WINNERS OR LOSERS?

THUMBS UP

TO THE New Yorker magazine for withdrawing an invitation to Steve Bannon, the “white nationalist” and former Trump chief strategist, to headline its forthcoming festival. The invite had stirred controversy on social media. Several VIP guests had threatened to withdraw if Bannon appeared.

FORMER history teacher Andy Robertshaw, whose grandfather fought in the Great War, has recreated British and German First World War trenches near Canterbury. Visitors can don Army uniforms and spend 48 hours in the British trench, experiencing the day-to-day life of the Tommies.

THUMBS DOWN

TESLA boss Elon Musk has made another erratic, baseless allegation against the British diver who helped rescue the Thai boys from a cave recently. Having been criticised for tweeting that the man was a “pedo”(for which Musk apologised), the tycoon has now referred to him as a “child rapist”. Cue another deserved backlash.

FLORENCE, in Italy, has cracked down on “uneducated visitors” who loiter over a sandwich in the busy streets around the Uffizi gallery, fining them up to €500. Granted, the city has a problem with sheer numbers of tourists, but this seems rather heavy-handed.

It was the 250th anniversary of the Jacobite uprising that sparked my interest in re-enacting and I have been fascinated by it ever since. I remember the statue of Bonnie Prince Charlie lighting a fire in my imagination. I was 15 when it became my hobby. However, I never thought I’d be doing it now. It wasn’t until I moved from Derbyshire to study Latin and Roman history at Edinburgh University that I noticed there were fewer re-enactments [than in England], so I grew determined to continue it. I do it to get closer to people historically, to experience what they did.

I researched and worked with battlefield heritage groups and my hobby became far more important. It’s a powerful way to engage people’s minds. I cover a lot of ground wearing multiple layers of wool and linen, which makes it exhausting. However, what’s missing is the real sense of fear and tragedy of battle. Last year, for the Battle of Pinkie, I was nowhere near replicating the scale of the battle, but when it finished it was poignant being close to where those events happened.

Prestonpans will be one of the biggest single period re-enactments in Scotland this year and should have 100 people on-field with horses and cannons. I’m the principal organiser; I portray Bonnie Prince Charlie leading everyone into battle. Participants have researched the period and understand every detail, such as how soldiers make their way across landscapes and how they comfortably carry their pouches.

In live fire situations, things happen quickly, therefore the battles last 15 or 20 minutes. But it’s more than just a battle, I can tell people a story and give them a narrative of great events. I hope