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Information and photographs on up-coming and past events can  now be found on our  Face book page.

Contact F80

You can contact Forces 80 HQ either through Facebook or via email at: info@forces80.com 

 

About Forces 80

Forces 80 History Group is made up of like minded individuals from both civilian and military backgrounds who come together at events throughout the United Kingdom. They represent the British Armed Forces from 1978 to 1989 during the height of the Cold War.
At the various events they attend, the group displays uniforms, equipment and weapons of the period and give talks on these to members of the public.

The group has a hands on history policy and is happy to allow the public to touch, feel and hold different items on display.  Forces 80 can tailor its display  suit an events  organisers' specific requirements and the group has come to specialise in the 1982 Falklands Conflict.

They have carried out displays for veteran charities, the MOD, various museums and have also been approached by media companies, where they have taken part in documentaries and a short film in providing extras, uniforms and weapons.


Members at the Stafford Regimental Museum 2008.


Creation

"Whilst at The War and Peace Show  (Beltring) in 2004  we noticed that the living history groups mainly dealt with the British Army during  World War Two or from the 1st Gulf War onwards. As I had some British Infantry equipment for the early 80s, I donned  my  uniform and  walked  around  the  living  history  field where it was well received and repeatedly was complimented upon my appearance. Several  ex-service men stopped  and talked to me and gave me advice and information on how to make my representation more visually correct, especially Kenny who was a member of  5 Airborne Brigade Group  who was a serving member informed me that  he was well  pleased as  what I had done as it was his History...       Light bulb time" Jon, founder member Forces 80

Having had such a positive response and feeling rather encouraged, they started looking into how to create a group.   Over several months and after numerous  discussions between  a few friends  'Forces 80'  was created;  just in  time for Beltring 2005.  Their display attracted  a modest amount of attention,  again  from ex-serving members of  the armed forces and they gained valuable information.    At the end of the event they concluded every unit had its own ways of doing things and as they say "That was That".

Thanks go  to the members of  5 Airborne Brigade Group  who repeatedly  redressed members to an embarrassing  degree and the former members of  the ‘Green Jackets’  who seemed  to be  part of  every living  history  group and  who came  bounding over to play with the weapons.


 It  is not always serious. Members take on  the Dalek's at Crewe model show 2005.


Evolution

From February 2007 the group decided to change their mandate from representing the Army to representing the Armed Forces as a whole following requests to do various other units. As they have portrayed various units such as  Naval Party 890, 40 Commando; both of which were Naval units, It was seen as an appropriate change

From June 2008, Forces 80 decided to include 1989 to the years they represent to allow the cover of the fall off the Berlin Wall.


Sherwood Forest 2006

 

 

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