I decided to get into WWII re-enactment in memory of my father Tom Stokes.  He served in "C" Company, 3rd Brigade of the 2nd battalion of the Sherwood Foresters between 1939 and 1946. 

My father saw action  in France when the 2nd Battalion were part of the British Expeditionary Force in September 1939 and took part in the early stages of the 'Phoney War' and the advance into Belgium.  Ill-equipped for the task, they were eventually pushed back to the coast and were successfully evacuated from Dunkirk.   

After some time training in England, my father found himself in Tunisia in 1943 where he joined in the battles at Sedjenane and the Medjez Plain.  His unit suffered many casualties before the remnants of the German Armies capitulated at Cap Bon. He was also with the 2nd Battalion when they took part in the assault landing at Anzio in January 1944.   

At the end of the War he served with his comrades in Palestine, where he stayed until being demobbed in 1946.

MY ADVICE TO ANYONE THINKING ABOUT RE-ENACTING:

Re-enacting is a hobby where you can meet so many different people, all of them filled with enthusiasm for the war, the memory of the people who lived through those times, the fashions, and the sheer scale of history and what it was all about.

There are many WWII and 1940s re-enactment groups around.  Most of them are friendly people who are willing to share their experiences and fun with you - but there are a few who take things too seriously and want to turn their hobby into a money-making business.  We are all here to have fun - from little kids wanting to find out more about history, to veterans who want to reminisce about the past.

Above: Some of Tom Stokes' medals