White Horse Military Show 2024
Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 August
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The White Horse Military Show is a themed living museum where the whole family can come and enjoy a pleasant day.
The site is arranged in ‘villages’ so that an atmosphere of that period can be created.
What’s Happening at W.H.M.S 24
Created and built by re-enactors, Film, Television and Theatre people. We re-use old film sets and recycle them to create new sets to then be part of our show. With the help of many friends, it will feel you have just stepped through the screen of the TV into an old war film.
It’s a show put on bya Military & Vintage Enthusiasts for Military & Vintage Enthusiasts. The timeline of the show runs from the Napoleonic era right the way through to Gulf War 1 including groups from times of America frontier and American Civil war.
Our aim is to create a friendly good quality non-commercial non-profit show for Wiltshire. To celebrate the armed forces and help educate the public of the History in a way of learning without learning through being immersed in history. This also gives young people a chance to see what can be achieved with the use of art and crafting and a strong determination to make it happen.
There will be an arena with displays of Vehicles and Troops. There will also be all over site demonstrations going on from Vietnam to Home front WW2 England. The Time Traveling Theatre group will be performing scenes in many areas of the show and you the audience will have to choose which character to follow as they travel through different timelines and areas.
Each area depicts different time periods in history and over 700 re-enactors and living history groups bring this to life, surrounded by some of the set builds made from recycled Film and TV sets throughout the 40 acres.
On the Village Green
The Garrison Arms
A 1940s style pub which will be open serving drinks on Saturday and Sunday. Set out with tables and chairs. There will be period games to play or listen to the music from Club Cabaret next door.
Club Cabaret
This is where all the main music and dance entertainment will be on.
The Stage will be a Western Approaches Navy Plotting room.
Here throughout the weekend, there will be many different acts on to be confirmed but hopefully amongst others Dicky Lines, The Liberty Sisters, May Blossom Vintage Song Bird, Salisbury Big Band, Blitz time Sally. Also, there will be a fashion show!
On Sunday morning a Sunday service of remembrance will be held.
There will also be dance classes here if anyone would like to learn a dance.
In the Town Square
Gaslight Barbers
Another new addition this year to the home front will be a wonderful vintage Barbour. You will be able get yourself in perfect form so you will be looking swell!
Sweet Shop
In the home front, The Vintage sweet shop "Sweets In Time" will be open throughout the weekend too.
The Rialto
Building on the success of the Cinema last year we are expanding on this. There will be a small classic Cinema building with a foyer, seating 30 people. You will be able to see some great films and news reels throughout the weekend. Shown on some real ‘reel-to-reel’ projectors.
It's free entry but we may give tickets out as souvenirs. There will be popcorn and munchies for sale as part of the experience.
Bath Abbey Tower
Yes, as part of our recycled sets, we have a 1-to-1 replica of the top of Bath Abbey which we will be using as a Royal Observer corps post and fire watch along with other roles that used to be stationed on top of buildings during WW2.
1940s Farm
We are continuing our development of the Women at war area which is dedicated to what the good Ladies did during times, of war and conflict. This year there will be a 1940s farm run by 27 ladies of the Women’s Land Army with the help of the next-door POW camp. Here there is also a farm kitchen with the land girls preparing food.
1940s Houses
Visit some of the re-enactors in their 1940s houses as some prepare for a wedding reception and others deal with being bombed out of their own house.
Cold War Sector
Berlin wall and cold war
New for this year is the start of a new section of the show which we are developing. Cold war Europe. We are going to create a section of the Berlin wall and see what we can do for this year.
Here there will also be a 1980s living room set made with a fallout shelter built inside using information given by the Protect and Survive public information bulletins.
1980s NAAFI Shop
We are starting to create a 1980s NAAFI shop in the cold war section, where if you run out of anything it should be there.
Die Seawolf
Our U boat conning tower in dock from our reclaimed film sets.
Here you will be able to see the German Kriegsmarine as they prepare to go back out to sea.
HMS Equus
We also have the Destroyer Fly bridge where you will see crew patrolling the Western Approaches.
Arena
Different battles and line ups will be presented in the Arena during the weekend.
And Much More…
With many displays from the different groups that attend this show and the little or big surprises we have for you this is an incredible day out.
A trader’s area with many Military and Vintage stalls. There is so much to do all day long.
This is a non-profit event. It is privately funded so the entrance price is very low.
£10 for an adult. Under 18s free if accompanied by an adult (tickets will automatically discount to £0. Max 10 per adult.)
A message from the Organiser...
There are a few things we would like you to know before you enter this wonderful world.
The military re-enactment is not just a place full of individuals representing a piece of history, but a community of people who travel around together and work with each other. There is a very strong sense of friendship and togetherness here.
In history there are winners and losers, and history is often told by the winners. Conflicts are decided by leaders and paid for by families. In our show you will see representation of all sides of conflict. It is true to real life. Yes, you will see German groups from WW2 here. They were there in World War II as well.
These people are not Nazi supporters but playing the part of this side of History. It is extremely important not to get confused between History and ideology, they are two very different things.
Please come to this event with the mindset that it is an open-air museum brought to life. We do not want to brush over the bad stuff and concentrate on the fun stuff.
It is very important to remember and to remind people about History because once it is forgotten it often repeats itself. Enjoy your time with us and thank you for taking the time to come and see us.
You enter this show understanding that there will be German and British WW2 representations. Please do not come if German or British WW2 offends you. There will also be at times during the day gun fire and loud noises, you must be happy with loud noises.
This Event is in a large field and some parts may become ​uneven. ​Please be aware of this when visiting.
Life is not a rehearsal.
