Rules of the NWW2A – Posted 15th Feb 2024


1.0 Extent of Membership

1.1 Membership of the NWW2A shall be an unspecified number

1.2 All members of the NWW2A must be a member of a recognised unit within the Association

1.3 A list of recognised units is appended to these Rules as Annex 1

1.4 All members of the NWW2A shall follow the constitution, rules and code of conduct to the best of their ability

1.5 Rules pertaining to the formation of new recognised units are set out in Section 8 of these Rules

2.0 New Members (Guests)

2.1 Before joining the NWW2A prospective members may attend one event as a guest

2.1(a) For the purposes of Rule 2.1 “event” means an event listed in the Association’s events calendar on the website. (b)

2.2 A guest does not have to be associated with any recognised unit

2.3 A guest may attend one event of the NWW2A free of any charge

2.3a Guests (who are reliant upon the Association’s PLI may only attend events listed in the Association’s events calendar on the website. (b)

2.4 A guest attending a second or subsequent NWW2A event must join the Association and become a member of a specific unit.

2.5 All guests shall sign, upon request, a disclaimer to indemnify the NWW2A

2.6 Rules 2.1 – 2.5 shall not apply to invited members of other groups who have their own Public Liability Insurance in place. Such members must however still sign in as a guest.


3.0 Probationary Period

3.1 A new member will have a probation period of 3 events.

3.2 The probationary period commences on the first event following completing of the membership application form and payment of subscriptions. (i.e. the second event attended)

3.3 If a probationary member does not abide by the constitution, rules and code of conduct a simple majority vote of the elected board, at a properly convened meeting, shall be taken as to whether the member should be allowed to join the NWW2A. The appropriate Unit CO shall have a right of veto against approval of membership only.

3.4 Any such vote shall be taken having first heard the views of the individual Unit concerned, via their appointed CO, and also having given the probationary member concerned the right to respond. Each party shall be heard only by the Elected Board and in closed session.

3.5 The Elected Board may, at a properly convened meeting refuse an application for membership from any person by a simple majority vote

3.6 Decisions to refuse membership, and the grounds for refusal, shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting of the Elected Board.

3.7 Any person who is refused membership of the NWW2A shall be entitled to a refund of their subscription.


4.0 Subscriptions

4.1 The due date for payment of renewal of membership fees shall be 1st March each year.

4.2 The Membership subscription shall be £20.00 per person or £30.00 for bona fide couples

4.3 Any increase in subscription fees shall be approved by the Annual General Meeting of the NWW2A

5.0 Suspension or Termination of Membership

5.1 A Member of the Association may be suspended for any reason deemed relevant by the Elected Board.

6.0 Resignation from the Association

6.1 Any member resigning their membership of the NWW2A should inform the Secretary, preferably in writing.

6.2  Any member holding a FAC, who does not attend six events over two years, without good reason, shall be deemed to have resigned their membership of the Association.  Unit CO’s are responsible for obtaining the reason for non attendance at events and advise the Secretary accordingly

7.0 Units

7.1 All Units within the NWW2A shall adhere themselves to the rank structure agreed by their Unit members.

7.2 Each unit shall appoint a Commanding Officer (CO) and Second in Command (2IC)

7.3 The proposed appointment of any Commissioned Officer rank within a Unit shall be in consultation with the Elected Board.

7.4 The appointed CO shall attend the morning safety briefings, and any other meetings deemed appropriate by the Elected Board.

7.5 Unit COs shall be responsible for ensuring that their Units are briefed and follow to the best of their abilities the Rules, Constitution, Code of Conduct and Risk Assessments etc

7.6 In the event of a Unit CO not being available the 2IC shall take over the responsibilities of the CO.

7.7 No Member shall be registered as being a member of more than one Unit within the NWW2A at any one time

7.8 Rule 7.7 above shall not prevent a member re-enacting with a unit other than his/her own


8.0 Formation of New units

8.1 No new units can form under the NWW2A banner without the agreement of the Elected Board.

8.2  New Units shall have a membership of at least seven members who sign in under that Unit.

8.3 The Elected Board may, under special circumstances, and at their discretion, allow a unit to form with fewer than ten registered members.

8.4 No new units may be formed under the NWW2A banner who portray the SS.


9.0 Attendance at Events

9.1 All members and guests shall sign in it at events at the times specified in the event’s Standing Orders.

9.2 Where a member will not be available at the designated “signing- in” time (i.e. they will not have arrived at the event at that time, they should advise their CO, who shall then make arrangements for that member to be signed in accordingly.

