It is the responsibility of the group leaders to ensure that the following
information is distributed among their membership. It is expected that all groups
and individuals who have been invited will conform with the following
guidelines.

By signing the application form groups confirm they have read and accepted these guidelines
............................................................................................................

Participating groups and individuals of British contingent will be found and invited exclusively by the coordinator of the British contingent, Mr Nick Pennock.

Groups and individuals can arrive and set up camp as of Wednesday 29th July. As of Saturday 1st August at 10 o’clock, vehicles must be out of the camp. Camp can be broken on Sunday 2nd August at 6 o’clock at the earliest. Before that, breaking camp, which is to say driving vehicles into the camp, is not allowed.

Groups and individuals wishing to go to the ‘Time travel to the 18th century’ in Fulda have the option of staying in Minden until Thursday 4th August and then travelling on to Fulda. Please give the organisers advance warning if you plan to do this!

The British camp will be outside Fort C according to the British regulations. During the day, the groups are instructed to stow all modern equipment which is not 18th Century style in their tents or, even better, to leave it at home! during the display, there will, naturally, be visitors and public in the camps

During the day you are requested to refrain from smoking cigarettes/cigars and drinking out of modern vessels as well as open use of mobile phones. Please do these things where the public can’t see you. The organisers will be checking for compliance!

In the British camp, the officer and NCOs are responsible for a permanent watch, including through the night. A duty and watch roster for the British contingent will be compiled. Every group, is requested to join in with watch duty.

The participants will definitely be given the opportunity to take advantage of the many things on the programme for the jubilee in Minden.

In addition to the infantry camp there will also be a cavalry camp. Specific details will be given out to cavalry units attending.

Travel Cost Allowance

As in 2007 and 2008, there will be a travel cost allowance in the region of 50 Euros per participant. The organisers hope to be able to give out more than this.

Straw and firewood

A reasonable quantity will be provided. Stockpiling and hoarding is not necessary – please think of other groups! Should wood and straw be short, they will be replenished. For both straw and wood: please only take as much as you need. A fresh supply can always be ordered. A sufficient quantity of rolls of straw will be delivered and stored somewhere accessible, where you can help yourselves.

Black powder

The necessary black powder will be provided by the organisers. Empty paper cartridges must be provided by the individual groups. You should allow for 80 per man.

Catering

Staple foods such as bread, meat and various vegetables will be provided free of charge from Thursday July 30th to Sunday August 2nd. Anything additional is for the groups to provide at their own expense. A variety of supermarkets can be found fairly near to the camp-area.

In the British camp there will be a single fire and cooking area. Individual fires and cooking areas are not allowed, we ask you to use this one and to share it with other groups. Communal cooking will be possible – discussion regarding this should take place between groups

From 5 o’clock, in the evening the cellar of the fort will become the tavern “King of Prussia”. All participants are heartily welcomed, the public will not be allowed in. For officers and NCOs, there will be a reserved table.

Drinks

Drinks, with the exception of those which can be bought in the tavern, will not be laid on by the organisers. Attendees are required to provide their own.

Alcohol consumption

No alcohol is to be consumed during the display. Alcohol can only be consumed after 5 o’clock.

Parties must not consume alcohol before the battle display. Contravention will result in removal from the event and the battle. Within their units, officers and NCOs must ensure strict compliance.

Sanitary arrangements and infrastructure

Toilets

There will be portaloos for the participants near the camps. The toilet pavilion next to Fort C will also be open – it has one male and one female toilet as well as somewhere else to get drinking water.

Showers

Use of the showers in the nearby german military barracks is provided for. A shuttle service will be laid on in the mornings. Each group will be required to provide a name list of people wishing to use the showers. The list must be given to the organisers. Use of the showers is free.

Cleanliness

We are all guests in Fort C and the neighbouring camping areas. The 2nd Company of the Minden Citizens’ Battalion have spent a lot of time and effort keeping the fort tidy over the years. That we have been allowed to use this lovely place is not a matter of course, and is an act of friendship.

