This years Yanks event, ”Yanks are coming back to Saddleworth” starts on the 10th, 11th & 12th August 2012.
An unforgettable day out and fantastic experience for the everyone as the “Yanks” set up camp in the grounds of Saddleworth School in Uppermill, Saddleworth. This is a huge event that winds back the clock across the whole area taking you right back World War Two!!!
This very popular annual event was first staged over 10 years ago to celebrate the local filming of the Hollywood movie “YANKS” in 1979 starring Richard Gere. Many locations in Uppermill and neighbouring Dobcross were used in the film. Just like the movie set, living history re-enactors and vintage military vehicles owners re-create an atmosphere of Wartime Britain. Lots of wartime entertainment, period stalls, dancing, military vehicle parade and much, much more…!
Now in its eleventh year open to all Military & Classic Vehicles from 1914 to the gulf war.You will see, Military Vehicle Encampment, Militaria & Vintage stalls, Mr Churchill & Monty Visiting the troops, Vintage fun fair, 1940′s Tea room and Cafe, American Classic Cars, WWII 36.7 litre V12 Griffon engine display (so don’t forget your ear plugs), there will be musical entertainment on the field all weekend provided by ‘Homefront Entertainments’.
In Uppermill Civic Hall on Saturday starting at 11am - 2pm our tea dance hosted by Pat & Colin with DJ Major Swing spinning the disc’s, from 2pm - 5pm Backstep Boogie Club with Dance lessons, also Wartime Cinema, Entrance for the morning/afternoon £3.
Don’t forget our popular Victory Swing Ball on Saturday evening 7-30pm till late at the Civic Hall Uppermill, all floors in the Civic will be open and topping the bill The Spitfire Swing Band plus the Fabulous Katie Spitfire along with top DJ Major Swing spinning the discs and playing music from the decades plus FREE dance lessons down stairs by the Backstep Boogie Club, Tickets £15:00 only available in advance including Hot Wartime Supper.
Sunday you will see most of the above and more plus the Mayor of Oldham will be hosting a coffee morning with the Normandy Veterans followed by the Military Parade & Convoy through Saddleworth and surrounding areas.
Yanks are back in Saddleworth appreciate the contribution of military vehicles from the Northwest MVT & Manchester MVT.
I saw this event a couple of years ago and was very disturbed to see a vehicle with Nazi insignia and men in Nazi uniforms. I always stay well away from it since then.
I get very disturbed seeing English Civil War Cavaliers at various weekends around the country every summer.
Come on Liz, celebrate the fact that we won the war and are now only living under the ‘tyranny’ of that buffoon Cameron.
You could always boo and hiss at those men in the German Army uniforms - many of the real WWII German soldiers had to fight, or get shot. They didn’t have the luxury of being a conscientious objector. They were not all Nazi’s.
I must admit I went yesterday and saw someone dressed up in a German uniform he was very good, looked the real thing and made me go cold, but I would still go back as I have done the last few years. Credit to everyone involved another good weekend in Saddleworth.
I am in agreement with Liz. Here is a comment I have put on another site which reports protests about the ‘SS’ presence in Saddleworth again this year.
‘Many of the readers making comments appear to have totally misunderstood what the weekend is about. It is not a WW2 re-enactment or commemoration event. It in fact marks the filming of the Hollywood movie ‘Yanks’ in the area during the 1970′s. That film was about the relationship between the local community and the US forces stationed here. Incidentally US forces were never actually stationed in Saddleworth, only the film provides a link. As such you might expect to see festival goers dressed as US soldiers, locals in 40′s civvies and a few British service personnel on leave. There is no place for German or other Axis uniforms. Interestingly the organisers did try to reinvent the weekend as a ‘War Weekend’ a while ago but reverted back to the original theme.
Some contributors seem to draw a distinction between the Waffen SS, who they think are OK, and the real SS. This is really misguided. The Waffen SS provided the guards for the concentration camps and were fully involved in all aspects of the holocaust, in addition they committed some of the worst atrocities in occupied France. If you think the Waffen SS are just ordinary soldiers caught up in a war I suggest you search the web for Oradour Sur Glane where over 600 mostly women and children were herded into buildings, shot and set fire to. Evidence suggests that they were deliberately shot in the legs before being burnt alive.
I cannot understand why anyone would want to wear a German WW2 uniform. I certainly do not want to see it in my town. The organisers of the weekend must try harder to stop this affront to the millions who died at the hands of the Nazis. Perhaps the police may like to consider if there is a potential public order offence?’
I agree with John, I cannot understand at all why anyone would want to dress up in Nazi uniform. There have been a number of reports of neo-Nazis using other WW2 weekends to emulate their heroes and I would be deeply suspicious of those who dress up in this way. My father and his family were refugees who fled Nazi Germany, SaddBarSteward - this is not some piece of distant history (although goodness only knows why anyone wants to “play” at any war). It is within our lifetimes, and unfortunately neo-Nazis and their sympathisers are still with us. Like John, I hope that the police would take a great deal of interest in these people.
Message for John Brooks- I am a reporter at the Daily Mail and would like to speak to you about the Yanks festival. Can you please contact me on 0203 615 1732 or email [email protected]
Why oh why do the P.C brigade always have to try and put a damper on things? I do respect the victims of the Holocaust, this was just a lot of people dressing up enjoying themselves for once in these miserable times, I dont think for one minute anyone meant to offend anyone. I hate the Nazis as much as anyone else but this was a man dressed up, maybe in bad taste but to involve the police? There were far more puplic order offences at the Beer Walk and looked what happened there.
