 |
| Bylaws |
As
Of: 15 October 2011 The following bylaws are still in draft format. However, the rules for reenactments hosted by the WWIIRC are in effect and current. Table
of Contents 4.4. Structure
and Requirements 5.3.3.1. American Specific Authenticity 5.3.3.2. German Specific Authenticity 5.3.3.3. Russian Specific Authenticity 5.3.3.4. Living Historian Specific Authenticity 5.3.4.2. Knowledge of the History of WWII 5.4.1. Voluntary
Inactive Status 5.4.2. Involuntary
Inactive Status 6. Command
Staff (Unit Commanders) 7. Reenacting
Corps Organization 7.1. Units
of the WWII Reenacting Corps 7.1.1. American
Unit – 4th Armored Division 7.1.2. German
Unit – 352.Infanterie-Division 7.1.3. Soviet
Unit – 44th Guards Rifle Division 10. Information and
Correspondence 13. Association with
the World War II History Center 14. Association with
the WWII HRS 15. Reenactor
Information and Guidelines 18.1. American
Unit and Rank Structure 18.2. German
Unit and Rank Structure 18.3. Soviet
Unit and Rank Structure 19.5. WWII
Reenacting Corps Sponsored Event Rules 19.5.2. WWIIRC
Prisoners of War Rules PART I: The Reenacting
Corps
1.
Introduction
This document
outlines the by-laws of the
World War II Reenacting Corps. Any
questions concerning this document or the nature of the Reenacting
Corps should
be directed towards the Corps’ Commander. 2.
Name
The name of this
organization shall be the
"The World War II Reenacting Corps" (WWIIRC). 3.
Mission
The vision
statement of the WWII History Center is to “to remember a generation, to
honor
their sacrifices, and to educate
future generations.” The Reenacting
Corps mission is to accomplish the History Center’s vision. This mission is
carried out by the Corps planning and participating in public displays,
demonstrations and battles. We portray
soldiers and civilians from several different nations that participated
in
WWII. It is the goal of our members to
accurately preserve and portray the history and traditions of the WWII
soldier
and civilian in order to remember and honor those who served and
survived
through the War. Our reenactors are avid
historians – through the authenticity of our reenacting
impression and by
interacting with the public, we can properly educate and help younger
generations understand the impact of the Second World War.
The Reenacting Corps is a great educational
tool that helps people reconnect with and remember the past. 4.
Candidacy
4.1.
Eligibility
In order to be
eligible for
the WWI I Reenacting Corps, a person must be 16 years of age, must not
be a
felon and must not have any political aspirations to express as a
reenactor. 4.2.
Conduct
The distinction of
military
customs and courtesies will be governed by rank, regardless of the
country your
reenacting impression portrays, during all formal WWIIRC functions will
be
upheld and enforced. 4.3.
Age
The
minimum age
to participate in a military reenacting unit is 16 but the maximum age
is
dependent upon you. There is no minimum
or maximum age to participate as a living historian.
If you are physically capable of portraying a
soldier and you meet the minimum age requirement, then you will be
allowed to
participate. If you are over 45,
depending on how old you look, it may be better for you to portray a
German
soldier as the German Army conscripted older men towards the end of the
war, or
you may be asked to be a vehicle driver as an American soldier. There were very few infantrymen over 40 during
WWII in the U.S. Army. 4.4.
Structure and Requirements
Candidates are
required to
obtain their basic military/civilian impression as soon as possible. Candidates have one year to obtain their
impression. If they have not obtained
their
basic impression by that time, they will be asked to leave the WWIIRC. Once a candidate obtains his or her
impression, they will be reviewed by their unit commander.
If they pass the review, they will become a
full member of the unit and of the WWII Reenacting Corps.
5.
Membership
5.1.
Non-Discrimination
The World War II
Reenacting Corps will not
deny membership on the basis of race, creed, ethnic origin, sex, age,
political
persuasion, sexual preference, religion, or marital status. 5.2.
Activation
To be activated as
a member of the WWII
Reenacting Corps, a person must meet all of the eligibility
requirements as
stated in Section 4. A person must have successfully obtained their basic military/civilian impression and have passed their unit commander review in order to become a member of the WWII Reenacting Corps. If there are extenuating circumstances that prevent a candidate from obtaining all of their required gear or passing their unit commander review, they can seek an exception from the Corps’ Commander. A candidate may appeal his/her removal as a candidate by meeting with the Corps’ Commander. The Corps’ Commander has the authority, with the approval of the Director of the WWII History Center, to waive any activation requirement. All active members
are voting members. 5.3.
Maintaining Membership
5.3.1.
Attendance
In order to
maintain membership in the WWIIRC,
a member is required to attend at least one event a year.
It is highly encouraged that members
participate as often as they can (preferably, 3 or more events a year). The Reenacting Corps holds a meeting twice a year – once at or near the last weekend of January, and one at or near the last weekend in June. The meetings will be held on the premises of the World War II History Center. Members are required to attend one meeting a year. Members are strongly encouraged to make both meetings. If a member cannot attend the meeting, a written excuse must be presented to the Corps’ Commander before the meeting. If a member misses
three consecutive meetings
without an approved excuse, they will be involuntarily inactivated. 5.3.2.
Dues
TBD 5.3.3.
