PART
2/4
Beginner’s guide to
Living History
In the second part of this series Edward Hallett looks at the thorny
question of weapons and then tackles the subject of Axis re-enacting
N
ot all Living Historians feel
the need to add weapons
to their impressions. Many
are happy with walking
out or non-combatant impressions
that do not require a weapon to be
carried. Equally, however, many wish
to represent combat troops and if you
want to be involved in any sort of
mock battle then chances are that you
will need to acquire a weapon of some
sort. There are a number of different
options for the re-enactor, but all have
some legal ramifications and pros and
cons so careful thought is needed. The
following is meant as a broad set of
information rather than legal advice.
78 December 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk
Replicas
There are many replica weapons
available at a range of prices with
varying levels of detail. A replica
firearm is one that has never been a
real weapon and, as such, although it
looks the part it is not, nor has ever
been, categorised as a firearm. Purchase
of replica firearms in the UK is subject
to the Replica and Imitation Firearms act
that says they can only be supplied in
bright primary colours to the public
unless you can prove you have a
legitimate reason for having one in
realistic colours. If you are a member of
a Living History group you do have a
defence under the act and can purchase
them in realistic colours, although you
will need to provide evidence to the
seller that this is the case in the form of
a membership card or letter etc.
There are a number of different
types of replica firearms. The cheapest
are simple resin or rubber casts of real
firearms. These are a solid mass and do
not feature working parts, but can look
very realistic and, if for instance, you
are just after a pistol to sit in a holster
that will not be taken out, then these
are a very affordable option. Shoot and
Scoot Militaria offers a wide variety
of these cast rubber weapons, prices
starting from £40 for a Luger up to £650
for an MG08/15 Machine Gun.

Left: German re-
enactment is hugely
popular and shows such as
War and Peace see Living
Historians from across
Europe come together to
recreate the Axis forces of
World War II
A slightly more expensive option
are metal and wood replica firearms,
predominantly produced by a company
called Denix. These have wooden
furniture and metal receivers, barrels etc.
They are approximately the right weight
as the real thing and often have moving
parts like a genuine firearm. The quality
is somewhat variable on these replicas,
with the woodwork especially needing
a little work to tone it down and make
it look more realistic. They do however
offer a far more cost effective option for
some of the more expensive American
and German weapons such as the M1
Garand or the MP44. A replica Mauser
Right: Scoot and Shoot offers this moulded
rubber Luger pistol for £40. It is moulded
from a real pistol so it is
accurate down to the markings
on the slide
Below: Even larger weapons
such as this 08/15 machine gun are
offered in hard rubber. At £650 it is not
cheap, but that’s still three or four times
less than a deactivated example
RE-ENACTMENT FEATURE
Above: Tents and
period vehicles
help make an
authentic display
Left: Surprisingly,
there is a large
demand for
German re-
enactors across
Europe. These are
taking part in an
event in Poland
and show the high
standard on the
continent
K98 will cost £150 whilst an MP44 will
set you back £170.
Finally, there are replica weapons
designed to fire blanks. These are
usually more expensive, but are
specifically designed to fire realistically
in the field during a battle. They are
still classed as replicas as they were
never firearms to start with, however
to comply with UK law they usually
do not have a full barrel, but vent the
gas upwards to make the bang when
fired, and they use a cartridge like 8mm
blank so there is no danger of someone
trying to use live ammunition in them.
They are often used for weapons that
are not otherwise available in the UK
in a form that can fire blanks, such as
machine guns or automatic pistols. A
blank firing MP40 sub machine gun by
GSG will cost you £500.
Left: Denix replicas
are made of metal
and wood and offer
an affordable option.
This K98 features
moving bolt and
trigger
Right: Original
MP44 assault
rifles are very
expensive,
this Denix
replica
offers a far
more affordable
option and
looks virtually
indistinguishable
from an original
once it’s been
used for a few
months
Deactivated weapons
These are a popular choice amongst
re-enactors. They are legal to buy
by anyone over 18 and are the real
thing so appear entirely authentic.
Everything, including machine guns
and rocket launchers, can be found and
they do not require specialist storage
like gun cabinets. Deactivated weapons
are easily available from a number of
specialist dealers by mail order (World
Wide Arms and D&B Militaria are the
two largest companies in the UK) and
although recent legislation has reduced
their functionality greatly, most still
have moving parts and features. A
deactivated P38 pistol is for sale from
D&B for £525 whilst a deactivated
MG42/53 (the post war Yugoslavian
clone of the MG42) is available from
World Wide Arms at £895.
Live firearms
Finally, you can apply for a firearms
license and purchase a live firing rifle
for use in Living History. You will need
to purchase a firearms cabinet and
follow the guidance from your local
police force. Live weapons can fire
blank rounds and are the most realistic
option for Living History, however they
are subject to more legal restrictions ❯
www.armourer.co.uk // December 2019 79
Beginner’s guide to Living History

