Battle of El Adem: the Siege of Tobruk
15-17 January 2016
Ruidosa, Texas
1942. The garrison of the port of Tobruk is under siege. Rommel has determined that the El Adem road is the key to breaking the siege. And you are there....
El Adem and its Airfield are directly south of the port of Tobruk on this map.
The reenactment of the Battle of El Adem is open to all All British Commonwealth North African impressions, Deutches Afrika Korps, and Italian North African impressions. This event is a private tactical battle. It is not open to the public. All reenactors interested in participating need to be approved by the 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment. If you or your unit are interested in attending, PLEASE FILL OUT THE CONTACT FORM AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE AND SUBMIT IT. This is an immersion event, running from Friday night through Sunday morning. Bring plenty of water, rations, and ammunition to last for the whole weekend. You will burn alot of ammunition, so don't just show up with 100 rounds!
Breakfast and supper on Saturday evening will be provided to all participants. Other meals need to be provided by the participants themselves. Please ensure that the rations and snacks you bring are period correct, and leave all modern labels and packaging at home. A recommended source for rations is http://reprorations.com/
Helmets are required for this event. There will be a large amount of pyrotechnics used at the event, including simulated mortar and artillery bombardments, as well as signalling pyrotechnics, smoke, and parachute flares. If you are planning on bringing any pyrotechnics, see the "Rules of Engagement" document below.
Ruidosa is in southwest Texas near the border with Mexico. The site consists of over 700 acres of desert terrain, an airfield, dirt roads, large wadis and ridges as well as flat rocky scrub. The terrain is tactical vehicle friendly.
What you can expect;
- Dug-in field fortifications reinforced with barbed wire obstacles and pillboxes.
- Authentic meals provided by authentic British field kitchen facilities.
- Professional grade pyrotechnics program simulating artillery barrages including HE and smoke shells.
- Plenty of living history time and both day and night combat scenarios.
Upon arrival, you will kit up and get your gear ready, and report to registration. Safety and authenticity will be checked in the at registration. Your heavy equipment, weaponry, and any other gear or vehicles will be checked at the registration point. Once you have been registered and cleared, you will be directed to your positions for the night. If you have heavy gear and no period vehicle, transport vehicles will be on hand to move you and your stuff to your assigned positions. From the time you leave registration to the time you head to your vehicle after the event, you are expected to remain 'period' for the duration of the event. You are free to go back to the vehicle parking area during the event, but leave the modern stuff there.
On Saturday morning, there will be a brief formation consisting of a briefing on what to expect, what will be expected of you, and some demonstrations of pyrotechnics and hand-to-hand 'combat' as well as a full ammunition and pyro layout and inspection to ensure safety during the event. Safety personnel will be pointed out and firefighting equipment pointed out, should it be needed during the event. After the formation, combatants will go back to their positions, and the scenarios will begin.
There is no 'down time' in between the scenarios. This is a campaign style event, and your chain of command will be giving you orders on what you will do, where and when. In 'down time' in combat, soldiers clean weapons, re-organize gear, sew torn uniforms, eat and sleep whenever possible, improve their positions, and talk about the normal things soldiers talk about. That is what you are expected to do from the time you leave registration to the time you leave the event. The only administrative 'down time' for the event will be at supper time on Saturday, when all participants, both german and british, will eat a meal together and administrative information will be given to everyone prior to the night combat.
Understand that this is a historic reenactment. There is no hit calling, and it is not a wargame. There is no "winning", only portraying events that occurred. There is no "you go over there on that hill and we'll try to kick you off". Hit calling is the most dis-respectful practice that "reenactors" engage in. It reduces the act of soldiers killing soldiers to a game, and dishonors the sacrifices of those we portray. Some of us are real combat veterans, and if your club does this, leave it at home.
Chain of command will be established for both sides by the organizers of the event. There is no 'reenactor rank' or 'reenactor time in grade'. All participants will follow the orders of their chain of command. Failure to comply will result in a warning, and repeated failure to comply may result from expulsion from the event. There will be pre-placed pyrotechnics for some of the scenarios, and individuals and groups who fail to follow orders could get themselves or others injured, and ruin the scenario for everyone.