Authenticity
Your
World War II
impression must be believable to the public and to other reenactors. Authenticity is of the utmost importance in
portraying a soldier or civilian of the 1940’s.
Clothing worn while at Reenacting Corps sponsored events
must look like
what would have been worn during the War.
Original items may be worn and used, but this practice is
discouraged. Original items are frail
and can easily break or be destroyed, effectively ruining a part of
history. There are several vendors now
who create highly accurate reproduction uniforms, equipment and
clothing. Reproduction items are
encouraged to be worn
and used at Reenacting Corps events.
Some post-War items may be used in your WWII impression,
but they must
be nearly identical to what could have been used during the War. Specific nationality authenticity rules are
listed in the following sub-sections.
Any questions about an items’ use should be cleared
with the respective
Unit Commander or the Corps Commander.
Unit Commanders and the Corps Commander have the final say
in
authenticity. 5.3.3.1.
American Specific Authenticity
TBD 5.3.3.2.
German Specific Authenticity
·
When in uniform,
you are encouraged to speak German, if you know it.
If you don’t know German, you should try to
speak in a German accent. ·
German haircuts
were typically very short on the sides and back, and very long on the
top. This is the suggested haircut for
German
reenactors. ·
German reenactors
are highly encouraged to purchase and use a Soldbuch
(Soldier’s Book). This item is used
as
the soldier’s identification, and can be used to hold any
paperwork you have. 5.3.3.3.
Russian Specific Authenticity
TBD 5.3.3.4.
Living Historian Specific
Authenticity
TBD 5.3.4.
Appearance
There are several appearance requirements that must be met in order to be a member one of the Reenacting Corps’ units. These appearance requirements are: A)
There must be no
visible
tattoos or piercings of any kind that are visible while you are in
uniform/period
clothing. B)
Hair for soldiers
must be
kept short and above the ears. Sideburns
must be kept no longer than the middle of the ear.
Hair styles for living historians must be
similar to the style used in the 1940s. C)
Facial hair is
limited to
trimmed mustaches that must not hang over the lip, and cannot be any
wider than
the corners of the mouth. “Five
o’clock
shadows” are permissible, unless you are an officer. D)
You must keep
yourself in at
least average physical condition, able to walk at least a few miles per
day
while carrying weapon and equipment. You
will not be expected to do 50 pushups and run a timed mile, but you
have to be
able to keep up on a march without the potential for a heart attack. Beer guts are not only unacceptable, but you
won’t find any equipment that will fit you. 5.3.4.1.
Persona and Attitude
Your uniform and
clothing make up your visual WWII impression.
Remember first and foremost that when you are in uniform,
no matter
where you are, you are representing an honorable soldier.
Always be on your best behavior and do what
you can to bring honor to yourself and those you are trying to portray. The other major part of your impression is
how you act and how you sound. The
following requirements outline your persona and attitude: A)
If you are
portraying a
soldier from a nationality whose primary language is not English, you
are
requested to learn basic military commands in the native tongue of the
nationality which you are portraying. B)
If you are
portraying a
soldier from a nationality other than that of the United States, and if
you are
capable, try to speak in an accent of the nationality which you are
portraying
when speaking to the public C)
While in uniform,
you will be
expected to act as a soldier and follow the military code of conduct. Officers will be saluted (unless in combat
conditions), higher ranks will be addressed by rank, and you will
follow the
orders given to you. Your best guide for
general military attitude and discipline would be to acquire a copy of
a 1941
or later U.S. War Department Field Manual entitled
“Soldier’s Handbook”. This
will teach you everything you need to
know about being a WWII soldier for any country that fought in the War). You can usually find good condition original
copies on eBay for as little as $5.00.
The World War II History Center’s Research Library
also has a few copies
that you can check out. 5.3.4.2.
Knowledge of the History of
WWII
Remember that you
are a reenactor because you
care about the history and educating others, not because you like to
carry guns
around, look cool in uniform, or get some “trigger-time”
with a machine. You should do your best to
learn about the
type of soldier you portray, the nationality for which you portray,
major
battles, and the War in general. People
will ask you questions about the War, about soldiers, about battles,
etc… You will be expected to
interact with the
public, while in character, and be knowledgeable about World War II. 5.3.4.3.
Representation
Remember that as
reenacting units under the
banner of the World War II History Center, we will be held to a higher
standard
and we expect you to do your best to help us maintain that higher
standard of
historical accuracy, even when participating in tactical events. 5.4.
Inactivation
5.4.1.
Voluntary Inactive Status
Members seeking
voluntary
inactive status must write a formal letter addressed to the
Corps’ Commander
stating the reasons for not wanting to be an active member. Upon approval of the Command Staff, the
member requesting inactive status will no longer be an active member. You may only be an inactive member of the
Corps for one year’s time. After one
year, if you no longer wish to be an active member, your membership in
the
WWIIRC will be terminated. 5.4.2.
Involuntary Inactive Status
Involuntary
inactive status
is a disciplinary action initiated by the Corps’ Commander. It can be caused by not meeting
professionalism standards, disregard for membership rules or a 2/3 vote
by the Command
Staff. Involuntary inactive status
results in losing your rank. Involuntary
inactive status can be revoked upon approval by the Corps’
Commander. 5.5.
