The Diggers Living History Group

The Victory Show - Cosby 2014

The Victory Show, now in its 9th year run for 3 days from Friday 5th– Sunday 7th September 2014. This was The Diggers Living History Groups fourth attendance and it was a great weekend. This year we were presenting Australian Diggers in the the late war period in the Far East. Here is a selection of photos from the event.

Snowy, Digger and Blue

Blue on patrol

Blue

Digger

Snowy

Snowy, Blue and Digger

Rufford Park Great War Centenary Weekend

Digger, Blue and Snowy represented the Diggers Living History Group at the Rufford Abbey Country Park Great War Centenary Weekend 28-29th June 2014. Digger and Snowy wore 4th Battalion AIF shoulder patches and Blue wore Australian Light Horse webbing.

It was an excellent event and well organised by Howard Giles of Eventplan. We met old and new fiends and were very happy to participate. Blue read the lesson in the Sunday morning church parade. Above are a couple of the pictures from the weekend, with more to follow. Karen did a great job with the photography.

Sheffield Fire and Emergency Museum 40's weekend June 21/22

Here are a few photos from the Sheffield Fire and Emergency Museum 40's weekend June 21/22

Churnett Valley - 26/27 April 2014

First event for the year for the group saw Ned and Blue riding the rails at Churnett Valley

Remembrance Day London 11/11/2013

Members of the Diggers LHG went to London on Remembrance Day 11/11/2013. These photos were taken by our good mate Mo Stokes and also Ned. The first picture shows the lads with Corporal Daniel Keighran VC after the ceremony. Lest We Forget.

Pickering 12 October 2013

The Diggers Living History Group attended Pickering 2013 and enjoyed a day's leave in this picturesque Engish village.

The Victory Show 2013

Blue on guard duty and looking very smart in steel helmet, 37 pattern webbing, KD with Bombay Bloomers with SMLE.

Blue multitasking - shaving and smoking at the same time.

Digger keeping to regulations

The Diggers were at The Victory Show again - 6-9th September 2013. This year as the 2/30th Battalion in the early war period in Malaya and Singapore. The 2/30th were the last battalion to be raised for the AIF and were short lived being posted to Malaya where they fought the Japanese, withdrawing to Singapore and spending the rest of the war in captivity in Changi. The 2/30th website is located here: http://www.230battalion.org.au/index.htm

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.