If the post below has piqued you interest and you would like to find out what its like to take part in our private battle the NWW2A has just announced...

The Northern World War II Association are holding a private battle event at Sutton Grange, Kirkby Road Ripon, North Yorkshire on the weekend of September 14th & 15th. 2013. We are inviting any non members who are interested to join us.

Sutton Grange is a large expanse of land used by the MOD for troop training. It is approximately 1 square mile in size and consists of mainly woodland with paths and clearings but includes a large open vehicle training area and two old derelict tanks. There are basic toilet facilities, but reenactors need to bring their own drinking water. The area has space for period & modern camping and there is a hard standing area for car parking, which is large enough to accommodate caravans and motor homes. We have arranged for a section 5 dealer to attend on Saturday and Sunday. Further details will be
added as they become available.

Non members attending this event are considered guests of the Northern World War 2 Association and covered by the NWW2A rules, so sorry but no SS uniforms or camo at this event.

Additionally there is no alcohol allowed on site over the weekend.

If you would like to join us for this private battle we are offering non NWW2A members a special discounted price of £20 per head for the two days if you pre book with a £10 non-refundable deposit. This is the same price Association members pay. If you would like to join us but do not wish to pre book feel free to arrive on the day when fees will be £25.00 per person for the two days.

To book your place please contact the Northern World War Two Associations Health & Safety Officer Robin Carr by email [email protected]

On May 14th and 15th the Northern World War 2 Association, or NWW2A, held their “Private Battle Weekend”. Established in 2005 with the aim of recreating, and reenacting the Second World War period as authentically as possible, association members spend most of their reenacting time  providing Allied and Axis living history displays and large scale battle reenactments at events across Northern of England. The Private Battle is a chance for the reenactors to don their 1940′s persona’s and spend one or two days war-gaming on a large expanse land, somewhere in Yorkshire, away from the gaze of the public. I spent one day with the Elite Panzergrenadier Division Großdeutschland of the NWW2A to see what life was like as a member of their Kriegsberichter Zug (war correspondent platoon).  I chose to shoot on my modern digital Nikon D700 DSLR camera rather than my old Kiev film rangefinder. I wanted the best quality pictures. I have chosen to reproduce the photographs in black and white in an attempt to put back some of the atmosphere lost by not using film.

Unteroffizier “Wolfgang Spengler” in command of the Eight  man squad plus one “Kreigsberichter” of the Panzergrenadier Regiment Großdeutschland somewhere in North Yorkshire

Point man “Stefan Kollers”

Above: From a gulley on the tree line  Feldwebel “Otto Henning”  looks for any unexpected movement as two of the squad move forward across open ground to the wreck of an old tank. Below: Having safely made it to cover Gefreiter “Hans Altmann” looks back as his comrade checks for enemy movement to the front, before calling up the rest of the men.

The remainder of the squad wait anxiously for the signal to make their way across the open ground and into cover.

Having made it into woodland without being ambushed the men of Panzergrenadier Regiment Großdeutschland take a breather. Above Right: Using an Esbit stove and German mess kit Gefreiter “Johann Rechenmacher” and other members of the patrol share a coffee while others (Above Left and Below) rest or chat quietly so as not to give their position away.

Below: The Großdeutschland squad anxiously wait for the return of point man “Stephan Kollers” who has been sent ahead to investigate gunfire.

Unteroffizier “Wolfgang Spengler” orders  his men into position as they advance on an “enemy position” that is already involved in a fire-fight with other elements of  Panzergrenadier Regiment Großdeutschland, 21st Panzer Division and 1st Fallschirmjäger.

One  Panzergrenadier attempts to work his way towards the strongpoint and find an effective firing position. Below: Feldwebel Otto Henning has already spotted one target.

While attempting to get around and flank the allied strong point, with Grenadiers “Stefan Kollers” and “Hans Muller”, our battle was cut short by fusillade of well placed rounds from element’s of Fox Commando Royal Navy and US 101 Airborne  (below).

Above; The long walk back to the camp at the end of day one. Left to right:  Fallschirmjäger from the NWW2A, Grenadier “Hans Muller”,  Grenadier “Stefan Kollers” and Unteroffizier “Wolfgang Spengler”

NWW2A consists of a number of different groups or“units” ranging from the US and British Airborne troops, French Resistance, British and Soviet infantry, German 21st Panzer Division, Luftwaffe Infantry and Fallschirmjäger and the Panzergrenadier Regiment Großdeutschland. Moving away from  front-lines units there’s the German Field Police, Deutches Rotes Kreuz ,and 40′s Civilians & Home Front Auxiliaries.