Termination
Termination is the
loss of
membership in the World War II Reenacting Corps. Once
a membership has been terminated, the
member is no longer a part of the Corps or the unit he or she was with. Any member of the Corps may seek voluntary
termination of their membership at any time.
The member must submit a formal letter to the Corps’
Commander stating
the reasons for wanting termination.
Upon a 2/3 approval by the Command Staff, the
individual’s membership
will be terminated, and the individual will be notified.
Involuntary
termination of
membership is a disciplinary action initiated by the Corps’
Commander for
inactive membership for more than one year inactivity, failure to pay
dues,
failure to follow authenticity or safety rules or a unanimous vote by
the Command
Staff. 6.
Command
Staff (Unit Commanders)
6.1.
Eligibility
The
Command Staff is designed for the commanders of each of the units in
the WWII
Reenacting Corps to make decisions on how the Corps is run and what
direction
the Corps is headed. Being elected or
appointed as a unit commander automatically makes the individual a
member of
the Command Staff. However, if a unit
commander wants to delegate that position to a subordinate in his unit,
that is
acceptable, so long as both parties agree and it is approved by a
majority of
the rest of the Command Staff. 6.2.
Purpose
The purpose of the
Command Staff is to make
and implement policy and authenticity, to guide and direct the mission
and
objectives of the WWII Reenacting Corps, to serve as a review board and
to make
decisions concerning disciplinary action.
6.3.
Structure
The structure of
the Command
Staff is simple. The Corps’
Commander is
responsible for selecting recipients of the Corps for awards, for
setting
policy pertaining to Corps’ operations, and for commanding his
own unit. The rest of the Staff serve as
support to the
Corps’ Commander, and they, too, are in charge of their own units. 6.4.
Elections
Elections will be
held once a
year for the position of Corps’ Commander.
Eligible candidates will be limited only to those
currently on the
Command Staff. All members of the WWII
Reenacting Corps may vote once. The
election will be held at the Corps’ Meeting on or near the last
weekend of
January. Any new incoming staff will
assume their duties the first week of March following the election. 6.5.
Current
Command Staff
Erik Runge – CORPS COMMANDER Leutnant (Reenacted) Commander, 352nd Infantry Division (Germany) (620) 757-0943
L. Nicholas Skellenger Staff Sergeant (Reenacted) Commander, 4th Armored Division (United States) (620) 875-4936
Evan Andrews Serzhant (Reenacted) Commander, 44th Guards Rifle Division (Soviet Union) (316) 559-4322
Randy Hammons Leader, WWII History Center Living Historians 7.
Reenacting
Corps Organization
7.1.
Units of
the WWII Reenacting Corps
The
World War II
Reenacting Corps currently has three active military reenacting units
and a
group of living historians portraying civilians. These
units fall under the banner of the
Reenacting Corps and the WWII History Center.
Members of these units must follow unit specific
instructions, rules and
regulations as well as those of the Reenacting Corps.
Any future addition to the Reenacting Corps
needs to be approved by the Command Staff. 7.1.1.
American Unit – 4th
Armored Division
The
American
reenacting unit has been in existence since before the Corps was formed. It was initially a sub-section of the 4th
Armored Division Reenacting Unit based out of Great Bend, KS. That unit eventually fell apart, so the 4th
Armored Division became a part of the WWII History Center.
It was incorporated as a founding unit of the
Reenacting Corps. The unit became a
recon element for the 4th Armored Division due to the fact that
membership in
the unit had been small and none of the members had any access to
vehicles. 7.1.2.
German Unit –
352.Infanterie-Division
The
second
founding unit of the WWII Reenacting Corps is the German
352.Infanterie-Division. This unit was
formed in October 2009. The reason the
352.Infanterie-Division was chosen to be represented was numerous. The 352nd was a unit that fought at Normandy,
in Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge – the three largest
battles in the
European Theater. For East Front
reenactments, the 352nd becomes the 268.Infanterie-Division. The 352.Infanterie-Division was formed by
several members of the 268.Infanterie-Division after it was destroyed
on the
East Front. Portraying these two units
allows our German reenactors to participate in almost any reenactment
held. Also, portraying a regular
infantry soldier allows our Germans reenactors the versatility to
portray a
German soldier for any other infantry division.
7.1.3.
Soviet Unit – 44th
Guards Rifle Division
The
third
reenacting unit of the Reenacting Corps is the Soviet 44th Guards Rifle
Division. 7.1.4.
Living Historians
The
World War II
History Center’s Living Historians have been around longer than
any of the
military reenacting units. The dedicated
volunteers of the Museum have been portraying civilians of the War-time
era
since the Museum began. 7.2.
Meetings
7.2.1.
Command Staff Meetings
The Command Staff
will meet
at least once every two months, time and location TBD.
The Command Staff meetings are chaired by the
Corps’ Commander. Minutes will be
taken
and posted on the Corps’ website within two days of the meeting. Deviation from this requires approval from
the Corps’ Commander. 7.2.2.
Active Member Meetings
Active member
meeting will
occur twice a year. The first meeting
will be on or near the last weekend of January.
Time TBD. The meetings will
be
held on the grounds of the World War II History Center.
Deviation from this requires approval from
the Corps’ Commander. Meetings will
be
chaired by the Corps’ Commander. The
purpose of these meetings is to inform members of the Corps’
happenings,
upcoming events, and to present recognitions and awards.
