Return to Liepzig.

 Leipzig!  My first foreign reenactment back in 2013, then 2018, now 2023. Will I go in 2028? I really don't know. 

I had a pleasant day and a half to stay in a hotel and mooch around the city before getting the tram out to the bivouac at Torhaus Dolitz. Then here are some highlights, the hots and nots! 

Nots.  Pouring down on the Saturday morning accompanied by a cold wind, fortunately it soon blew itself out and stopped raining too! By 11 am the sun was coming out. 

Liepzig security not knowing what to make of my Doctors tourniquet and getting a policeman to look who clearly pondered if it could be used as a cosh.  Everything was fine and I went to get my delayed plane, just making the connection. 

No one but soldiers on the field. There are apparently two comittees that run the battle of Leipzig who take turns, this one decided that only fighting soldiers were to go on the field beyond the rear lines. Part of this was to limit the number of civilians taking pictures, which is kind of understandible but I found myself with other Prussian medical staff who would have been on the field.. confined to a hospital area that was for 'proper' first aid with two ambulances (German equivelent of St Johns) and a jolly Doctor in surgeons kit running the operation. We had three patients, treatment included a free beer! 

If I'd have known I would have stuck to the Westphälische Landwehr (a fine bunch, green facings) I'd marched up with and gone into the battle. 

Hots!  It is all good after that. The march to the field as the sun was coming out was enjoyable, although it turned out to be only to the other campsite where upon we were bussed to Liebertvölkvitz. (Sic).

The night after the battle the (UK) Prussian artillery stayed at the battlefield to do a cannon firing show. 

Not feeling inclined to build a fire just for one vegischnitzel I ventured over to the saxon artillery and asked to use their fire. 

Not only did they naturally say yes but supplied me with more food and drink.

I stayed with them for the evening, joining in a colourful schnapps based drinking game for quite a large bit of it and sitting at the fire.

I would really like to meet up with them again.

I apparently missed a horse falling asleep on the absinthe bar on Thursday night, but nevermind. Friday with the Lovely UK Prussians was a good time.

(The lazarette, by this time the battle had moved off into the near distance).

And so what of the future? Sitting here on New years eve, I don't know.  This year other than Liepzig things seemed a bit meh. I liked Stansted park but feel I need a break, events are just a bit samey. 

I have a lot of good friends I mainly see at events and that has been a big draw, the social side is one of the great features of reenactment, a dozen or more 45e sitting drunkenly singing around a fire will always be a warm memory.  

And so onwards, have a great new year! 

2023, so far.

 2023 So far!

There has been Fort Amherst, a voyage to Stockholm at Midsomar to mark 500 years since Gustav Vasa became King and is seen as taking Sweden into the modern age, and Stansted park. 

Fort Amherst came first, but I really don't have anything to say about it, was quite a bit of standing about, good to have a drink with friends, missed the one battle as I was showing a potential recruit around as it started and thought oh well, they probably don't need a doctor, turns out it would have helped with getting casualties into the fort to respawn, but nevermind.

on to Stockholm.... 

Having spent a lovely Friday at the big city heritage park where historic buildings from all over Sweden are preserved and there is a big maypole festival.. the marches were on Saturday, one in the morning and a seemingly unscheduled one around the old city centre in the afternoon before a feast in the evening.

The underground stations are different colours, shaped into caves, and contain art instalations.

Marching to the palace where the king and queen watched us pass beneath, the king of course being a descendent of Marshal Bernedotte. 

Shenanigans in the old square, by the wooden horse museum.

Underground again but this time the candlelit basement of the olde tavern. 

Sunday, had to be done, at meatballs for the people, was the best 'meat'balls I've even had, largely thanks to the mix of flavours with mash and gravy. 

Stansted house.. just visible? Walking from Rolands castle railway station.

Are we there yet?

Serge, the twitcher, is amazed at the tits which Ian pointed out.

The battle on Saturday was sadly called off with everyone on the field after two of the cavalry were injured early on, and required an ambulance to come on. Hopefully the guys are all mended now.

Sunday saw the French seriously outnumbered as the Prussians who'd boosted our numbers were swapped back to the fiendish British side. Still we came on from the woods and lead them a merry dance. I died in what I thought was the last hurrah but someone the fighting carried on for a while after. Mopping up!

A tank from the east, thoughtfully marked out as a Ukrainian T34, not at all Russian, really. 

And the next event is far to the east, to Liepzig.