Group Aims:
The aims for the group are to organise and attend various re-enactment events, to provide a quality living history encampment, to become skilled in the use of all hand weapons, and, to provide a safe gunnery block, for the periods of history from Hastings 1066 to Waterloo 1815.
Officers:
The group shall have an elected Master Archer.
The group shall have an elected Master of Arms.
The group shall have an elected Master Gunner.
All officers shall act as Safety Officer in their own subject, and also as joint Group Safety Officers.
Management:
The Group shall be managed by the following elected persons:
The Chairman.
The Vice-Chairman.
The Treasurer.
The Group Secretary.
The Membership Secretary.
General Meetings:
The Annual General Meeting, also referred to as the AGM, shall take place during November of each year.
The current officers and management shall retire and new shall be elected.
The retiring persons may stand for re-election.
The agenda of the AGM shall include, but not be limited to Secretary`s report, Treasurers report, notified proposals and election of Officers and Management.
Under special circumstances an Extraordinary General Meeting may be called.
An arrangement for proxy voting can be introduced.
Finance:
The annual membership fee shall be payable by all members, this shall be fixed by popular vote at the AGM.
The Treasurer shall collect all such payments, and shall give a detailed report of all finances and assets at the AGM or at any monthly meeting as required by any member.
All membership fees are renewable at the AGM, irrespective of the date of joining.
Insurance:
The group shall carry a Public Liability Insurance to the value of £5 million pounds.
Memberships:
Application for memberships shall be made to the Membership Secretary.
All new members shall be subject to a probationary period of three events.
Membership into the gun company shall be by invitation only.
All new gunners shall be subject to a probationary period of three events, and shall be supervised by the Master Gunner or one other gunner, neither of whom shall have invited them to join, this rule includes those that are already members of the group.
The group reserves the right to refuse any application.
Any member who fails to observe any of the rules of the group shall be reported to a safety officer and also to the management, the matter will be discussed at the monthly meeting and members shall take whatever action they deem appropriate, up to, and including, exclusion from the group.
Code Of Dress:
All members should seek to obtain a standard comparable to the best of living history standards, the only materials allowed being those available at the time of the period being portrayed.
Dress patterns and assistance, in some cases can be provided.
Safety:
Safety and usage rules are available separately for each discipline.
All members of the group shall be conversant with the detailed rules.
It shall be the responsibility of all group members to ensure as far as possible, the safety of themselves, other participants and the general public during any event, either on or off the field.
General Rules:
1. All group members shall remain sober before taking part in any battle or in any use of arms.
Gunners shall partake in no alcoholic beverages whatsoever before any battle or handling of black powder or any other explosives.
All members shall cease drinking alcohol at night in time to be sober for the following days battle or use of arms.
2. Illegal substance abuse will not be tolerated, any person found partaking of them shall be excluded.
3. Any Safety Officer shall refuse to let any member who is unfit due to alcohol, hangover or injury to participate in any battle or use of arms.
4. Group members will only carry arms whilst training or on the battlefield, arms will never be carried off site or in the beer tent. A fine of £5 will be incurred on each occasion this rule is broken.
5-A. Weapons used for re-enacting shall be fit for the purpose and in good condition, free from notches and burrs, clean and free from rust.
B. Swords and daggers shall have a minimum radius at the point equal to that of a five pence piece.
C. Pole arms shall have a minimum radius at the point equal to that of a one pound coin.
D. No weapons tip shall be thinner than the thickness of a two pence piece.
E. The Safety Officers shall inspect all arms before each days use.
6. No sharp or edged weapons shall be used in any re-enactment, other than sharp scissors to be used in a first aid box, or a concealed folding knife for the trimming of match cord.
7. No mallet which is longer than 24 inches nor any flail weapon shall be allowed in any re-enactment.
8. All firearms to be stamped by a recognised proof house, and relevant certificates shall be carried at all times.
9. All members shall wear head protection and a padded jack whilst on the field and whilst practicing or training.
10. Each Arms Master is responsible for ensuring that all persons are trained and competent in the arms being used, and no person will be allowed on the field until passed as competent.
11. The Safety Officers shall carry out a risk assessment of any site before any show shall take place.
12. The Safety Officers shall ensure that the show organisers have taken adequate safety precautions. If adequate safety has not been provided for the group, other societies or the general public, then the group shall be withdrawn from the field.
13. Women who wish to fight will either dress as a man in such a manner as to be unrecognisable as a woman, or, to wear the correct female fighting clothes of the period.
14. No man shall dress as a woman unless the script calls for it.
15. No person shall smoke within thirty feet of any gun or powder store.
16. All members shall agree to the group constitution and agree to be bound by it.
Gunners:
All persons using powder/explosives or artillery pieces shall carry with them all relevant and valid certificates/licences for use of these powders and equipment owned.
All group members shall deposit with the Group Secretary photocopies of all certificates/licences held.
No person may use powder/explosives or firearms without the express permission of the Master Gunner.
All persons with acquire only certificates shall obtain powder from the Master Gunner before each show, and return any unused immediately afterwards.
All cannon shall have a minimum crew of three.
All artillery pieces shall be placed so as to minimise any risk to any participants and members of the public, the person in charge of each piece will be responsible for this action.
The Master Gunner will also supervise the placing of all artillery pieces.
All gunners will be required to train under the Master Gunner at an approved shooting club and prove competence before being allowed on the field.
