MM 2025 FAQs
What is it?
Monty’s men has gone from strength to strength and can field over 100 men all under the same badge, equipped, organised and supported correctly. Creating possibly the largest assembly of wartime British infantry since the Second World War.
The Monty’s Men events are highly immersive trips aimed at recreating, as best as possible, the experiences of a front-line Tommy (or in this case “Jan Soldaat”), during the ‘field phase’. This is coupled with a social element after the field phase and an opportunity for remembrance, typically in communities associated with the unit we’re portraying.
The field phase is the primary focus of the event and will see you deploy onto a very large site that is representative of the terrain fought over at that time of year.
The distances involved enable us to present a realistic scale battlefield, ensuring we have to deal with the challenges this brings, including movement, navigation, reconnaissance and logistics.
An enemy force ensures we’re kept on our toes, and a realistic chain of command organises the force, receives intelligence reports, creates a plan and disseminates orders to achieve it. Whilst there is a big picture outline for the event, the activities dynamically evolve as the situation plays out.
Where is it?
The exact location won’t be revealed until closer to the trip. Suffice to say the area is a large enough patch of North Brabant in which we are able to manoeuvre, dig in and fire blank weapons.
Group travel from the UK will be via ferry to the Hook of Holland and we have arranged for cars to be parked near the departure point for the duration of the trip. The UK travel group will travel as foot passengers and will board coaches in the Netherlands to travel to the field phase location.
When is it?
The event will run from Wednesday 30th April 2025 to Tuesday 6th May 2025, this includes the field phase, post field phase social evening and a remembrance service.
Those traveling in the party from the UK will be meeting on Tuesday 29th April and returning by in the evening of Tuesday 6th May.
Why do we do it?
Monty’s men was established many years ago to bring together the disparate and individual living historians portraying Second World War British infantry. Monty’s men typically only run a single event per year, to ensure maximum attendance and to avoid conflicting with members’ other commitments.
The challenge of running such a large and complex event is immense, but the satisfaction of the spectacle and the memories it produces keeps us coming back year after year – you really should be part of it!
We’ve not found an experience like this (outside the military), where you are physically challenged and sleep deprived and yet come away with such a sense of achievement, understanding and comradeship.
What will I do?
This can be very variable, and to an extent depends on your role or rank, just as much as how the battle is going, but you can be assured it will include lots of walking and digging and not a lot of sleeping.
The event largely revolves around ‘routine in defence’, much as it did in a wartime campaign. This will involve establishing a position and digging-in. Whilst defending and improving the position you can expect to be sent on reconnaissance or harassing patrols, establishing listening posts or even setting ambushes. Whilst not on stand-to in the position there’s food to be cooked, supplies to be brought up and tea to be brewed, so you’ll not get bored.
How fit do I need to be?
Reasonably, the equipment we carry, as you well know, is heavy and cumbersome. We will be operating in the field without shelter come rain or shine and whilst we try to be sympathetic and certainly don’t expect military fitness, you should be prepared for periods of exertion and discomfort.
You will be expected to dig-in and sleep outside during the field phase, with only the equipment you carry with you for shelter and warmth, though Echelon can usually be relied upon to bring up your large pack with warm clothes and blanket each evening.
We are mindful that the vast majority of attendees are modern civilians used to creature comforts, so are measured in our expectations, but these discomforts add enormously to the sense of immersion and achievement you’ll feel.
Who’s in charge?
This tends to vary by event, but there are an ‘old guard’ of stalwarts who know the ropes and set the high-level objectives and standards, but they try to include representation from across the community and are always keen to have new blood in the team, to keep things fresh.
Rank appointments are made as best as possible on merit and ability, as these roles will really be shouldering the responsibility of command in the field and in the run-up to the event.
Command elements will be expected to ‘know their stuff’ and act independently within the context of a wartime formation, as well as carry out the orders received from up the ‘food chain’.
We don’t impose military style discipline, but for the sake of realism, immersion, practicality and safety it is expected that you will observe the chain of command and obey the orders passed to you.
What will I eat?
During the field phase the ministry of supply has you fully covered. Authentic in appearance (though of recent production) food is provided in ‘compo’ crates to your Section each day (logistics and enemy action excepting). This is typically tinned food providing for breakfast, dinner, supper and extras. A typical menu might be biscuits and Spam for breakfast, meat stew for dinner with tinned fruit for desert and soup for supper. The extras ensure there are plenty of boiled sweets, chocolate and tea to go around.
What if I have special dietary requirements?
Covering everyone’s food preferences is not logistically possible or historically accurate, however we will do our best to accommodate food allergies and intolerances, we’ll ask for this information when you sign up and will discuss your requirements, in private, with you.
Do you have first aid cover?
Yes, we are very fortunate to have a number of highly qualified paramedics and other medical professionals and first aiders within the group. Our Echelon element includes a depiction of Royal Army Medical Corps and in addition to their historical paraphernalia there are fully equipped modern emergency medical bags.
In addition, Echelon have tents to shelter casualties and vehicles to help move them.
Is there an enemy?
Yes! A similar sized force of highly trained, active and highly authentic enemy infantry are undergoing the same experience as you will be. They too will be patrolling, defending and quite possibly attacking, meaning you can never let your guard down.
What do I get out of it?
Well, we don’t think there’s a better way to get an impression of what life was like for a Second World War Tommy. Clearly we don’t replicate the fear and horror of war, and wouldn’t want to, this experience focuses on how hard it was just to live and operate, you’ll used all your kit, especially the warm stuff! You’ll find out what works and what doesn’t. Why Tommy’s always carry shovels, and how little of the wider context of the battle you can perceive.
Any historian of the infantryman in the Second World War will gain a unique perspective and appreciation of the feats of our forbears.
You’ll experience logistics, orders, intelligence gathering and rank structures up close, you’ll create new bonds and cement friendships and no doubt have quite a laugh along the way, and if that’s not enough you’ll have a lovely Prinses Irene shoulder patch.
Are we playing war?
It is absolutely not our intention to ‘play at’ or glorify war. We aim at all times to be respectful to the memories of all parties caught up in the horrors of war. We aim to provide an experience to help you better understand some of what people went through so that you are informed and better able to represent them in other living history contexts.
Do I have to speak Dutch?
No! The Brigade was obliged to formally use English, to simplify the communication of orders and reports etc., so speaking English will be historically accurate. We are hoping to attract a significant contingent of ‘real’ Dutch living historians, so there will be plenty of Dutch being spoken and you’ll have a chance to read up on the English-Dutch translation pamphlet prior to embarkation.
How much experience do I need to have?
You don’t really need any, just the keenness to get stuck in. We can arrange to meet up prior to the trip to discuss equipment needs and safety matters, but anyone already involved in living history, in any time period, will be well set to come and join us, we’d love to have you along.