I respond to Liz’s comment about the “P C brigade”. This has nothing to do with the P C brigade. It has to do with the fact that wearing the uniform of a Nazi officer is highly offensive. I live in Saddleworth. I am Jewish. I lost family in the Holocaust to Nazi atrocity in Breslau. Liz you miss the point. It has nothing to do with respect for victims of the Holocaust. It has to do with what is right and what is wrong in today’s society. In Germany the wearing of any Nazi uniform or symbol is a criminal offence and for good reason…and in UK it is enough that some people find it offensive and are not being P C to say so.
After reading the comments on here, I think it high time everyone took a step back.!!
Obviously, for those people who have lost their families through the actions of the German Army, then seeing people dressed in such uniforms will be upsetting for you. There’s no two ways about it, it was a terrible act by them in the war, but it’s in our history of our lifetime.
The people dressed up at weekend, ( that I saw ) were in a German army vehicle and I saw it as a complete effect.
I didn’t see it as them comming into Saddlworth to offend or attack anyone connected in a personal way to what happened in the past.
If you were offended or upset then I see your point for not being at all happy, but it’s a history that everyone has to be aware of.
The comment about it only being Americans and British soldiers being allowed on this weekend is a bit petty, as you well know it was the Germans we were fighting against after all .
I’d also like to point out, as certain comments mention how you are residents in Saddleworth, to say you don’t want such people coming here, did anyone tell you that you wernt welcome when you moved here.??????
It works both ways doesn’t it.
Just for the record I was born n bred here, and I was open minded about the weekend, and feel I see it for what it is which is simply folk who are genuinely into the history of the war.
Thanks Dave.
It was a good weekend again even though I would have liked more structure to the events and happenings over the weekend. Where was the plane? What time were things such as the reenactment take place? We all had a great time over the 2 days though and very enjoyable. WHat a great thing for Saddleworth and you dont have to spend a penny to really absorb the atmophere and the costumes / cars.
Going onto the people dressed up in German uniforms. People do know that the organisers do put reenactments on? That they collect war memorabilia from large to small, people make a living from this. They planned to stage a battle on the playing fields, your going to need say 6-10 Germans. I didn’t see more people than this in German uniforms. It’s also not like you can go down the shops and buy Asda price German WWII uniforms, people put on what they have lying around or what they can get hold of and play their part in the weekend. People’s bad / ill feelings towards this are all part of remembering, the more terrible feelings / scared children the better one might say as it must never happen again. We have a minutes silence every year not to think happy thoughts and have thoughts about how we won but to make people remember all the horrible things done to ordinary people. I believe the people in German uniforms bring a needed darker but small side to the weekend, all happiness, guns and tanks is not healthy.
I watched schindlers list and it was very graphic about the attrociy of war…. but has it stopped me watching it 4 times ever since.NO. I saw the german uniform and car… but will it stop me watching it again NO. I have 2 children will grow up learning about the attrocities of war as there great grandfather was a intern in a nazi camp for 4 years, but will I stop the free will of them to see ALL aspects of the world wars NO. If you dont like I accept that but please dont try to ban all things…. after all the war was fought to give us freedom of all things!
OMG! can’t believe some of the comments above, get a life!!! as far as I was concerned I believe the war was also about togetherness and all hands on, thats the impression I got when I went to see it, it made a nice change to see people making an effort for something like that, its not like that now in this day and age, its not about the Germans or anyone else for that matter its about mucking in, which we very rarley see now, plus the bloody simple things in life…. they didn’t have a lot in those days and when they did everyone made do…If you can all remember again its not about the war its to get people out and about, everyone remembers the bad things and we are all very sorry for that but as far as I was concerned it was a fab day. Well done to everyone who made an effort on a lovely day….!!
Very true Lorraine. It was a good weekend, just seems that everything that goes on in Saddleworth seems to have its followers of dislikes.
Like you said, a lot of effort went in( as does for most of the festivals in Saddleworth ) and it’s great that folk get together and make it such great events. It’s a shame these people who complain about the events arn’t a bit more open minded and get a bit more into the flow of things around here.!!!!!!
What might a German tourist in England think when he or she comes across the Battle of Bitain Memorial Flight Lancaster bomber, flanked by a Spitfire and a Hurricane? Imagine that they come from Berlin or Dresden or Hamburg. Do they complain through their embassy that they are reminded of the thousand-bomber raids that smashed and burned their cities, killing tens of thousands, and that this sort of thing should be banned? Would the average Brit think that maybe they were being over-sensitive about it; calling us Brits soulless murderers indeed!
Nobody is glorifying anything here, they’re re-enacting history, just as the German re-enactors do. Everyone does their best to accurately portray whatever branch of the armed forces of whatever nationality. Many do several nationalities - British, American and German - and to re-enact badly is to insult the nation they portray. Don’t let’s be beastly to the Germans!
Another thing here that should be remembered.
To remember a war and those that died, means remembering all aspects of the war. WWII was not just about lipstick, stockings, cakes, polka dots and those brave boys and girls - it was also about the bad things like the atrocities, death camps, The SS Totenkopf and the tens of thousands of non-combatants who lost their lives (on all sides).
You have to remember that, or you do a disservice to the people who died protecting our freedoms. War is about death, mayhem and human suffering - enjoy what you have and be thankful.