Stow Maries Aerodome Living History event enjoys success

Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome, near Maldon, welcomed guests for its Living History event across the weekend.

Under a gleaming sun, thrilled visitors enjoyed the 'Trench Experience' – provided by the 10th Essex Living History Group, which saw groups of visitors be escorted through a front line 'Trench' as it exploded into life around them.

Duo - Mike Everest and Matthew Giles of the 10th Essex Rgt MG team (Image: David Davies)

Gunfire from Vickers and Lewis machine Guns echoed around the aerodrome as the excited audiences experienced, first-hand, the fear of an enemy attack.

Historic - soldiers sounding off (Image: David Davies)

Paul Weaver, a Commanding Officer and Secretary of the 10th Essex group, was happy to support the event.

Pilot - Bill Kent RFC with the Nieuport Scout (Image: David Davies)

He said: "We love coming to Stow Maries – it's a privilege to support the museum.

“It's an exciting way to engage people in our history and help this vital place to survive."

Items - John Nixon looking at German equipment with Mark Benford from Great War Society 02 (Image: David Davies)

Fellow Living Historian Owen Powell, Chairman of the highly respected Great War Society, brought members from Doncaster and beyond to take part.

"Stow Maries is a special place and working with them to educate and entertain their visitors is great fun," he said.

Snapshot - Richard Stanton photographs the Sopwith Pup (Image: David Davies)

"Some of our members travelled seven hours just to be here and there was no hesitation from them at all.

“This museum is one of the most important in the country and we are glad to support them."

Army - the parade takes place at Stow Maries (Image: David Davies)

The two-day event was enjoyed by hundreds of visitors.

After enjoying the exhibitions, hangars and various displays by the groups under a beating sun, the culmination on both days was a 'Gun Run' tournament, where opposing teams competed to strip, run with, reassemble and prepare to fire heavy period Vickers machine guns – in an echo of the famous 'Royal Tournament Gun Run'.

Victory - the winners of the machine gun race (Image: David Davies)

At the close of the competition, the charity's chief executive, Ian Flint, took a moment to thank the crowd and hard-working historians for their support, highlighting how grateful the charity was for all the support and urging all those present to spread the word.

Museum - Karen and Alex Barnes looking the rotary engines (Image: David Davies)

"We are not going to give in,” he said.

"We are all going to work as hard as we can to save this museum and with all your help there is a chance we can do it."

The next event at the site is the Wings and Wags dog show on Sunday, August 4.