Gunboards Forums banner

WWI Reenactment Groups in the U.S.

36K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  John Sukey In Memoriam 
#1 · (Edited)
For all of you who like the EYE CANDY posts JPS has been showing off lately on the forum and have always thought to themselves, well I like to wear those uniforms, equipment and use those weapons well you are in LUCK, there is a way to do this ... REENACT WWI .... I DO and LOVE IT.

There are two main WWI reenactments groups based in the U.S.A. with one on the East Coast and one on the West Coast The one on the East Coast is the called the GWA (Great War Association) which is based in PA, the West Coast is called the GWHS (Great War Historical Society) which is based in Southern CA.
Both of these groups strive to keep alive the history of the Great War and honor those who fought it’s battles, through battle reenactments and educational events. Both of these groups have battle reenactments that take place within systems of opposing trenches complete with a crater-pocked No-Man's Land. There are belts of barbed wire, used to protect the sandbagged front line trenches, and the opposing positions are punctuated by bunkers with functioning machine-guns. Behind the main lines are supporting and communication trenches, connected to underground dugouts, where officers plan operations and the common soldiers eat and rest.
The basic theme for these reenactments is the Western Front during the period of late 1917 and 1918 as many of the members are in units that belong to the AEF (American Expeditionary Forces) but there are also units that represent other nations such as Great Britian, Canadian, Australian, French, Russian Legion, Italian, German and Austro-Hungarian.
The major reenactments take place usually in the Spring and Fall and usually each group have two main events a year. The GWA ones take place in April (third weekend) and November (first weekend); GWHS ones take place in March (fourth weekend) and November (first weekend).
There are also some smaller reenactments which can range from early war to the various different fronts and living history events that the groups also participate in through out the year.
So if you are interested in participating in this time period and we are getting closer and closer to the 100th Anniversarry of The Great War please visit these groups websites for more information
GWA ... http://www.great-war-assoc.org/
GWHS ... http://greatwarhistoricalsociety.com/

You can also contact myself via PM or email as I am member and have reenacted with both of these reenactment groups and will be willing to help you find the group and units within those groups which suit your needs.
Patrick
 
See less See more
#2 · (Edited)
There are now two other WWI reenactment groups in the process of getting things together, one is located in the Pacific North-West called the Pacific North-West Great War ... https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/208816799156406/ and the other is in Texas called the TrenchClub ... http://www.trenchclub.org/ , https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/TrenchClub/129567287123606
Both of these groups are in the process of forming units, events, etc. in thier respective areas of the country.

Also both the GWA and GWHS have Facebook groups as well, these are closed groups but just ask to join them.

GWHS ... https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/215732598446039/

GWA ... https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/110080989009041/
as per GWA ... NOTE: OK FOLKS LISTEN UP! If you wish to join this group: IF YOU DON'T follow the directions, EXACTLY, you will NOT get added, we will simply hit
"ignore request" and you won't be on this group. If you can't follow SIMPLE instructions, do you think we'd want you around us with a GUN,
doing potentially dangerous stuff?

What this Facebook Group is about and some Rules:

This area is for members of the Great War Association and guests of the GWHS or MWGWLHA and is a place for those who are interested in
RECREATING the time period on the Western Front (1918) at Newville, Pa. This FB Group is for members of the AEF/BEF/CP/FRN units of the Great
War Association to discuss WWI on the Western Front (1918), at Newville,
Pa and GWA business.
Rules:
1.- NO POLITICS (Only during the GWA elections).
2.- NO RELIGION
3.- NO posts from other time periods (i.e. - CW, WWII, etc)
4.- NO SPAM or "Please sir, to buy the sneakers (uniforms, t-shirts, gear, naked photos) I sell" (If you post it, you're most likely GONE!).
This does not mean regular vendors.
5.- NO PERSONAL ATTACKS PERIOD!!! If you do this, look to be OUT OF HERE!) Understand that in Great War, unlike CW, WWII and other time
periods, we are all friends. We might kid one another, but we're friends.

So, to Join:

First, read this note and then, after you agree to our simple rules,
send an email to: gwa6323@gmail.com and TELL US WHO YOU ARE. What WWI group you are a member of and why you want to be on our group (which is
really about the GWA, WWI reenacting and our stuff--not battlefield protection, graveyards, etc.). We DO welcome our friends, but please realize this group is for OUR organization and not the political needs of others, nor a bully-pulpit for your thoughts on the hobby or what have you. We will be automating this a bit more in the future and will be wanting EVERY member here to fill-out a form. Not to exclude you, but to get a handle on it. Our goal is to keep out spammers and trolls. And really, this is for reenactors, not those who just wish to troll or wax poetic about the war.

IF you wish to join this group, here is what you will do: we need to know who you are, what organization you belong to, and what unit you are
a member of. If you’re NOT a GWA member and member of a unit in the GWA, TELL US THIS. We're not here to exclude you, but your purpose needs to
be WWI reenacting, NOT trolling or selling shoes or something like that.
IF you are not a member of the Great War Association, Great War Historical Society, Midwest Great War Living History Association or another organization. If you're NOT in a WWI unit of any of these organizations, be prepared to explain who you are and why you wish to join this group and you'll be approved to join.

Patrick
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top