Also be aware that the fort and meadow must be clean during and after the event. Rubbish must go in the provided bins. Plentiful rubbish bags will be provided by the organisers. The camp site is to be kept free of debris during the display! If you fill your tents with straw, first make a plan about how it will be arranged. That will make it easier when the straw is being tidied up and collected. Use the straw only inside the tents and ensure, also with a view to fire risk and that the tent flaps cover it from outside.

Security

Each participant is responsible for their own security. The hosts and organisers cannot be held liable in case of theft or injury. As a precaution against fire, a bucket of water should be kept next to all fire and cooking posts. Open flames are forbidden in tents. Candles should only be used in closed lanterns and lamps.

Smoking in tents is banned on the grounds of fire safety. There are enough places to sneak off to in the fort for people to be able to smoke unnoticed and in peace. Please make the most of that, in your own interests. The hosts will ensure that, day and night, a team of the German Red Cross and the fire service will be nearby in order that, if necessary, they can be called if first aid is needed.

Publicity/ PR

Fort C and the adjacent campsite of the British and French are part of the official calendar of events for the occasion of the 250-year festivities and as such will naturally be visited by sightseers. Ensure that our visitors are treated politely and courteously. In the past it has been shown that small presentations, created by the
individual groups, have been received with much interest. This does not need to be anything elaborate, just the cleaning of weapons or the servicing of equipment can be interesting to watch.

The rank and file

Long, loose hair should be plaited.

(Modern) glasses should, if at all possible, be avoided. Facial piercings with the exception of earrings should be taken out. Beards and whiskers should, in all ranks be shaved.

Wearing a stock/ neck cloth is essential as is wearing a head covering even off-duty.

NCOs

The British NCOs should be dressed as per the regulations. This includes identifiable badges of rank, eg halberds, sashes and lacing on uniforms.

Officers

The British officers should be dressed as per the regulations. This includes identifiable badges of rank, particularly spontoons, sashes and gorgets. Officers can wear gaiters or boots.

Women in uniform (in the line)

Are allowed when they are not identifiable as such (there are plenty of positive examples of this). They must be dressed in the same manner as the rest of the British infantry. ‘Feminised’ uniform creations such as long skirts with uniform jackets, loose hair, pistols in belts etc are not acceptable.

Dont’s

Hats and head-coverings after 1786, e.g. 2-pointed hats from the time of the French revolution and shakos and bear-skin hats from the Napoleonic epoch are not acceptable.

Other uniforms and units

Our goal is only to have re-enactment groups representing forces who were at the battle in Minden, representing the concerned parties in their specific uniforms.

Children under 15 years

Children must not be on the battlefield! Children should be clothed as such and not appear in uniform or similar adult clothing.

Re-enactment groups with members or ‘drummer boys’ under the age of fifteen in their ranks have to make alternative arrangements. Non-compliance on the part of any group means that in the case of an accident, the organisers and host cannot be held liable.

Fort C and its immediate surroundings make an ideal adventure playground for children. There is also a pony stable nearby. Parents mustn’t think that children will want for a variety of things to do.

Sutlers

Sutlers and children are welcome to join the groups in marches to and from the combat area, for instance in order to supply them with drinks. They are not permitted on the battlefield.

Civilians

Men, women and children who accompany the re-enactment groups as civilians, and share camps with them, must be dressed in the European wardrobe of the time. Clothes from later epochs such as long trousers, short waistcoats, top hats as head covering, empire-line clothing etc. are not appropriate. Clothing which clearly comes from North American/ overseas is incongruous not appropriate.

The British Army

The coordinator of the British contingent is Mr Nick Pennock of the re-enactment group ‘Pultney’s 13th of Foote’. He is the contact person for all British re-enactment groups.

His address: nicklacewars [at] aol [dot] com

It is planned that the different contingents of British infantry will, depending on the number of participants form several ‘battalions’.

Colours

Re-enactment groups who want to fly their own colours at the event and during the battle are requested to note it on the application form.

Field Music

A section of drummers and fifers will be formed by combining the musicians of the individual re-enactment groups to take its place regulation-wise in marches and the battle. The field music is the responsibility of this corps, The military timetable according to the regulations i.e. waking in the morning, changing of the colours and beating the tattoo etc is the responsibility of the officers and NCO’s.

