Bligh. Going on Leave.

[Bligh]

Just to let my messmates know that I will be on leave from tomorrow until Monday evening. Please excuse any delay on replies to PMs. during and after this time for a few days.
Bligh.

[Dr.Maturin]

Have a good one Rob.

[Herkybird]

Indeed, we junior officers will just have to make do without your august presence on the bridge!

Enjoy your leave Sir!

[Naharaht]

Enjoy your weekend, Rob. I am sure your first lieutenant will cope.

[Bligh]

Took a bit more time off this last weekend.
Here I am in another of my alter egos as the Regimental Gunsmith.




Rob.

[Dr.Maturin]

A very fetching hat Sir, if I may say so.
Royalist or Parliamentarian? Clothing of both sides very similar.

[Herkybird]

I would suggest this Pious man belongeth to the Godly army of Parliament?

[Bligh]

I would suggest this Pious man belongeth to the Godly army of Parliament?

And in that supposition thou wouldst be quite correct Richard.

Rob.

[Herkybird]

As such, you are even greater in my esteem than before!

[Union Jack]

and deep in prayer or thought to. Or can you work whilst asleep Rob?

[fredmiracle]

Does Britain have many ECW re-enactors? Is there one side or the other that tends to be preferred or about 50-50?

[Bligh]

and deep in prayer or thought to. Or can you work whilst asleep Rob?

Should have gone to Specsavers. I had mislaid my Aufenic goggles.
Rob.

[Herkybird]

Does Britain have many ECW re-enactors? Is there one side or the other that tends to be preferred or about 50-50?

I think the Royalists have more supporters in re-enactment societies. On TV recently, they had a group of Royalists having to play Parliamentarians to balance the forces in a display!

[Bligh]

Does Britain have many ECW re-enactors? Is there one side or the other that tends to be preferred or about 50-50?

It varies from time to time in the Sealed Knot.
At the moment their are more Royalists than Parliamentarians if you exclude our Scottish Allies.
We have about 4500 members at present. During the 350th Anniversary years we had over 6000.
The other Main ECW group English Civil War Society, had about 2500 when we were in it, but I think they are down a bit as well now.
Then there are a few other local groups with 40-50 in each one like The Worcester Militia, Wardour Garrison etc.

Rob.

[fredmiracle]

I've enjoyed seeing ACW reenactments from time to time, but it seems like maybe you have a more glamorous bit of history to draw from--cavaliers with big floppy hats and breastplates, pikes, swords and matchlocks... Sounds like fun! Plus no Matthew Brady photographs to provide visual documentation of the nasty realities of war :)

[Hjl]

Do you have any more photographs? Reenactment is something that I have always been interested in. I just never seem to have both money and spare time simultaneously.

[Bligh]

I've enjoyed seeing ACW reenactments from time to time, but it seems like maybe you have a more glamorous bit of history to draw from--cavaliers with big floppy hats and breastplates, pikes, swords and matchlocks... Sounds like fun! Plus no Matthew Brady photographs to provide visual documentation of the nasty realities of war :)

We do supply the nasty bits from time to time Fred.
We once hanged the vicar of a local church, from a tree overlooking the road. Swinging him off the wall around the graveyard.
He was up for it, and even suggested we light a fire at the base of his Church Tower to simulate the smoking out of some Royalist Snipers who had historically shot at our troops from this vantage point. We declined his kind offer and used a smoke bomb instead. Fire and Musketeers with bandoleers of Black Powder is really not a good mix.

We have also had our Surgeon perform mock amputations using prosthetic limbs, and blood bags pumped out by the patient concealing a bulb pump under his jacket. Most realistic. Bullet extractions, and on the battlefields, pillaging of body's and even teeth extractions for producing dentures.
I drew the line when the Surgeon suggested a prosthetic for my missing forefinger, which he could then chop off with his amputation chisel and a mallet. I was a bit worried that he might not be able to spot where the real stump ended and the prosthetic began.
For floggings, a sheet of bubble wrap with each bubble injected with artificial blood works well.
A buff leather coat is donned by the victim, then the wrap. Over this an old white shirt. When the lash is laid on a thin line of blood is seen to appear across the shirt. After a Left and Right handed flogger has done his stuff, you get quite a pretty pattern.
Best of all, you cant beat some entrails procured from the local Abattoir to aid in a drawing and quartering.
Now that really grabs the crowds attention.
Bligh.

[Bligh]

Do you have any more photographs? Reenactment is something that I have always been interested in. I just never seem to have both money and spare time simultaneously.

To start you off, have a look in my photo album at the Scurvy Crew section Hugh.
When I get time I will add a few more pics from the 17th and 18th Cent enactments that we do.
Rob.

[Bligh]

Just added a few more pictures from 17th and Medieval Hugh.
Rob.