9.3 Members wish to attend events other than those listed on the NWW2A website must advise the Secretary of their intention to attend at least 14 days before the event, Failure to do so will result in the Member not being covered by the Association’s insurances etc.

SS Runes, Pea-dot Camouflage and other Equipment Associated with the SS

9.4 No member or guest of the Association shall wear SS runes or associated SS insignia during an event.

9.5 All Units shall have a published list of appropriate, suitable and authentic uniform and equipment, which unit members are entitled to wear.

9.6 The Erbsenmuster pea-dot pattern (also known as Dot 44, dot pattern or Peas 44) (hereafter referred to as pea-dot camouflage) may only be worn by members of units where the use of such camouflage is on their approved kit list.

9.7 Pea-dot Camouflage may only be added to a Unit’s approved kit list following the production of evidence, to the Board, that that they (as in their ww2 counterparts) would have used and been formally issued with pea-dot camouflage during WW2.

9.8 Unit CO’s are responsible for enforcing rules 9.4 to 9.7

9.9 Rules 9.4 to 9.7 apply to the whole (i.e. daytime and evening) of any event upon which the Association’s PLI policy is relied upon.


10.0 Health & Safety

10.1 The NWW2A shall have a published Health and Safety Policy/Protocol

10.2 All Members of the NWW2A and guests shall make every reasonable effort to comply with any published Health and Safety policies etc.

10.3 All members of the NWW2A have a duty of care towards themselves and others; and must take responsibility for the consequences of their own actions.

10.4 Unit CO’s are responsible for Health and Safety issues within their individual units. C.O.’s are responsible for ensuring live firing weapons are only used by members who hold a valid FAC licence.

10.5 The drinking of alcohol after midnight, if partaking in a re-enactment or firing display involving the use of blank ammunition or pyrotechnics, the following day is prohibited.

10.5A No member shall consume alcohol at an event during public open times

10.6 The Association’s Safety Officer may refuse entry onto the battlefield or display area of any member who is in breach of rule 10.5 and/or 10.5A

11.0 Ammunition

11.1 FAC shall be checked annually at membership renewal, or as soon as possible after that.

11.2 The Armourer or any Elected Board member may require the inspection of any weapon (blank firing, deactivated or live firing) and its associated paperwork (deactivation certificates, FAC etc) at any reasonable time.

11.3 All ammunition issued by the NWW2A remains the property of the NWW2A

11.4 At the end of an event any unused ammunition must be returned to the Armourer

11.5 Only members with a valid FAC shall be issued with bolt action type ammunition

11.5a Members who hire weapons from a Section 5 armourer, and are therefore covered by the armourers FAC shall be eligible for the issue of bolt action type ammunition, if it is required for said hired weapon

11.6 The armourer has the right, with good reason, to refuse the issue of ammunition to any Member. Anyone being refused ammunition has a right to appeal the decision to the Elected Board.

11.7 The Elected Board may approve the issue of ammunition to non-members under special circumstances, subject to compliance with rule 11.5 & 11.5a

11.8 In the event of the Board having good reason to suspect that any person has obtained membership of the Association with the intent of obtaining a FAC for purposes other than those which fall within the scope of the Association, these concerns shall be passed to the relevant Authorities.

12.0 Income and Payment

12.1 The financial year for the NWW2A shall be the 1st December to 30th November

12.4 The treasurer shall keep accounts in good order and produce the accounts on a yearly basis at the AGM

12.5 The income of the NWW2A shall be for the promotion of its objects as set forth in the Constitution of the NWW2A and shall not be paid to members of the NWW2A. No member of the Elected Board shall receive any remuneration for work considered by the Board to be his duty as an Elected Member except that a Director or any business or organisation with which he is associated or by which he is employed may be remunerated for provision of services for which the NWW2A would usually pay, subject to the following:
• The details of any such work including payment will be available for any member to inspect
• The appointment of the member of the Elected Board or organisation to undertake specified work and its payment will be approved by all of the Elected Board (excluding the Board Member concerned)
• The Elected Board’s approval of the appointment and payment will be minuted
• A report of paid work carried out in the last year by any Elected Member of the Board will be an AGM agenda item (if/when such expenditure has occurred)

12.6 The Elected Board will undertake to build up a financial reserve to cover one year’s operating
costs at the Elected Boards discretion.
12.7 Once this reserve has been achieved any extra can be used for the benefit of the members at the
Elected Boards discretion.