All gunners will be supervised for their first three events before being allowed to work unsupervised.
All gunners will be regarded as non-combatants and will not be attacked by men at arms unless by prior arrangement.
All gunners are expected to work in a safe and professional manner.
All gunners are responsible for ensuring the safety of the firearms and the powder in their charge, and shall be aware of the presence of other re-enactors and members of the public.
All gunners shall ensure that their firearms are in proof.
All gunners are responsible for ensuring that their firearms are discharged safely.
No gunner shall fire any other than blank ammunition.
All gunners are responsible for the stopping and/or reporting of any offence or wrongdoing concerning firearms or explosives, either by members of the group or of any members of other groups, and the wrongdoer will be removed from the field.
Any gunners considered to be dangerous and unfit to own or use firearms or powder will be reported to the Chief Constable of either their local area or of the local area involved.
All gunners will carry the following items:-
A. A vent key to clear the touch hole.
B. Water, either in a bucket or a flask.
C. A sharp folding knife for trimming match cord, concealed in a stout leather bag.
D. A lighter of the storm proof type, concealed in a bag separate from all other items.
All gunners shall wear stout leather gloves.
No tools that are used on cannon or muskets shall be made of steel.
All gunners shall read and follow the separate gunnery rules.
No gunner shall smoke within thirty feet of any firearm or powder store.
Archers/Crossbow men:
All archers will be required to train under the Master Archer and prove competence before being allowed on the field.
All archers will be supervised for their first three events before being allowed to work unsupervised.
All archers will be regarded as non-combatants and will not be attacked by men at arms unless by prior arrangement.
All archers are expected to work in a safe and professional manner.
The role of the archer is normally to exchange volleys with opposing archers.
Arrows and bolts will only be loosed under the direction of the archery captain.
Arrows and bolts shall only be loosed at an angle of at least 45 degrees from the horizontal unless by prior agreement.
All archers are responsible for ensuring the safety of the equipment in their charge, and shall be aware of the presence of other re-enactors and members of the public.
All archers are responsible for ensuring that their bows are discharged safely.
All archers are responsible for the stopping and/or reporting of any offence or wrongdoing concerning archery equipment, either by members of the group or of any members of other groups, and the person concerned will be asked to leave the field.
No archer will carry any arrows on to the field other than those issued by the Master Archer.
All archers are responsible to ensure that only blunt arrows and bolts are used, and that they are in a safe condition before being used.
All archers will remove or break dangerous arrows if beyond repair.
The practice of placing a rubber blunt over sharp arrows is dangerous and will not be tolerated, any person found to be so doing will be removed from the field and if one of our members expelled from the group.
The archer will carry the following onto the field:-
A. No sharp arrows.
B. No sharp weapons.
C. Head protection in the form of padded arming cap or helmet.
No archer shall smoke within thirty feet of any firearm or powder store.
Men-at-arms:
All men-at-arms will be required to train under the Master-at-Arms and prove competence before being allowed on the field.
All men-at-arms will be supervised for their first three events before being allowed to work unsupervised.
The role of the man-at-arms is to provide the bulk of the fighting force in the army, men-at-arms with pole arms do the most of the fighting and are required to engage with their opponents in a safe and controlled manner.
Men-at-arms shall use the least amount of force when bodily contact takes place, this is generally between the knees and breast, regardless of the armour worn by the opponent.
Men-at-arms shall hold the pole with both hands.
Men-at-arms shall not slide the pole through the leading hand.
Men-at-arms shall not hook the opponents clothes or limbs.
Men-at-arms shall not attack fallen opponents.
No weapons shall be thrown unless by prior agreement.
Men-at-arms will carry onto the field the following:-
A. No sharp weapons.
B. Only the weapons they are competent in using.
C. Protection in the form of stout gloves, a padded jack or similar and a helmet.
All men-at-arms are responsible for the safety of themselves, other re-enactors and members of the public.
Any man-at-arms found endangering an opponent or member of the public will be removed from the field.
No man-at-arms shall smoke within thirty feet of any firearm or powder store.
Non Combatants:
Any member who does not wish to train as a combatant may pursue a craft or village role fitting to the time being re-enacted.
No non combatant will be allowed on the field except as water carriers or as first aid ers.
All water carriers must wear head protection in the form of a padded arming cap or helmet.
It is the duty of the non combatant to stay away from any form of fighting when on the field.
Age restrictions:
All persons under the age of 16 are non combatants.
All children under the age of 14 years are non combatants and will not be allowed on the field.
Persons aged between 14 and 18 shall be allowed on the field as banner bearers, drummers or water carriers.
Persons aged between 14 and 18 shall be allowed on the field after training as archers and crossbow men unless prior agreements have been made that the archery block may be attacked.
Persons aged between 16 and 18 may man a black powder cannon under the supervision of a gun captain.
Persons aged between 16 and 18 may be combatants, but must be supervised by either the block captain or Master-at-arms.
Persons under the age of 16 may take part in controlled training.
Persons between the ages of 16 and 18 entering the field shall wear head protection in the form of a padded arming cap or helmet.
Persons below the age of 16 who are non combatants:-
1. Shall not be near the main battle lines.
2. Must not be on the side that is over-run.
3. Must not collect arrows or bolts from in front of the archers or crossbow men.
4. Must be under the supervision of a clearly designated and responsible adult.