GSG makes a superb

blank-firing MP40 sub
machine gun. It is ideal
for use in battles and a
purpose-made blank
firer is usually the only
legal way to have a firing
machine gun in the UK
Right: Deactivated weapons are a
popular choice, this MP42/53 is a
cheaper alternative to the MP42 and
apart from receiver markings, looks
identical to wartime production

1 2 3

As well as the Western Front, German re-enactors often

recreate the cold and horror of the Eastern Front, with thick
winter clothing, gloves and hats

1: Epic Militaria’s early war uniform

and only bolt action rifles can be
owned in this format. The use of these
weapons for re-enactment is accepted
by many forces, but the license might
only allow you to own and use blank
ammunition with it if that is your
primary purpose for applying for a
license. The ease with which you can
get a firearm license for Living History
varies across the country as different
forces have different interpretations of
the law. Being a member of a Living
History group with the relevant public
liability insurance should help with
meeting the requirements for a license,
but chat with your local gun shop or
consult with your local police force for
further advice.
Axis re-enactment
There are many reasons why re-enactors
chose to portray German and Italian
forces, a major one being that groups
can take part in both Western and
Eastern Front re-enactments. Others
are drawn to the idea of rehabilitating
the ordinary German soldier in the
eyes of the public or by the chance to
portray the losing side. Finally, it must
be admitted, that a small number are
drawn to portraying the Axis because
of either the air of notoriety or the
coolness of the German war machine
package is a great way to start off in
German re-enactment. Just add badges
and boots to finish off a basic impression
2: Epic Militaria also offers a later war
package that works for post-1943
impressions. The uniform reflects the
simplifications the Germans introduced as
a response to the war
3: The German military used a wide
variety of camouflage uniforms in the
late-war period and this reproduction of a
sumpftarn smock is offered by Soldier of
Fortune for £70
and its uniforms. A word of caution
must be made that whilst most German
Living Historians choose to portray the
Axis from pure, historical motives, the
choice to re-enact the Nazi regime is
still controversial to many in the UK
and the German re-enactor may find
him or herself having to justify their
hobby to outsiders in a way that those
portraying the British or US armies do
not. This extends further if the unit
you choose to portray is one that has
negative historical connotations. The
Waffen-SS is an organisation that invites
more questions than the Wehrmacht
or Luftwaffe and choosing to create
an Allgemeine-SS impression is more
controversial still. Also, be aware that
many Living History events do have an
explicit ban on SS impressions.
Most original German wartime
uniform and equipment is now quite
rare and highly collectable so it is
unlikely that you will choose to wear
an original German uniform. Luckily
there are many excellent reproductions
that allow an authentic impression to
be put together without resorting to
modifying old Swedish uniforms, which
was a commonplace practice 30 years
ago. Like the British and US impressions
last month, several different retailers
offer complete packages of German
uniform and accoutrements that allow
an impression to be put together very
easily. If you have the budget these offer
a very simple way of starting in the
hobby. Equally, if funds are tighter, then
pieces can be bought separately and the
cost spread over a number of months.
One important factor to consider with
German uniforms and equipment is the
period you wish to portray. The uniforms
of 1939 are very iconic and look
completely different to what was being
worn in 1945, so it is worth determining
when you wish to portray. 1944 to 1945
is one of the most popular time frames
to recreate as it works better for battle re-
enactments where British and US Living
History groups focus on post-D-Day,
liberation of Europe impressions and
these will be the opposition in any most
recreated battles.
Epic Militaria offers a number of

