Army PT Staff go back in time
Sergeant Stuart Mann (26) from Tyldesley, Manchester who is training to be a Physical Training Instructor (PTI) with the Army's Physical Training Corps in Aldershot, helps his mate over an authentic world war two assault course
A demonstration of hand to hand combat skills 1940's style
Sergeant Ian Burkitt (26) from Doncaster, who is training to be a Physical Training Instructor (PTI) with the Army's Physical Training Corps in Aldershot, leads his section over an authentic world war two assault course
Sergeant Chris McQuilkin (30) from Salisbury, who is training to be a Physical Training Instructor (PTI) with the Army's Physical Training Corps in Aldershot, 'enjoys' a taste of PT 1940's style
A team of Army Physical Training Instructors will be going back in time to show how the British troops were primed to beat the Nazis.
The instructors are all members of the Army Physical Training Corps based in Aldershot. Their 'Tough Tactics' exhibition is part of Veterans Awareness Week, Britain's national commemoration week, which begins on Monday 4 July 2005.
Tough Tactics were developed by the Army's PT Staff in the dark days of World War II, shortly after the evacuation of the Dunkirk beaches. Senior commanders recognised that if the British were going to have any chance of defending the UK from invasion they would need to get the troops fit.
PT staff began developing new ways to improve the stamina of all soldiers, even developing and teaching new methods of unarmed combat. Unarmed combat was vital to the instructors who went on to teach the new airborne, commando and SAS units, as well as the volunteers of the Special Operations Executive.
The tough tactics are being brought back to life with demonstrations by the Aldershot based trainers at the Living Museum, in St James's Park, during Veterans Awareness Week.
The team have designed their own World War Two mini assault course from original plans and during the exhibition they will be running the course dressed as British Tommies from the 1940s.
The temporary museum which is being built in St James's Park will offer an unprecedented opportunity for the public to see highlights from many of the Nation's major collections simultaneously on a 25,000 square metre site.
In addition to the tough tactics demonstrations the 'Living Museum' will encompass a wide range of groups providing re-enactments hands-on displays and memorabilia relating to the war years giving visitors a glimpse of wartime life.
Over 28 Museums and organisations are taking part to commemorate the lives of those men and women, both military and civilian, who experienced WWII �?an event which has shaped the lives of subsequent generations and must never be forgotten.
Education and understanding are central to the concept of the "Living Museum" - today it is hard for younger generations to imagine wartime life and WWII will soon no longer be part of living memory.
Through the "Living Museum" visitors will be able to learn about the experience of the war generation first hand, through real 'living history'.
Re-enactments and hands-on displays will give them a glimpse of wartime life, both military and domestic - from air-raids and black-outs, through to gas-mask training and code-cracking. Visitors will be able to try on the clothes, pick up the objects and join in the songs.
The Ministry of Defence has been working closely with a team drawn from various Veterans Organisations for over a year to pull together the events designed to reflect both the poignant and celebratory aspects of the 60th Anniversary.
See the Related links below for the 60th Anniversary website which provides information about the many commemorative events being organised in London and around the Country.
Museum admission is FREE and the opening hours at St James's Park, London, SW1 will be:
Monday 4 July 2005 1400 hrs - 2000 hrs (last entrance 1900 hrs)
Tuesday 5 July - Friday 8 July 2005 1200 hrs - 2000 hrs (last entrance 1900 hrs)
Saturday 9 July 2005 1100 hrs - 2000 hrs (last entrance 1900 hrs)
Sunday 10 July 2005 0900 hrs - 1400 hrs (last entrance 1300 hrs)
School groups can benefit from early opening hours from 1100 hrs Tuesday - Friday. Booking numbers for school groups are 020 7218 5639 and 020 7807 8935.
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