7.3.
Functions
and Events
Any Corps’
member may
organize a reenacting event or other activity.
Members must have approval from their unit commander first. Their unit commander must get approval from
the Corps’ Commander. The
Corps’ must
have one month prior notice. The Corps
will participate in the event if a majority vote of present members is
reached. Any Corps’ sponsored
reenacting
event must follow Corps’ rules and regulations, safety rules and
the Corps’
casualty system. Deviation
from this
requires approval from the Corps’ Commander. 8.
Finance
8.1.
Fundraising
The Command Staff
must
approve all fundraising activities.
Command Staff will decide if funds will be divided equally
among
members, or go towards the Reenacting Corps Common Fund. 8.2.
Budgeting
Every January
meeting, a
budget report will be presented to the Corps.
The budget will be reviewed by the Corps’ Commander. The budget report will cover balances,
project costs, office expenses, petty cash fund, unforeseen expenses,
training
event costs and public battle costs. 9.
Awards
Awards and
decorations will
be handled by unit commanders within their own units.
They can perform their own award ceremonies
if they would like. Also, awards can be
handed out and members can be recognized at either of the Corps’
Meetings. If awards and/or decorations are
to be handed
out at the Corps’ Meeting, the Corps’ Commander needs to be
notified prior to
the meeting. 10.
Information and Correspondence
All email
correspondence outside
of the WWII Reenacting Corps related to the Corps will be courtesy
copied to
the Corps’ Commander. All
information
pertinent to the Reenacting Corps will be displayed online on the WWII
Reenacting Corps’ website. 11.
Continuity
The purpose of
continuity is
to generate a smooth process of transition between incoming and
outgoing
Command Staff or unit commanders, to generate ideas for the future, to
keep
important forms and documents on file for easy access to any member of
the
Corps. All outgoing
commander or
staff will have a continuity report filled out no later than two weeks
before
the new commander/staff is scheduled to take over. The continuity
report should
include:
12.
Amendments
To meet the
changing needs of
the WWII Reenacting Corps, to further the Corps’ mission and the
objectives
more efficiently, amendments are allowed to help change the Corps. A formal letter
must be
submitted to the Corps’ Commander stating the exact wording of
the proposed
amendment. One month of
deliberation and
debate must pass before voting on the amendment may commence. If a total rewrite
of the
by-laws is voted on by 2/3 of the Reenacting Corps, a committee will be
appointed to make all the necessary changes, and present them to the
active
Corps, to be voted on. In order to ratify
the
amendment, 2/3 majority vote by the active Corps is required for the
amendment
to be put into effect. All passed
amendments are effective immediately. 13.
Association with the World War
II History Center
TBD 14.
Association with the WWII HRS
TBD PART II: Reenacting
15.
Reenactor Information and
Guidelines
15.1.
General Information
Reenacting in
Tactical Battles is a lot like
playing “War” when you were a kid, except we get to use
authentic guns and
everything sounds real, and if done correctly, feels real.
Training for our
units will be conducted as if
none of our members have ever served in the military.
For those that do have military service, we
will ask that you be patient with us and the inexperienced, and do what
you can
to help both. Training for our units
will largely revolve around how to portray a WWII combat soldier,
squad-level
tactics, marching, rifle drill, and field problems.
Training will include minimal shooting of
blank rounds due to the cost of the ammunition; however you will be
given a
chance to shoot blank ammunition prior to an event if it is your first
time. Live Fire target shooting events
can be organized if enough interest is shown. For those of you
who have prior military
experience (in the real world), please keep in mind that some things
were done
different during World War II and some terminology was different. You will be expected to learn the “WWII
way”
of doing things as you will be portraying a WWII soldier.
We are not doing this to minimize your
honorable service to our country, but merely to be as historically
accurate as
possible. Smoking is
generally allowed outdoors, unless
otherwise prohibited for safety concerns.
It is a fact of the WWII soldier, from any nationality,
that smoking was
pretty much the only way to relax during the war. However,
if you choose to smoke, you are
required to use either un-filtered cigarettes or cigarettes with a
white
filter. You must also use a type of
normal-looking cigarette similar to Camels or Winstons.
No Virginia Slims or other exotic-looking
types. Cigarettes did not have filters
during WWII. Cigars and pipes are also
allowed, although pipes would only have been used in camp. Anyone trained in
Emergency Medical Response
or as an EMT will be encouraged to portray a Medic.
This way you could actually carry real
medical supplies and you would be on the scene instantly if any real
injuries
occurred. Real gunshot wounds may be
non-existent, but scrapes, cuts, burns, turned ankles and the like are
fairly
common. 15.2.
Personal Goals
As a member of
the World War II Reenacting Corps, some of your personal goals should
include: A)
If you are
portraying a soldier - to learn all
you can about the time period, the life of the particular type of
soldier you
are portraying, the theater of combat in which he served and his
unit’s
history. If you are portraying a
civilian – to learn all you can about the time period, the
community in which
they lived and the feeling and mood of the population with respect to
the War. B)
To acquire (as
soon as possible), the minimum
required uniform/clothing/equipment/weapons necessary to fulfill your
particular soldier or civilian’s impression.
