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Old 17-06-17, 04:43 AM
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Brian Conyngham Brian Conyngham is offline
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Location: Durban South Africa
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Mike

There is a rather active group of re-enactment chaps in the Free State, whom I suspect might have have had these repros knocked up. I once saw pictures of these guys dressed up with their guns, if I recall at the anniversary of one of the battle in the Free State. I will do some surfing.

Brian

Here we go:

THE MODERN DAY RE-ENACTMENT GROUP

The modern day O.V.S.A.C. is a non-political, South African based group with members from Pretoria, Johannesburg and Bloemfontein. As a group we strive to research and re-enact the history of the artillery corps of the Free State. The idea started when one of our founding members was fortunate enough to obtain an 87mm Turkish Krupp, which only differs in calibre from the 75mm version used by the original corps. It has since been restored to its former glory and aptly renamed after President MT Steyns famous wife, 'Tant Tibbie'.

To date the corps consists of a Luitenant (Lieutenant), one Sergeant, one Onderofficier (Corporal) and 7-8 Artilleristen (Gunners) as well as a doctor and two nurses from the "German Red Cross". We have also recently obtained an authentic carriage of a Boer War 15-pr Armstrong gun limber, which will be restored for use with our Krupp, while a heliograph and signals team is planned for the near future. The present day corps was formed with the following objectives in mind:
To keep Anglo-Boer War history alive by telling it in a living format. This will stimulate interest in the period and encourage more people to become involved in the research and re-enactment of this fascinating era.
To battle the common assumption that the Boer forces of a hundred years ago were all untrained backvelders with no military traditions.
To trace, list and study the remaining Boer guns that survived all over the "British Empire" and to ensure that they are preserved and receive the proper attention and respect.
Extensive research has been done on the uniforms, weapons, ranks and uses of this "Little Prussia in the Veldt". Our re-enactors are dressed in Prussian style field uniforms and our officer and senior NCO in the "interim" khaki Ä as worn by the original crews. For comparison, some members dress up in Boer civvies and even British uniform for some events. Prussian blue parade tunics complete with imported German litzen were recently manufactured, while pickelhaube helmets are a future objective.

A typical re-enactment weekend does not only consist of firing the gun, but also of camping out historically. We sing contemporary war songs, sleep in bell tents and blockhouses and eat braaivleis, stormjaers, biltong and captured British bully beef and knock-me-down-stew. The finer details of live in the veldt can only be appreciated fully when one use and cook with contemporary items and ingredients! Since 2000 the O.V.S.A.C. appeared in both local and international publications and television programs, while our study pieces have been included in no less than three international publications.

Last edited by Brian Conyngham; 17-06-17 at 04:51 AM.
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