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Stoke Bruerne's Village at War 2009 Pictures

Renactors look after a puppie behind the Tombola

An estimated six thousand persons visited Stoke Bruerne near Towcester during last weekend on the occasion of the second “Village at War” weekend organised by the Friends of the Canal Museum. Many of these visitors as well as members of the Friends and local villagers were dressed in the appropriate costume of the period 1939-45. Identity Cards were issued and production demanded by members of the Military Police, a detachment of the Pitsford Home Guard took on the responsibility of securing the village against possible fifth column activities, while the newly-formed Parachute Regiment gave demonstrations of firing and maintaining contemporary weapons, such as the Mark IV Lee-Enfield rifle, the PIAT anti-tank weapon and the Sten gun. A popular tea dance was held in the village Reading Room over the two days and local ladies also provided tea and buns at a film show in the Village School. The Museum Café was taken over by Free French refugees and became Café René, complete with the actor John D. Collins reprising his part as Flt Lt Fairfax from the “Allo, allo” series.

The Grand Union Canal through Stoke Bruerne was busy with boats as wartime needs caused the transfer of urgent fuel supplies for the London area from rail and coastal shipping to the canals, and on Saturday the village received a visit from the Rt Hon Winston S. Churchill, the Prime Minister, who delivered a short but encouraging speech from the steps of the Canal Museum.

Sunday morning saw a parade for an Act of Remembrance beside the lock, led by the veterans of Roade British Legion with Music provided by the Grafton District Scouts Band.

The other highlight of the weekend was a display by a Hurricane fighter plane from the Shuttleworth Collection on Sunday afternoon. This attracted an immense and appreciative crowd. By this time the car parking facilities, most expertly manned by the Milton Keynes Venture Scouts, were almost full to capacity.

The Chairman of the Friends of the Canal Museum, David Blagrove, expressed his satisfaction at the outcome of many months of planning and hard work by a team of volunteers who made the weekend happen, and his thanks to them and the (literally) hundreds of re-enactors who took the trouble to come in appropriate costume.

Thompson (David Blagrove) looks on at the dancers with Miss Lola Lamour

An American renactor towers above his allies

The event crossed the road for the first time, a farming scene

GUC tin helmet

The Bulldog spirit - tea's up

Change of outfit for Miss Lola Lamour on Sunday

A familiar character on the towpath

Hawker Sea Hurricane pilot looks down on proceedings during Shuttleworth Collection flypast

David Blagrove surveys all from the bridge

US Airborne renactor watching Miss Lola Lamour

More pictures of the first day can be seen here

And the Hurricane Fly Past pictures here

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