C)
As a soldier, to
learn basic military
discipline including rules for saluting, addressing higher ranks,
following
orders and all of the other typical rules of order common to military
life. D)
To become
completely familiar and comfortable
with the use and arrangement of the uniform, equipment and weapons of
the
combat soldier which you are portraying, including equipment and
weapons
utilized by other soldiers in your unit, such as machine guns and
vehicles. E)
To help others
achieve the goals above. F)
To recruit others
to join the WWII Reenacting
Corps, thereby increasing our numbers and adding more to our effort to
educate
the public about life as a soldier during WWII. 15.3.
Promotions
Advancement
in
rank will be decided much the same as it is in the real military. Decisions will be made by your CO or NCO and
will be based on your experience, skill, historical accuracy and the
need for
higher ranks. Participation in events
will also play a role in your rank designation.
We will never have need for any rank higher than a Major. Refer to the Unit Structure guide to see how
many of each rank were typically found in each unit. In
order to achieve higher rank in either of our units, several
requirements must
be met: A)
We must first have
a need, or
an open slot, to promote someone to a higher rank.
For example, we will only promote someone to
Sergeant if we need a new squad leader, or assistant squad leader. You can help create this need by helping us
to recruit more members to our units. If
we have more members, then we will have more squads and thus, more open
positions to fill. B)
You must learn the
job of the
next higher rank. If you want to be a
squad leader, you must learn what it takes to be a squad leader,
understand the
responsibilities and know your job. C)
In order to be
promoted to
anything above a Corporal, you must regularly attend our training
sessions. It is not necessary to attend
every month, but at least every other month.
You cannot properly fulfill a leadership role, if you
yourself don’t
know what you are doing and can teach others what they are supposed to
do. You must know your men and they must
know
you. The extra responsibilities that you
will have require that you regularly work with those in command above
you. 15.4.
Awards
Awards
shall be handled by each individual unit.
The unit commander is responsible for determining if an
award should be
given, and for bestowing the appropriate award.
No member of the Reenacting Corps may wear more than 3
awards at any one
time. The reasoning behind this decision
is because we are supposed to represent the common soldier – not
a glorified
war hero. We,
as reenactors, cannot ever truly “earn” any award. Awards that will never be bestowed in the
Corps are awards for great heroism or valiancy (e.g. – the Medal
of Honor,
Knights Cross, Hero of the Soviet Union, etc…).
16.
Safety at Events
A)
Safety is the
number one priority! If you see an unsafe
condition, no matter
what the situation (even in the middle of a public battle), do whatever
it takes
to make the situation safe before doing anything else. B)
Never bring live
ammunition to any event where you will be carrying a WWII-era weapon. If you must bring a weapon for self-defense,
bring one that uses ammunition different from that used in your weapon. For example, if as an American soldier you
carry a .45 auto, bring a firearm for self-defense that uses a .38, .40
or 9mm
caliber. The idea is that there will be
no way that you will accidentally load a live round into your WWII-era
weapon. C)
Live ammunition
is strictly prohibited on World War II History Center grounds, even for
personal defense. If you bring any by
accident, you will be expected to put it in your POV immediately. D)
Pyrotechnics are
to be handled strictly by authorized personnel only.
The only exception to this rule is any
grenade, mortar or cannon shell simulator approved by the event Safety
Officer. E)
Never aim a
weapon of any type, loaded or unloaded, real or fake, at any person
ever. The old rule of shooting,
“only aim at what you
plan to kill” applies here. During
combat, always aim at the ground in front of the person or off to the
side or
over his head. In case the worst should
happen and you do have a live round loaded, this will save
someone’s life. F)
Night
patrols can be conducted, however during night patrols you will not
load your
weapon. All weapons must be unloaded at
dusk and not re-loaded until dawn. If
you can’t see what you’re shooting at, you don’t need
to be shooting. All kills at night must be
“Safety
kills”. This means that if you come
upon
the enemy in the dark, the first one to say the words, “safety
kill” or “bang”
wins. G)
Do not fire upon
anyone
within 10 yards. If you surprise someone
at close range, take them prisoner by calling out “hands
up” or “hand-uh hock”
(in German). H)
If anyone suffers
a
real-world casualty and you need assistance, shout out “real
world” so we know
we have a real incident we need to deal with. 17.
Insurance and Liability
TBD 18.
Unit
Structure
18.1.
American Unit and Rank
Structure
18.1.1.
Unit Structure
The American unit
structure is, from smallest
unit to largest: ·
Rifle Squad
(~12 men) – Commanded by a staff sergeant with a sergeant that
could command
half the squad ·
Rifle Platoon
(40 men) – Commanded by a first or second lieutenant. Made of 3 Rifle Squads, plus a command unit
(CO, radio operator and two runners). ·
Rifle Company
(120 men) – Commanded by a first lieutenant or captain. Made up of 3 Rifle Platoons, plus a Weapons
Platoon
(heavy machine guns and a mortar squad) and a command unit (the
Executive
Officer (second in command), service personnel, radio operator and
runners) ·
Battalion ·
Regiment ·
Division ·
Corps ·
Army ·
Army Group 18.1.2.
