Membership Information
You must be a GWA member to attend the combat
events. GWA dues are $25 per year. Event fees are
$20 each for the spring and fall events. Membership information is available on our web site (see
URL below).
Combatants must also be members of one of the
recognized GWA combat units listed on the next
page. For more information about the units or to
contact one of the GWA officers, visit our web site
at: http://www.great-war-assoc.org/
GWA Officers
President -- Rob Zienta
Vice-President -- John Torkos
Secretary -- John Novicki
Treasurer -- Randy Gaulke
Allied Representative -- Phil Schreier
Allied Combat Commander -- Mike LoCicero
German Representative -German Combat Commander -- Lou Brown
Units
AMERICAN UNITS (American Expeditionary Force)
1st Div., 28th Inf., Co. E, AEF
27th Div., AEF
28th Div., 109th Inf., Co. L, AEF
28th Div., 109th Inf., Co. M, AEF
28th Div., 107th Field Arty., Btty. C, AEF
29th Div., 116th Inf., Hdqtrs. Co., AEF
30th Div., AEF
33rd Div. (Prairie Division), AEF
93rd Div., 372nd Inf., AEF
5th Marines, 49th Co., AEF
5th Marines, 67th Co., AEF
BRITISH UNITS (British Expeditionary Force)
4th Middlesex Regt., BEF
6th Btn., Black Watch, BEF
17th Lancers, BEF
6th Buffs Regt., BEF
Irish Guards, No. 3 Co., 1st Btn.
Machine Gun Corps, BEF
COMMONWEALTH UNITS
5th Btn. Australian/New Zealand Army Corps
27th Btn., CEF
Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry
FRENCH UNITS
151er Regiment d’Infanterie
RUSSIAN UNITS
Russian Legion
Barbed wire adds realism to the trenches--these German
soldiers know the hidden paths through their own wire
Women also had a variety of roles during the First
World War. Any woman who wishes to recreate a
historically-accurate impression may participate in
GWA activities and must meet the same authenticity standards as the men. Currently, there are two
units featuring women’s impressions, the Salvation
Army and the German Red Cross. Other individual non-combatant impressions include members of the YMCA, American Red Cross, and
aviation units. Non-combatants who do not belong
to units must submit documentation for their
impressions. Combatants must join a unit in order
to participate.
AUSTRIAN UNITS
63 KuK
GERMAN UNITS
I.R. 23 (2. Oberschlesisches)
I.R. 63 (4. Oberschlesisches)
I.R. 92 (1. Braunschweigisches)
I.R. 111 (3. Badisches)
I.R. 120 (2. Württemburgisches)
Königlich Bayerische Leib Regiment
Sturm Battalion Nr. 5 (Rohr)
12. Minenwerfer Komp., 12. Inf. Div., I.R. 23
20. MG Scharfschützen Komp.
3. Feldeskadron, Kurassier Regt. Nr. 8
German prisoners await interrogation by the Allied
commander
NON-COMBATANT
Salvation Army
Deutches Rotes Kreuz
German Red Cross nurses prepare bandages for
incoming wounded after an Allied offensive
“The Reenactor’s Reenactment”
The Great War Association (the GWA) is an
organization dedicated to fostering the growth
of WWI reenacting and the remembrance of the
Great War. This is done by reenacting the
battles of the First World War. These battle
recreations consist of members participating in
“Living History” battles which usually occur
twice a year--once in the fall and once in the
spring.
Sponsoring battles around the country, the
GWA has a permanent battlefield located
outside Newville, Pennsylvania. At this site, we
perform battle reenactments and occasionally
hold educational activities. Members of the
of our units have strict authenticity standards,
earning the reputation by some as the
“Reenactors' Reenactment.”
Our battle recreations are done at the Caesar
Krauss Great War Memorial Site--a living
history and memorial site near Newville, PA.
This site covers 80 acres and consists of opposing trench systems with underground bunkers,
barbed wire belts and a small “no-man’s-land.”
French troops receive orders from their Commandant in
anticipation of a major Allied offensive
A Russian NCO goes over the top during a gas attack
The Caesar Krauss Great War Memorial Site
was built through the joint efforts of the landowner, Mr. Mark Anderson, and the Great War
Association as a memorial to his grandfather,
Corporal Caesar Krauss. Caesar Krauss was a
member of the 313th Infantry Regiment
(“Baltimore’s Own”), part of the 79th Infantry
Division, and fought in the Meuse-Argonne
offensive.
GWA attempt to experience some of the sights
and sounds of one of the 20th century’s most
terrible conflicts on this authentically recreated
portion of the Western Front. We try and make
it look just as it appeared circa 1917-1918. The
participants in these demonstrations--the
reenactors--wear carefully reproduced uniforms
and equipment of the Allied and Central Powers armies.
Founded in 1979, the GWA is a parent organization that is composed of numerous smaller
clubs (called “units”), each of which portray an
actual WWI military unit from either side of the
conflict. There are many units in the GWA,
allowing the reenactor/historian the ability to
put together the impression he feels is the most
interesting (or challenging).
Traditional soldiers’ songs are an important part of
camp life.
Currently, there are units portraying regiments
from Australia/New Zealand, Great Britain,
Germany, the United States, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Russia, Canada and France. All
GWA members also participate in living history events
and demonstrations nationwide
A Salvation Army “Lassie” with the American troops