80 December 2019 // www.armourer.co.uk


Above: Soldier of Fortune does this basic
combat webbing set package with a pair of
ammunition pouches (here for the MP40),
a belt, bread bag, water bottle and Y-Straps
uniform bundles that are ideal for both
early and late war. It offers an M43
uniform bundle that consists of an
M43 field grey tunic and trousers, shirt,
cap and belt for £167 or an early war
set with an M36 tunic, a pair of M40
trousers, shirt, belt and steel helmet for
£202. These are ideal for starting out
in the hobby and just need boots and
insignia to complete an impression.
A package such as these, however, is
only a starting point and many Living
Historians portraying German units will
wish to create a combat impression.
Here it is usually necessary to determine
the sort of weapon you wish to carry
first, as the pouches and accoutrements
are much more dependent on the
weapon carried than for some other
nations. If you are using a standard
K98 rifle, then a pair of three pocketed
leather ammunition pouches will be
necessary, reproduction examples can
be purchased from Soldier of Fortune
for £40, if you are carrying an MP40
then canvas pouches to hold the
magazines are necessary and these
cost around £30 a pair. To this should
be added belt, bayonet frog, bread
bag, Y-Straps, water bottle, mess tin,
entrenching tool, gas mask case, pack
and zelbahn waterproof groundsheet.
Again, whilst these components are
available separately, package deals are
RE-ENACTMENT FEATURE
Left: There are a growing
number of German
vehicles in the UK that
add greatly to recreated
battles. Few things look
better than a period
vehicle transporting a
correctly kitted out squad
of troops
Right: Reconditioned and
replica steel helmets are
easily available in a variety of
colours and with the correct decals
to match your chosen
impression
Right: A full set of webbing is
also available and this set retails
for £300 and contains all the key
components you will need
available with Soldier of Fortune
offering a cut down assault set of
webbing (pouches, belt, bread bag,
water bottle and Y-Straps) for £130
or a full set of gear for £300.
Other options include camouflage
smocks, short jackets for troops with
armour and leather uniforms. With
this variety available, it is often best to
join a group or decide on a unit you wish
to portray before investing in uniform
and equipment so that you can focus
your purchases to the correct items for
a particular impression. As is so often
the case, reference books are well worth
investing in and Deutsche Soldaten by
Agustin Saiz is a good starting point. You
can also find many period photographs
online that can be studied to see what
soldiers actually carried and wore in
combat. These make a good starting
point and inspiration for an impression.
There are many Living History groups
in the UK representing the German
armed forces of World War II, covering
such diverse units as the Waffen-SS,
Fallschirmjager and the Luftwaffe. A
quick search should find a group in
your area and contact details. Units
include Grenadier Regiment 916, based
in the Midlands, which represents
a late-war grenadier regiment; 21.
Infanterie which specialise in the
Eastern Front and Das Heer which
represent the early war period. SS units
in the UK include 9. SS Hohenstaufen
and Kampfgruppe Stahlkrieger which
portray the elite SS-Liebstandarte
Division. The Fallschirmjager is another
popular choice of subject for British re-
enactment groups and units include the
Green Devils, portraying Fallschirmjager
Regiment 6 and the Axis-Allied Re-
Enactment Group which has a unit
called the Ramcke Brigade, representing
paratroopers in Northern Africa. Most
groups will allow you to attend a few
events to see how you like it and if they
are the group for you before requiring
you to commit to paying membership
fees and joining officially.
Re-Enacting German forces will
always be controversial to some,
however the work of the country’s
German Living History groups
has done much to rehabilitate the
ordinary German soldier in the eyes
of the public. If you wish to portray
a German impression then there has
never been a better time with many
high quality groups and a wide array of
reproduction uniform and equipment
available to allow you to put together a
truly accurate impression. Next month
we turn to the Home Front and look at
the different types of events you may
wish to attend once you have your
impression together. ■
www.armourer.co.uk // December 2019 81