Rank Structure
ENLISTED Private
– lowest rank possible, new recruit Private,
First Class – usually
has some
experience Technician,
Fifth Grade – Corporal
rank with special
training, such as interpreter or driver Corporal
– has some experience, some ability to command small groups of
less than 6 men Technician,
Fourth Grade – Sergeant
rank with special
training Sergeant
– experienced, can command an entire squad Staff
Sergeant –
experienced, can command
an entire squad, or assist the platoon leader Technical
Sergeant– Platoon
Sergeant, assists
the platoon leader and can take over the platoon if the platoon leader
is
incapacitated. First
Sergeant – in charge
of all NCO’s of
a company, assists Company CO
OFFICERS 2nd
Lieutenant – commands
a platoon, or
assists Company CO 1st
Lieutenant –
experienced platoon
leader, or assists Company CO, or commands Company Captain
– commands a Company Major
– commands a Battalion Lieutenant
Colonel – commands
a Battalion or
Regiment Colonel
– commands a Regiment Brigadier
General – assists
the division
commander or commands a brigade or brigade group Major
General – commands
a Division Lieutenant
General – commands
a Corps or Army General
– commands an Army or Army Group General
of the Army – commands
an Army Group or
entire Expeditionary Force 18.2.
German Unit and Rank Structure
18.2.1.
Unit Structure
The
German unit structure is, from smallest
unit to largest: ·
Gruppe
(pl: Gruppen) (Squad, 8-10 men)
–
Commanded by an Unteroffizier or Unterfeldwebel
with a Gefreiter or Obergefreiter
that could command half the Gruppe. ·
Zug
(pl: Züge) (Platoon, 30-40
men) –
Commanded by an Oberfeldwebel or Leutnant. Tactical level. Made
of 3 Gruppen,
plus a command unit (CO, radio operator and runners).
·
Kompanie (pl: Kompanien)
(Company, 100-200
men) –
Commanded by a first Oberleutnant or Hauptmann. Tactical level. Made
up of a number of Züge, plus a schwere
Waffen
Kompanie (heavy weapons company, comprised of heavy machine guns
and a mortar
squad) and a command unit (an Executive Officer, service personnel,
radio
operator and runners). ·
Abteilung/Bataillon (pl:
Abteilungen/Bataillone)
(Battalion, 500-1,000 men) – Consisted of a number of Kompanien. Commanded by a Major or Oberstleutnant. Tactical level, directly engaging in
combat. This is the smallest
self-contained and
self-sufficient combat formation, plus attached units consisting of Pioniere (combat engineers), Panzerjägern
(tank destroyers), Sanitäter (medics),
Artillerie (artillery), etc… ·
Regiment (pl:
Regimenter) (Regiment,
2,000-6,000 men)
– made up of several Bataillone.
Tactical level. Commanded by
an Oberstlutnant or an Oberst. ·
Division (pl:
Divisionen) (Division,
10,000-20,000
men) – Contained between 1 and 4 Regimenter,
plus any attached units. Commanded by an
Oberst. Operational
level. Contained the operational
headquarters for
the Regimenter, and for the attached
units and formations. ·
Kampfgruppe
(pl: Kampfgruppen) (Task force)
– Could range
in size from 500 and 50,000 men. The
Kampfgruppe is essentially a hodge-podge unit put together to
accomplish a
certain task. ·
Korps (pl:
Korps) (Corps,
40,000-60,000 men) –
Contained one or more Divisionen,
plus any attached units. Commanded by an
Oberst or Generalmajor. Served at a
strategic and operational level. ·
Armee (pl:
Armeen) (Army, 60,000
– 100,000 men)
– Contained one or more Korps.
Commanded by a Generalmajor or a Generalleutnant. Strategic
level. ·
Armeegruppe (pl:
Armeegruppen) (Army Group,
100,000+ men) –
Contained one or more Armeen. At
any point in the War, there were usually 2
or 3 Armeegruppen adjacent to each
other. Allies of Germany could fall in
with an Armeegruppen. Armeegruppen
are subordinate to the Heeresgruppen. ·
Heeresgruppe (pl:
Heeresgruppen) (Army Group,
100,000+ men) –
Contained a number of Armeen. The
largest single German organizational formation during WWII. Operated on a far ranging geographical region
of the front. 18.2.2.
Rank Structure
Mannschaften (Grades of Private) Grenadier
- Private Obergrenadier
– Senior Private Gefreiter
– Private, First Class Obergefreiter
– Senior Private, First Class Unteroffiziere
(Non-Commissioned
Officers) Unteroffizier
- Corporal Unterfeldwebel
– Sergeant Feldwebel
– Staff Sergeant Oberfeldwebel
– Sergeant, First Class Stabsfeldwebel
– Master Sergeant Offiziere (Officers) Leutnant
– 2nd Lieutenant Oberleutnant
– 1st Lieutenant Hauptmann
– Captain Major
– Major Oberstleutnant – Lieutenant Colonel Oberst
– Colonel Generalmajor
– Major General Generalleutnant
– Lieutenant General General der
Infanterie
(or der Artillerie, or der Panzer)
– Lieutenant General General
– General Generalfeldmarshall – General of the Army 18.3.
Soviet Unit and Rank Structure
TBD 18.4.
Living Historians
TBD 19.
Reenacting Rules
19.1.
General Rules
The
“Honor System” will largely be used during tactical
reenactments. NCO’s and officers
will also serve as umpires
for their own forces and will serve as the final word for disputes. They will not, however, cross the battle line
to force the opposing force to take a casualty.
