Hartlepool's Heugh Battery Museum stages historic battle re-enactment

The experience at the Heugh Battery Museum, on Hartlepool’s Headland, was all thanks to the history re-enactors from the East Indian Company 1st Battalion Bengal Grenadiers Light Company.

The original battalion was formed in 1747 and for 100 years was involved in protecting England’s eastern trading routes.

Historian and Battalion representative Trevor Gray, 36, said: “The army was a mixture of British and Indian troops who were involved in the Napoleonic wars and were also present at the Battle of Waterloo.

"They were also involved in recruiting and training local people who were uprising against the tyranny of the Tipu Sultan who was ruler of that part of India at the time.

“During this period the Sultan had also been recruiting French soldiers for his own army.”

As part of the event, families were able to handle replica weapons, take part in marching drills, dress in period uniform and find out what a soldiers life would have been like at the time.

Trevor, himself a veteran of five-and-a-half years service with the Royal Artillery Reserves, said after Saturday’s event: “We’ve had a really good response both today and at our previous event at Houghton Feast.

"A lot of re-enactments are based around modern history – World Wars One and Two - but it’s also important to remember the wars and battles which took place before then."

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Battery museum manager Diane Stephens said: “We were delighted to welcome the re-enactment Battalion to the museum for what has been a real family event. We have had a really good turnout and the children and parents all seem to have enjoyed themselves."

Visitors were also able to explore the various exhibits on display at the museum including First World War artillery guns, replica trench and parade ground.

Diane added: “The museum is actually on the site of the only World War One battlefield in the UK.

"The museum tells the story of the bombardment of Hartlepool, which took place on Wednesday December 16, 1914, when the guns of the battery were engaged in ship-to-shore combat with the German Navy.”

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