Boulogne (France) Multi Period Event 2010

A merry band (albeit reduced) of Cameron Highlanders once more found ourselves making an international journey across the channel to a multi period event in Boulogne.

Once after arrival in France we took the picturesque journey along the coast where we broke our journey for some 'frites', (French chip shop).  Some of the lads preferred to munch on huge sausages, normally served thinly sliced, the lads consumed them as one would normally eat a banana and I was quite concerned at the health issue of the intake of so much fat. We found the camp site which was high up above Nausica and the beach of Boulogne offering fine views across the channel.

We set up our tents during quite a brisk breeze and I had some reservations about how they would stand up to strong gusts of wind during the night.  Nevertheless, testament to our 'pioneer' who supervised our tent erections, they withstood the night, and the morning.

Saturday was cool sunny and again windy and we all felt the effect of windburn on our faces.  Two of the previous days sausage eaters did not feel fully fit due to lard poisoning.  That is the term I shall call it.

We decided to start an impromptu game of 'tossing the caber' who the overall winner was our 'pioneer'. It was quite entertaining and a good way to keep warm.

Our talented piper's services were soon sought after by the Somme Battlefield pipe band.  However he was in the position to swiftly interchange and play for us when we did a short display marching display following the piper to the spectators.  Although we were few in number we discussed  amongst ourselves the best way to present ourselves with some brief  narrative  in French which I believe was well received by the French audience.

It was quite a relaxing affair and we made friends with quite an eccentric  chap, Passepie from the Medieval group,  who captivated us with an  intriguing trick which none of us could work out.  He invited us to their  camp later to sample some highly spiced wines and there was quite a bit of  jollity and good humour, and performance from our piper.

The next day the wind had dropped down and it was warm bright and  sunny.  Sacha once again performed with the pipe band and we all did a bit  of  a procession before being kindly invited to join Yves Holbecq and the pipe band for   a champagne toast and lunch.

Following this there was once again a presentation of all the different re-enactor groups after a stirring performance from the pipe band, particularly 'Amazing Grace'.  Once again Sacha quickly changed into a Cameron's tunic and led us out onto the field, troops and camp follower where our units history, role and what we do was again summarised in French.

After relaxing some more we decamped and headed up the coast for our trip back to Kent.  A great weekend, greatly enjoyed by us all and memorable for it's relaxing laid back appeal.

By Private James Hinton

The News Page of the 79th 2010