Thought I would upload a few more photos of the "whaleboat". Not something everyone gets to see except in the movies.
Lew

Roy, you have about six years on me. Some memories of the old times are good, even those of bad times where we would say I don't want to go there again.

We have had a lot of reenacting groups in the past, but not as many as we had about 10 years ago when I had to give it up. Took too much to do (setting up camp, etc.).

We have multiple time lines, going back to the Revolutionary War, mountain men, all the way up to modern times. Fortunately we still have our 2nd ammendment (right to bear arms) that also allows us to reenact with the right "effects" (if you know what I mean).

In a few weeks we will be setting up our RC tanks (operating display) at a WWII event where the allies will be fighting the axis powers next to an airport in Zypherhills, Florida. You Brit's have big shows but ours tend to be a lot noise. Picked up a lot of 50 cal BMG shelling casings last time from the Sherman tanks.

Lew
Florida ⛱️, USA 🇺🇸

Hi Lew thanks for the explanation.
We had a club trip to the preserved railway on the Isle of Wight a few years back. We chose an event day when they had a WW2 re-enactment display, it was big.
I went to see the small drill group and was loaned a Le Enfield rifle to see if I remembered my rifle drill, which I did. (well it gets drilled in to you!).

Then I found another group with de-armoured Bren machine guns and got down with them as well. I used to be a very good shot with a machine gun! I started at school in the Cadet Force, so when I was called up in 1957 "To serve the Queen" I was already used to it.

It was an amazing day until I turned around and there was an SS man with dummy machine gun and he really looked the part, I went cold inside.

There was another a few years later and the Nazi uniforms were banned, there must have been a few more like me!

I was born before WW2 and just about remember the bombers going over and the drone of engines. I saw a V1 missile go across the sky on my birthday in 1944 and I can still hear the noise it made.

Maybe we should not go there but there again not forget those who never came back on both sides.
We are constantly reminded though in news items every day. Peace is just as expensive as war, but understanding is even more expensive in tolerance and acceptance.
Roy

Roy, yes that is the "Union" flag. Many things about the American "Civil War" (War of the Rebellion), uniforms, flags, etc.

The flag on the boat is a U.S. ("Union") boat flag. This differs slightly from the U.S. flag in thar the fly (width) is longer in relation to the fly (height) making a longer rectangular shape. The stars varied as the number of states varied (33 to 35) during the five year war. I made one of these to fly in our camp.

Lew
Florida ⛱️, USA 😎

Hi Lew is that the Union flag. I never know who is on which side in the US of A! I follow CNN for how things are but Fox makes me wonder who watches?

What the USA needs is a decent 3rd. party to vote for! It stops the minority extremists from controlling on either side. We have our Lib/Dems!
Good luck with the elections in November. The world awaits with baited breath!
Roy