If an enemy soldier is not taking a “hit”,
continue firing until he
looks in your direction. Sometimes
soldiers cannot tell where firing is coming from. 19.2.
Weapons
Effective
Weapon Range Grenades and
Landmines – 5 yard blast radius Pistols – 10
yards Submachine guns
–
25 yards Rifles – 50
yards
Machine guns
– 75
yards Sniper rifles
–
100 yards ·
Do
not fire upon anyone within 10 yards. If
you surprise someone at close range, take them prisoner, but do not
fire. ·
Effective
grenade range is about 5 yards. If a
grenade lands within 5 yards of your position, and you are exposed, you
are a
casualty, unless you are in a foxhole. If in a foxhole, the
grenade must
land in the foxhole to cause a casualty.
Used grenades will be picked up by the soldiers that the
grenade caused
to be casualties, and will be returned to the opposing force at the end
of the
day. ·
Effective
rifle range is 50 yards and machine gun range is only about 100 yards. Don’t take a shot beyond that range
because
it is too difficult for your target to understand that you are shooting
at him. If a single soldier is crossing
open terrain
and a machine gun fires on him, he is automatically a casualty. If two or more soldiers are crossing open
terrain and a machine gun fires on them, half of the group are
automatically
casualties. ·
Snipers
may only operate as “snipers” and with a dedicated umpire
that can verify
“kills”, and can radio the opposing force to communicate
the kill. ·
Landmines/Minefields
can be used as a part of this reenactment and are made up of clay
pigeons glued
together bottom-to-bottom and buried just below the surface. They make a very loud “crunch”
when stepped
on. They might hurt if you’re
running
around barefoot. Please
refer to the casualty rules for how to
handle landmine casualties. Landmines
may be removed but must be handled
with care. Broken
landmines during removal will result in
a casualty. Do not destroy the landmines on purpose! ·
Never
call your shot!! There is nothing worse
at a tactical battle than guys running around yelling, “Hey, I
shot you three
times!” Only take effective shots as
mentioned above, and keep shooting until the person can see you
shooting. There is almost never a
“one shot, one kill”
rule. 19.3.
Vehicles
A)
Only trained
personnel, approved by a
vehicle’s owner, are allowed to drive any vehicle other than
POV’s at any time,
whether during an event or not. Training
for vehicle drivers will be handled strictly by the owner of said
vehicle, or
other person as designated by the vehicle owner. B)
Vehicle owners (or
their designee) are
responsible for the safety of their own vehicle, and any riders, at all
times. If there are any particular
safety rules for the vehicle, it is up to the vehicle owner (or their
designee)
to explain any and all safety rules to the riders prior to movement of
the
vehicle. C)
Security of
vehicles is the responsibility of
the vehicle’s owner or their designee.
The World War II History Center and any event organizers
are not
responsible for any damage to or theft from vehicles that may occur. D)
All of the above
rules also apply to POV’s. 19.4.
General Casualty Rules
“Hits”
are taken by individuals when you can actually see someone shooting at
you from
a realistic range (i.e. if you are being shot at by someone using a
rifle from
no more than 100 yards away, you are “hit”).
Ranges vary depending on weapons, but the general rule is
if more than
1/3 of your body is exposed to the person shooting at you, and you are
within
range, then you are hit. Specific
rules vary depending on who hosts the battle, but these should be made
clear
prior to the start of the battle. If you
are participating in a tactical battle and expecting a perfect system
to work
every time, you will be terribly disappointed.
In the heat of battle with gunfire going off all over the
place, it is
often very difficult for participants to hear where shots are coming
from,
specifically when they are aimed at you.
You could be shot in the back and never even know it. This situation then places the responsibility
on the shooter. If you really want your
shot to count, make sure that you are well within range, and that you
only
shoot when the person you are aiming at is looking right at you. Also make sure that a good portion of their
body is exposed. For instance, a machine
gunner in a bunker is never going to take a head shot, no matter what
the
range, except maybe if you are using a sniper rifle and he sees it. So it is your responsibility to use a grenade
or outflank his position. 19.5.
WWII Reenacting Corps
Sponsored Event Rules
19.5.1.
WWIIRC Casualty Rules
Each
man will receive one casualty slip at the beginning of the battle that
should
be deposited in his first aid pouch (or pocket). When the soldier
becomes
a casualty, he will lie down on the ground, or sit in his foxhole and
then take
out and follow the instructions on the casualty slip. At the aid
station,
he will deposit his casualty slip into the casualty receptacle and
retrieve a
new one, then wait the designated period of time indicated on his
previous
casualty slip before rejoining his unit. When rejoining his unit,
he
needs to report to his squad leader for placement into the line. There
will be three types of casualties and instructions: Wounded in the
leg
– Make
weapon safe and stay in position – He will then call out
“I’m hit!” and then
call for a medic who will give the man a simple bandage on the arm and
then a
new casualty slip. After that, the soldier may rejoin
combat. He
may not rejoin combat until he has been visited by a medic. If
the enemy
advances to his position before a medic can get to him, he will be
taken
prisoner. At the aid station, he will deposit his casualty slip
into the
casualty receptacle and retrieve a new one, then wait the designated
period of
time indicated on his previous casualty slip before rejoining his unit. If the enemy advances to his position while
being tended by the medic, both will be taken prisoner. Wounded in the torso – Remove helmet/hat, make weapon safe - Call out “I’m hit!”, then retreat to your Battalion Aid Station. At the aid station, he will deposit his casualty slip into the casualty receptacle and retrieve a new one, then wait the designated period of time indicated on his previous casualty slip before rejoining his unit. Wait 10 minutes at the aid station before reporting to your squad leader for placement back on the line. Killed – Remove
helmet/hat, make
weapon safe – Immediately retreat to the aid station. At the aid station, he will deposit his
casualty slip into the casualty receptacle and retrieve a new one, then
wait
the designated period of time indicated on his previous casualty slip
before
rejoining his unit. Wait 20 minutes at
the aid station before reporting to his squad leader for placement back
on the
line. Slips
will be printed on green paper for the GI’s and gray paper for
the Germans to
help determine which side incurred the most casualties for each battle
or
scenario. Officers
and NCO’s will be expected to help enforce the casualty rules and
will have the
final say on casualty results. Aid
stations will be stocked with water (cold if possible), first aid kit,
extra
food (if possible), a small table, a couple of chairs (if possible) and
a tent
for getting out of the sun/rain (even a pup tent will suffice).
