The Diggers Living History Group: Wartime Christmas Festival 2012

The Diggers Living History Group were invited to help man the Bovington Tank Museum's indoors recruiting office, train platform in France and the trench system as part of their Wartime Christmas Festival 2012 held over the weekend of the 1st and 2nd December. This was carried out along with members of the Gordons and Essex groups. The display is very dimly lit so photography was difficult but here are some photos of the weekend. The groups first, formal annual general meeting was held on the Friday evening.

Blue and Digger wait for some room to become available during a rest period behind the lines

Lofty, Joey and Vic, too near to company HQ

Lofty, Joey and Snowy


Blue contemplating the current enlistment drive

Digger on the station platform in France

Vic, Lofty and Snowy lingering near HQ again

Joey

Snowy pretending to be a mannequin.

Digger

About Us

We are a group portraying aspects of the Australian Army during World War I and II. We have portrayed Australian Soldiers (Diggers) in the Western Desert (1940-1943), Australian Defence Volunteers and during the Kokoda campaign. In 2012 we are also portraying 24th Battalion AIF.

The 24th Battalion was formed in May 1915 at Broadmeadows Camp in Victoria. It sailed shortly afterwards from Melbourne for further training in Egypt then went on to Gallipoli. From there it went via Egypt to France, taking part in its first major offensive around Pozières and Mouquet Farm in July and August 1916. In May 1917 the battalion participated in the second battle of Bullecourt. It was involved for only a single day, the 3rd May, but suffered almost 80 per cent casualties. It helped turn back the April 1918 German offensive and participated in the battles of Hamel amd Amiens. At Mont St Quentin the 24th played a major role by recapturing the main German strong point atop the summit on 1 September. The battalion’s last battles were at Beaurevoir on 3 October and Montbrehain on 5 October. It left the front on the 6th October 1918 and was disbanded in 1919. Later it reformed as part of the CMF and in 1939 the 24th Battalion was merged with the 39th Battalion, which saw service on the Kokoda track.

Sources: 24th Battalion http://www.awm.gov.au and 24th Battalion (Australia) Wikipedia

Formed in 2009. We are members of AFRA.

Regards John, Barry, Colin, Rod, Rob, James, Andy and friends.

Wartime Christmas Festival 2012 - Bovington Tank Museum

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