Does this all sound a little too military? That's the point. If you want to take the hobby seriously, by all means, fill out the contact form and join us and see what "feeling like being there" can feel like. The organizers of this event are bringing 30 years of reenacting and event running experience in both North America and Europe spanning from the Napoleonic Wars to Vietnam to the table.
Keep referring back to this web page, as well as signing up on the "Battle of El Adem: the Siege of Tobruk" Facebook page for updates and current information on the event. Thanks!
Breakfast and supper on Saturday evening will be provided to all participants. Other meals need to be provided by the participants themselves. Please ensure that the rations and snacks you bring are period correct, and leave all modern labels and packaging at home. A recommended source for rations is http://reprorations.com/
Helmets are required for this event. There will be a large amount of pyrotechnics used at the event, including simulated mortar and artillery bombardments, as well as signalling pyrotechnics, smoke, and parachute flares. If you are planning on bringing any pyrotechnics, see the "Rules of Engagement" document below.
Ruidosa is in southwest Texas near the border with Mexico. The site consists of over 700 acres of desert terrain, an airfield, dirt roads, large wadis and ridges as well as flat rocky scrub. The terrain is tactical vehicle friendly.
What you can expect;
- Dug-in field fortifications reinforced with barbed wire obstacles and pillboxes.
- Authentic meals provided by authentic British field kitchen facilities.
- Professional grade pyrotechnics program simulating artillery barrages including HE and smoke shells.
- Plenty of living history time and both day and night combat scenarios.
Upon arrival, you will kit up and get your gear ready, and report to registration. Safety and authenticity will be checked in the at registration. Your heavy equipment, weaponry, and any other gear or vehicles will be checked at the registration point. Once you have been registered and cleared, you will be directed to your positions for the night. If you have heavy gear and no period vehicle, transport vehicles will be on hand to move you and your stuff to your assigned positions. From the time you leave registration to the time you head to your vehicle after the event, you are expected to remain 'period' for the duration of the event. You are free to go back to the vehicle parking area during the event, but leave the modern stuff there.
On Saturday morning, there will be a brief formation consisting of a briefing on what to expect, what will be expected of you, and some demonstrations of pyrotechnics and hand-to-hand 'combat' as well as a full ammunition and pyro layout and inspection to ensure safety during the event. Safety personnel will be pointed out and firefighting equipment pointed out, should it be needed during the event. After the formation, combatants will go back to their positions, and the scenarios will begin.
There is no 'down time' in between the scenarios. This is a campaign style event, and your chain of command will be giving you orders on what you will do, where and when. In 'down time' in combat, soldiers clean weapons, re-organize gear, sew torn uniforms, eat and sleep whenever possible, improve their positions, and talk about the normal things soldiers talk about. That is what you are expected to do from the time you leave registration to the time you leave the event. The only administrative 'down time' for the event will be at supper time on Saturday, when all participants, both german and british, will eat a meal together and administrative information will be given to everyone prior to the night combat.
Understand that this is a historic reenactment. There is no hit calling, and it is not a wargame. There is no "winning", only portraying events that occurred. There is no "you go over there on that hill and we'll try to kick you off". Hit calling is the most dis-respectful practice that "reenactors" engage in. It reduces the act of soldiers killing soldiers to a game, and dishonors the sacrifices of those we portray. Some of us are real combat veterans, and if your club does this, leave it at home.
Chain of command will be established for both sides by the organizers of the event. There is no 'reenactor rank' or 'reenactor time in grade'. All participants will follow the orders of their chain of command. Failure to comply will result in a warning, and repeated failure to comply may result from expulsion from the event. There will be pre-placed pyrotechnics for some of the scenarios, and individuals and groups who fail to follow orders could get themselves or others injured, and ruin the scenario for everyone.
Does this all sound a little too military? That's the point. If you want to take the hobby seriously, by all means, fill out the contact form and join us and see what "feeling like being there" can feel like. The organizers of this event are bringing 30 years of reenacting and event running experience in both North America and Europe spanning from the Napoleonic Wars to Vietnam to the table.
Keep referring back to this web page, as well as signing up on the "Battle of El Adem: the Siege of Tobruk" Facebook page for updates and current information on the event. Thanks!
Terrain of the real El Adem and British left flank.