Other corps

Cavalry

Cavalry will be used on both sides. On the allied side cavalry likely to be the ‘Schwarzen Carabiniers von Schaumburg-Lippe’,plus the mounted Hessen Jaegers. The allied cavalry, will form a skirmish line at the start of the battle and charge the French at the end of the Battle. The British dragoons will be camped as part of the Allied army but for the battle they will portray French Gendarmes.

Artillery

The infantry battalions of the British and Germans will be flanked by battalion ordnance and accompanied in the battle.

Field Hospital in Fort C

On the ground floor of the Fort, a hospital will be erected and run by British, French and German field surgeons as authentically as possible. The goal here is to demonstrate the consequences of battle before the public’s very eyes. Pre-chosen re-enactors will be made-up to appear wounded and injured. If possible, there will also be faux-amputations.

The number of officers and NCOs per group is to be kept to a functional minimum. An excess of kings, dukes and functionless officers do not belong in the realm of living-history not to mention their character roles being irrelevant. The creation of a functional allied command staff along with corresponding structures (commentators etc.) will be our goal.

On Saturday and Sunday morning there will be a briefing for officers and NCOs in the headquarters in Fort C.

Our re-enactment of the Battle of Minden should be unlike all others which we have previously experienced in the realm of the Seven-Years War and its commemorative events.

Our goal must be to achieve the most realistic as possible re-creation of the Battle of Minden – to give the audience, before their very eyes, a ‘So that was what it was like’ experience.

This is not going to be an easy exercise, which makes it even more important that all orders and instructions of the commanding NCOs and officers are heeded. There will be no spontaneous scenarios or ad-hoc action!

The behaviour of everyone involved in the battle is very important. Please don’t forget that here one of the bloodiest battles of the 7 Years War was fought. This is no place for comedy, excessive chatter or cracking jokes. Remember that the audience and also the re-enactors, some of whom will have had very long journeys, haven’t come to take part in a comedy show.

The battle will begin with the march to the specified battle field. The marching time will be about half an hour. Annoyingly but unavoidably we must go through modern areas such as a main road and a railway underpass.

The experience of the last couple of years has shown us that Minden is very hot in July and August. Make sure that your water bottles are filled for the march and after the battle.

Your camp followers can, of course, come with you on the march and provide you with drinks. The same goes for the duration of the battle where they can stand at the edge of the field. An adequate supply of drinks will be supplied by the organisers.

During the display, groups, and (with regard to the battle on Saturday) also battalions should be extensively trained and exercised several times daily. In particular, the safe use of ramrods is important. It is exclusively the responsibility of each group to ensure that their people are familiar with the use and handling of muskets.

Firing

The officers and sergeants of the individual re-enactment groups are responsible for ensuring that soldiers are trained and safe in using muskets and, especially, ramrods. Because of this, if at all possible, the groups should have been extensively exercised before the event.

When firing, the ramrod will be used and muskets will be aimed at approximately 30° to ensure that within the battalions there will not be a lot of different firing positions.

During the battle, ensure that no foreign bodies get in the barrel of the musket. As said, give yourself time… better slow and safe than fast and injured.

Subject to final determination of a safe distance on site the will be no firing between groups under approximately 30m.

Hand-to-hand combat

There will be no hand-to-hand combat during the battle (this usually consists of waving muskets about, pushing and grimacing). When a bayonet attack is launched by one group the other group will retire or flee when the attackers come within 5m. The attacking groups will be identified as part of the battle plan.

Infringements on the part of individual participants or groups against these safety regulations can lead to removal from the event.

The event ‘200 year battle at Minden’ and the ‘Time travel to the 18th century’ in Fulda on the following weekend are organisationally and -technically separate from each other. Groups and individuals who want to go to Fulda are asked to sign up separately with the

„Gesellschaft für Hessische Militär- und Zivilgeschichte e.V.“
(Society for Hessian Military and Civilian History).

Contact address:

Martin Heller, Chairman
mmheller [at] online [dot] de