Chiltern Open Air Museum‘s Britain at War weekend is a multi-period re-enactment event covering periods of war throughout Britain’s history. You can visit the living history camps and watch a variety of displays from across the nation’s history. There will be combat demonstrations, firing displays, living history camps to explore and Lindy-hop dancing!

The Museum will be joined by lots of living history re-enactment groups who will be around the 45-acre site among our historic buildings, depicting different wartime periods throughout Britain’s history, covering Medieval, English Civil War, Napoleonic War, WW1, WW2 and beyond.

There will be a number of civilian and military living history camps, an apothecary, and wartime military headquarters where you can discover what life was like on the home front, how the soldiers lived and what medicines were available.

Living history groups taking part this year include:

Medieval Warhorses – Mounted Combat and skill at arms display.

Chanz des Reis – Medieval living history display with everyday aspects of 13th century life, kids “Bill Drill”, Royalist recruiting party and display of the military forces of the day.

Sir Marmaduke Rawdon’s Regiment of Foote – Part of the English Civil War Society, an interactive living history encampment.

2nd Battalion 95th Rifles– Napoleonic wars encampment, drills & rifle firing demonstrations.

The Warwicks 1914-1918 – WW1 encampment & firing displays plus soldier school for children.

The 10th Essex – Living history group providing a visual remembrance of the brave men of the 10th Essex who served in the Great War.

The Rifles Living History Society – Remembering the British and Commonwealth Rifleman of the Great War 1914-1918 with displays and a soldier school for kids.

The Oxfordshire Home Guard – The Home Front and early days of the Local defence volunteers, Air Raid Precaution wardens and Women’s Voluntary Service.

The American Infantry Association – Displaying a field HQ of the 35th Infantry Division of the US Armed Forces stationed in England (in 1944) prior to D-Day.

U.S. 82nd Airborne – Display of original equipment including vehicles, tents, stoves, lanterns, uniforms and weapons.

The U.S. 1st Infantry Division – depicting American troops training for Normandy

Home Front Defenders – depicting a wide range of roles for men & women on the home front.

Utility Jude – Women’s Voluntary Service food preservation station display.

ARP Vicar – Air Raid Precautions display and motorbike.

Doing Their Bit – Emergency shop & Women’s Voluntary Service display.

WW2 General Grocery Store – WW2 evacuee games, books and sweets rations.

WW2 U.S. Army Nursing Corps Display

Squadron X Bomber Command – display around our RAF Briefing Room exhibition.

Britain’s Darkest Hour – Local Defence Volunteers, Air Raid Precautions wardens and Women’s Voluntary Service.

The Lone Rat – Homage to the Desert Rats who fought the Axis forces in North Africa 1940-1943

Winston Churchill – re-enactor talks about the British leader’s life and meeting visitors.

Jeep, Jump, Jive – will be creating a party atmosphere with popular 1940s music playing from their US Army Air Force Jeep. There will be Lindy Hop social dancing and the opportunity for everyone to get involved with fun classes for all ages.

plus various individual vintage military vehicles.

Find all the best Buckinghamshire summer events 2025