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Terrain at Ruidosa Comparison
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General authenticity rules for ALL PARTICIPANTS:
NO cigarettes with filters
NO cell phones. If you can't live without the thing, put it on vibrate, and if you must use it, go out in the woods like you are going out to wipe your ass with a rabbit, meaning MAKE SURE YOU CAN'T BE SEEN BY ANYONE.
NO modern music.
NO modern containers, wrist watches, jewelry, ear buds, blue tooths, or eyewear. Either wear period correct glasses, or wear contacts.
NO modern camp gear visible. All modern coolers, stoves, lanterns, or any other modern stuff must be concealed in tents WITH FLAPS CLOSED AT ALL TIMES. A modern igloo cooler painted camouflage with an eagle and swastika on it DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AUTHENTIC CAMP GEAR.
NO MODERN VEHICLES in the camp areas. IF you are allowed to unload your modern vehicle because you have an exceptionally impressive amount of period camp gear for your display, then you will unload the gear and IMMEDIATELY move your modern vehicle out of the camp area. Come back to set it up AFTER you have removed your vehicle.
Facial hair MUST BE JUSTIFIED BY THE PARTICIPANT WITH DOCUMENTATION AND PHOTOS. If you don't provide it, either shave, or leave.
NO cigarettes with filters
NO cell phones. If you can't live without the thing, put it on vibrate, and if you must use it, go out in the woods like you are going out to wipe your ass with a rabbit, meaning MAKE SURE YOU CAN'T BE SEEN BY ANYONE.
NO modern music.
NO modern containers, wrist watches, jewelry, ear buds, blue tooths, or eyewear. Either wear period correct glasses, or wear contacts.
NO modern camp gear visible. All modern coolers, stoves, lanterns, or any other modern stuff must be concealed in tents WITH FLAPS CLOSED AT ALL TIMES. A modern igloo cooler painted camouflage with an eagle and swastika on it DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AUTHENTIC CAMP GEAR.
NO MODERN VEHICLES in the camp areas. IF you are allowed to unload your modern vehicle because you have an exceptionally impressive amount of period camp gear for your display, then you will unload the gear and IMMEDIATELY move your modern vehicle out of the camp area. Come back to set it up AFTER you have removed your vehicle.
Facial hair MUST BE JUSTIFIED BY THE PARTICIPANT WITH DOCUMENTATION AND PHOTOS. If you don't provide it, either shave, or leave.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS TO THE EVENT
From Marfa, Texas south on S Highland Ave/US-67 S toward W Dallas St. Continue to follow US-67 S. for 58.3 miles toward Presidio. Turn right onto FM 170 and continue for 35.9 miles. Arrive in Ruidosa and follow the WW2 signs. DO NOT drive down Pinto Canyon Road from Marfa to get to Ruidosa unless you are in a four-wheel-drive vehicle and are driving in daylight, and have a sense of adventure. The road is not an all-weather road, the drops are shear in places for several hundred feet at the edge of the road, and you have to cross rocky dry river beds at several points. It is just as quick, and safer, driving the extra distance through Presidio.
GPS LOCATION
GPS 29.984158, -104.682249
From Marfa, Texas south on S Highland Ave/US-67 S toward W Dallas St. Continue to follow US-67 S. for 58.3 miles toward Presidio. Turn right onto FM 170 and continue for 35.9 miles. Arrive in Ruidosa and follow the WW2 signs. DO NOT drive down Pinto Canyon Road from Marfa to get to Ruidosa unless you are in a four-wheel-drive vehicle and are driving in daylight, and have a sense of adventure. The road is not an all-weather road, the drops are shear in places for several hundred feet at the edge of the road, and you have to cross rocky dry river beds at several points. It is just as quick, and safer, driving the extra distance through Presidio.
GPS LOCATION
GPS 29.984158, -104.682249
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GETTING THERE
When you're driving to the event, after you've followed the "WW2" arrow signs pictured to the right, you'll come to the Park and Register sign in this photo. Then you'll know for sure you're in the right place. Park your car first, and then get your gear on and report to registration. Thanks! |
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REGISTRATION
Preregistration for the event will begin in October 2015. You will be able to pre-register right here through a paypal link that will be posted next to this paragraph.
Preregistration for the event will begin in October 2015. You will be able to pre-register right here through a paypal link that will be posted next to this paragraph.
