displays, WWI
re-enactments, motorbike displays
plus the Red Devils parachute team.
Abbey Field, Colchester.
www.colchestermilitary
tournament.co.uk
6 JULY Norwich schoolboy turns bedroom
Chatham Militaria Fairs
Monthly military fair taking place
indoors at slipway 5 of Chatham into Admiral Nelson museum
Dockyard, River Medway in Kent.
www.chathammilitariafairs.co.uk
hen nine-year-old Shae that he’d collected, including a piece Guarding the door is his younger
11-13 JULY Williams first read about of metal from Nelson’s flagship, HMS brother, Kye, 6, while Shae collects
Royal International Air Tattoo W Admiral Nelson in a history Victory. And when he’d filled it up, fees of £2 for adults, 50p for children
Don’t miss the massive annual book, it was the beginning of both an he decided to open it as a museum. and £4 for a family ticket to view his
gathering of military and civilian obsession and an entrepreneurial idea. Shae says, “My museum is the best. collection. He’s saving the proceeds in
aircraft from all over the world. He began to decorate his bedroom I’ve got an original copper from the the hope of buying an original piece
Fairford, Gloucestershire. with items of Nelson memorabilia Victory, a shop and sea biscuits that you of wood from the ship, which will cost
www.airtattoo.com can eat for free.” him somewhere in the region of £100.
He has the full support of his
11-13 JULY mum, Karen, 43, who says, “We like to
“We’ll Meet Again” encourage Shae because I’d rather he
Relive the 1940s at this gathering was doing this than playing on his Xbox.”
of vintage military and civilian
vehicles. There will also be period re-
enactors. Thorpe Camp, Lincolnshire.
www.1940weekend.co.uk
16-20 JULY
The War And Peace Revival
Five-day military and vintage festival.
RAF Westenhanger, Folkestone
Racecourse, Kent. 01304 813337;
www.thewarandpeacerevival.co.uk

14 HISTORY WAR
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