Glorious weather blessed the first Sedgefield Village Veterans Weekend and for the first time Foreign Field occupied the centre of the village with wartime camps and vehicles.
Ceddesfield Hall, a beautiful old Georgian manor house became the backdrop for the afternoon's battle demonstration as the combined allied forces fought to take back an Axis commandeered chateau.
Inside the hall was a huge and varied display of original wartime household items and people on hand to teach visitors all about them.
Music and entertainments were provided in the local pubs, clubs and care homes as well as the Drill Show, People of the War Show and Gunnery Demonstration in the main village square the morning's demonstrations and attractions were rounded off by an air display of a Hawker Fury, the forerunner of the famous Hurricane.
Then the attention was taken to the assault on the hall. Simulated artillery barrages and rocket attacks opened the way for a fierce firefight up the hill to the rear door of the hall with the Union Flag being flown from the top window to mark the allied victory.
The event was incredibly well attended with visitors getting into the spirit with wartime clothing, the local pubs putting up wartime propaganda posters as well as bomb tape on the windows.
It was the first event of this kind for Sedgefield and we are proud to have opened their events with a bang. |