Roving
aid stations made up of vehicles are also allowable but may be captured
by the
enemy, whereby all supplies can be taken by the enemy. Roving aid
stations however, must be in addition to permanent aid stations.
There
must be a permanent, un-capturable aid station for each side that will
have
emergency supplies available for each force. 19.5.2.
WWIIRC Prisoners of War Rules
When
taken prisoner you must remove your helmet/hat and make your weapon
safe.
You will then shoulder your weapon and put your hands on your head
while your
captor escorts you to the CP. Your captor will then take your
weapon and
then pat you down for intelligence and other weapons which he may also
take. The captor may also question the prisoner and the prisoner
may
refuse to answer. Captors may use the following threats/torture
methods
against prisoners in order obtain intelligence: ·
Dump
out canteens (unless the prisoner is sweating a lot, we don’t
want a heat
exhaustion case)—this would force the prisoner upon return to his
aid station
to retrieve more water ·
Take
rations (which may be eaten by the captors) ·
Take
ammunition (which must be returned at the end of the day) Once
the captor is satisfied that he has searched the prisoner thoroughly,
he will
tell the prisoner that he is free to go, at which point the prisoner
may gather
his weapons (but not intelligence such as maps or orders), keep them on
safe,
and keep his helmet/hat off and then proceed to his own aid
station. He
must then wait 20 minutes before rejoining his unit.
Prisoners
may not try to escape because there is no safe way of having a captor
potentially “shooting” an escaping prisoner at close range
for attempting
escape (this rule may be examined further for possibilities). In
order to
enforce this rule, prisoners that “escape” will be worth 2
points to the
capturing force, the same as if they were taken prisoner. 19.5.3.
WWIIRC Victory Points
Each
wounded or killed casualty is worth 1 point for the opposing force. Each
prisoner taken by your force is worth 2 points, if a prisoner is
carrying
intelligence such as a map or orders, they are worth 3 points. Successful
completion of objectives as outlined before the battle are worth the
number of
points assigned to each objective In
order to factor in force size, such as a smaller force against a larger
force,
the following calculation will used to figure the final point total: ·
The
opposing force’s number of troops at the start of the day will be
divided by
your force’s number of troops at the start of the day. ·
That
number will be multiplied by the number of victory points your force
accumulated (casualties your force causes, and prisoners your force
takes) to
determine your final Victory Point total. 20.
Glossary
CO – Commanding
Officer Defilade – A firing
position that
cannot be attacked from the flank because of natural obstacle to
incoming fire. Enfilade – A
position that allows the
attacker to fire along the longest axis of the enemy, i.e. firing along
a
trench line instead of head-on. ETO – European
Theater of War Farby – anything
modern that is on
your person, or that you are doing or saying, that is not of the time
period
that you are portraying (such as talking on a cell phone during a
battle in
plain view of the public) Impression – the
historically accurate
persona that includes uniform, equipment, weapons, knowledge and
mannerisms
characteristic to a particular type of historical figure. NCO –
Non-commissioned Officer,
or any rank below 2nd Lieutenant or any rank that wears
stripes
above a Private, First Class Ost Front – German
for “East Front” POV – Privately
Owned Vehicle or
civilian vehicle not of the WWII era, (i.e. the car you drove from home
to the
event) POW – Prisoner of War Public Battle – Any battle reenactment that takes place in view of the public and is orchestrated from beginning to end, often down to the smallest detail. This type of battle is more like a “play” than a combat scenario and is meant to provide an interesting battle for the public to watch. Casualties are usually worked out prior to the battle and objectives are made known to both sides. The Germans always lose public battles. Public battles may often seem like “dog and pony shows” to reenactors, but they are the best means for recruiting new reenactors and impressing the public. The point of these battles is to “wow” the audience, thereby building interest in what we do and building support for the World War II History Center. You must have all of your uniform and equipment in order to participate in these events. Tactical Training Event - Events to teach
reenactors
basic tactics, mannerisms, and to keep the unit active.
You do not have to have all of your
uniform/gear to participate in these events.
The subject matter and material covered at each of these
events varies,
as determined by the Unit Commanders. |
 |
 |
Unauthorized use prohibited. Contact us for permissions. |
|