 

13.0 Members under the age of 18

13.1 Members under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or someone over the age of 21 in loco parentis at all times.

13.2 Members between the ages of 16 and 18 must have the written consent of a parent or guardian to attend events. The Parent or Guardian shall still remain responsible for such Members, even if not present, and must collect the member concerned if requested to do so.

13.3 Unit CO’s have a duty of care for Members of their Units aged between 16 and 18, and for ensuring that written consent has been granted.

13.4 Members under the age of 14 shall not be permitted to take part is battle re-enactments or firing displays.

13.5 An exemption to rule 13.4 has been granted by the board to existing members under 14 years of age, who have already taken part in Association battle re-enactments. (Existing members as of November 2014).

13.6 Members between the age of 14 and 16, taking part in battle re-enactments must be in a vehicle or a fixed position with a parent or guardian present.

13.7 No Member under the age of 18 shall be permitted to consume alcohol whilst attending any event as a Member of the NWW2A (i.e. any event for which the Association’s PLI is relied upon)


14.0 Meetings and Votes

14.1 Each adult member (aged 16 or Over) shall be entitled to one vote.


15.0 Code of Conduct

15.1 The NWW2A shall have a Code of Conduct


Notes to Accompany the Rules

Data Protection, Privacy and Confidentiality

The NWW2A maintains the data it holds for members in compliance with the Data Protection Act even though it is currently outside the scope of the regulations. Members have the capacity to withhold their address and telephone numbers from fellow members. No personal information is distributed by NWW2A outside the membership.

NWW2A provides a login to each member which is intended to restrict access to the members’ area of the website to members only so that privacy and confidentiality of personal information and submissions to the website are accessible by members only.

Members undertake:
• To safeguard their login so that no other person may use it directly or indirectly to gain access to the Members’ Only area of the website.
• Not to leave their computer while logged on to the website if there is a risk that any other person may use it.
• Not to distribute any information from the Members’ Only area of the website.
• Not to distribute electronically or by printing any email from NWW2A that is sent to NWW2A members.
Contravention of this rule will lead to suspension of access to exclusive services for that member.

Insurance

The Association holds Public Liability Insurance (PLI).

This means that the Association is insured against claims in the event of an accident, if negligence is proved, by a third party (i.e. the public).

Subject to the above, the insurance covers third living history sites, battles and firing displays. It also includes PLI for any of the Association’s registered vehicles both when static and for movement to/from and during re-enactments (but not on any public highway).

Vehicle owners must have completed the vehicle information records and returned them to the Safety Officer. Failure to do so may result in a lack of cover, and the Safety Officer requiring the vehicle’s removal from the event site.

The insurance does not relieve any vehicle owner of the need to have appropriate levels of insurance for their vehicles.

The Policy also includes cover for individual members against being sued by another member in respect of an accident arising out of their negligence.

In order to ensure the fullest cover, proper risk assessments must have been undertaken, and documented. Proper records must be kept and any matters arising acted upon.

As a bona fide re-enactment organisation, with PLI, Members of the Association are provided lawful authority for the ownership of various replica and imitation firearms etc.

 

The Ranking of Events as Major and Minor 

For any major NWW2a event, the Association PLI cannot be used to insure another event taking place the same weekend.  For a minor event members can use the PLI, within the terms of the constitution so long as 14 days notice is given to the Secretary.

* This point to be reviewed at the 2023 AGM following the change in PLI provider.

Annex 1: Authorised Units of the Association

Battle Pyrotechnics

British Units

1. 6th Airborne Division
2. British 61st Recon
3. 1st Airborne Provost British
4. British East Yorkshire 50th
5. British 2nd South Staffs
6. Royal Navy Commando
7. Y Troop, 47 Royal Marines Commando
8. Duke of Wellington Regiment
9. British ATS
10. British 4th Commando
11. Civilian
12. Worcester Women’s Land Army

American Units

1. 101st American Airborne
2. American 502
3. American 82nd 505

Russian Units

1. Soviets
2. Soviet 13th Guards

French Unit

1. French Resistance

German Units

1. DRK
2. German Field Police
3. GD1
4. GD4
5. 1FJD
6. 21st Panzer
7. 352 Infantry Division 2nd Battalion 6th Company

•  Amendments in red made following AGM 2022/23

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