8th Annual Grand Victorian Tactical at Ringwood Manor

The Royal Sussex
Regiment’s 8thAnnual Grand
Victorian Tactical at Ringwood Manor

Saturday, July
19th, 2014

11:00am to
4:00pm

Skirmishes to take place at 12:00pm and
3:00pm

British Victorian Living History event to
feature military skirmishes and demonstrations.

On Saturday,
July 19th, Ringwood State Park will be transformed into South Africa at
the turn of the 20th Century. 
The park will host an encampment of members of the Royal Sussex
Regimental Society and other military reenactors representing the forces of the
British Empire and the Boer settlers, also known as Afrikaaners, of the
Transvaal and Orange Free State.  Skirmishes are planned to reenact the fighting
which took place between the British and the Boers during the three-year struggle
for control over the land in South
Africa.

The Royal
Sussex Regimental Society, a New Jersey/New York based living history group, is an organization
of history enthusiasts who interpret the military and civil aspects of the British
Empire from King George III to Queen Victoria.  They will be joined by reenactors
representing the Royal Irish Fusiliers, the Middlesex Regiment, the Royal
Highland Regiment, the West Yorkshire Regiment, and the Argyll & Sutherland
Highlanders. Reenactors from the Pretoria Commando, the Bloemfontein Commando,
and the Irish Transvaal Brigade will represent the opposing Boer forces in what
has grown to be the largest annual British Victorian living history event on
the East Coast.  This event has
continually grown from its humble beginnings in 2006 at Ringwood Manor and now
attracts people from as far as Maine & Virginia.

          The activities will begin with camps
opening at 11:00am Saturday morning.  Visitors
will see demonstrations and camp life representing the Second Anglo-Boer War of
1899-1901.  Both British and Boer camps
will be open to the public where visitors can see and learn about life at the end
of the Victorian period, what actually caused one of the most devastating and
misunderstood conflicts in African colonial history, and how its lingering
effects shaped the world today. 

The simulated
skirmishes taking place between the Boers and British will provide the public
with a unique opportunity to see the beginning of modern technological
warfare.  It was the period when weapons
changed from single-shot to rapid-fire and the splendid uniforms which had previously
built powerful global empires were retired for more sensible, utilitarian
attire.  The Boer War was, in a sense, a
grim preview of things to come as the 20th century dawned.

Visitors
are encouraged to visit each camp, talk with the reenactors, and ask questions
in between the skirmishes. The military skirmishes are scheduled to take place
at 12:00pm and 3:00pm on Saturday. Visitors will be able to visit the camps on
Sunday, July 20th until 2:00pm where activities, games, and
demonstrations will take place throughout the day on the front lawn of Ringwood
Manor. Civilian reenactors presenting aspects of daily Victorian life will be
present both on Saturday and Sunday.

          This living
history event is free of charge. There is, however, a parking fee to enter Ringwood State Park of $5 per car for in-state
residents, $7 per car for out-of-state residents. The event is open to all
ages, but parents should be aware that young children may be scared by loud
firing noises from the reenactors’ weapons. The event will take place rain or shine.

The newly conserved and reopened Ringwood
Manor will be open to the public for guided tours from 10am to 4pm both days.
Tickets to enter Ringwood Manor are $3 for adults, $1 for children ages 6-12,
and children 5 and under are free.

            The Royal
Sussex Regimental Society living history event is sponsored by Ringwood State Park and the New Jersey Division
of Parks & Forestry. For more information on the Royal Sussex, please visit
their website at www.royalsussex.org. For information about Ringwood Manor and
upcoming events please visit www.ringwoodmanor.org
or call 973-962-2240.