Home of the Infantry Regiments of Berkshire and Wiltshire
New Season, New Exhibitions
We have two new exhibitions for 2012, one of which is titled 'The War of 1812', which one of our antecedent regiments - the 49th of Foot took part and this year is the 200th anniversary. This war was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions due to Britain's ongoing war with France, the impressment of American merchant sailors into the Royal Navy, British support of American Indian tribes against American expansion, outrage over insults to national honour after humiliations on the high seas and possible American desire to annex Canada. The exhibition includes comprehensive display panels, a touch screen kiosk which we have recently invested in, a mannequin dressed in a replica 49th Regiment of Foot uniform and paintings. The replica uniform has been made by members of NADFAS and some of the material used had to be improrted from Canada - the only place that supplies the material for this uniform. The Canadians have large reenactments of this war as it is celebrated yearly as a great victory. General Sir Issac Brock the British Commender of the 49th is regarded as a hero of this war and was killed during the Battle of Queenston Heights, in 1812.
The second exhibition has a sports theme. In this year of the London Olympics, we thought we would celebtrate the sporting acheivements of members of our current and past regiments. They include Ken Barrington, England Cricketer and Wiltshire Regiment soldier and Brigadier TH Wand-Tetely who was an olympic athlete and Wiltshire Regiment Officer. The exhibition includes lots of photographs some of which are sports events that took place over 100 years ago, trophies, a football that was used in an army England football match in 1908, informative text panels and medals. Today, sports is a major part of rehabilitation for injured soldiers.
Both exhibitions are running now and will end in November this year. We do not have a date for the official opening of the sports exhibition yet, but the War of 1812 exhibition will be officially opened on 23rd March.
The image on the left shows the War of 1812 exhibition, click on the image to enlarge.