Twenty twenty two, two.

A hot year!  The rest of 2022!  After Waterloo I had only one day before going away again, then only a few days before Brettan and I confess the idea of writing up two events, now three, was a bit daunting yet a part of me still wanted to put something up for prosterity, like this blog was a diary I might look back on. I won't write an account of each event just any particular points or memories.

It was heat wave week at Waterloo and the camp was near the largely restored chateux/farm of Hougoumont but more importantly for many of us were the lovely leafy trees down the centre, separating the British and Prussian camps. A lot of time was spent under those trees, a real difference to Waterloo 2015 which as a very busy first time visit was spent sight seeing and drilling.   

Under my adopted tree.

So my role was as medical officer to the Prussian artillery, and just for one battle as I had to leave to get the Eurostar earlier than planned, but being one of the few in camp when the battle loomed on Sunday I got to open a gate and watch Napoleon, Ney and the French cavalry all ride through.

The cannon was towed up to the field on Friday evening and being on the trailer going over the rough road was the closest I'll probably get to being in the horse artillery.

 In the Saturday battle as well as helping to push a gun about I did have an actual nosebleed to deal with. My patient sitting next to field marshal Blücher himself! 

The sun set as the mighty French attack failed and they then made a last stand. I got the honour of firing the last shot from 'our' cannon on the far left flank. 

Bretten! (In Baden-Wurtemberg) My third visit, last one being 2017. I find the two covid years seem like a black hole when working out dates, something from five years ago feels like three. 

Not much had changed and the town was very keen to get back into it after the above break, it certainly was very busy and joyful and we were invited to a feast of watermelon and feta, fresh flatbread, eggs in green sauce, shredded oranges and cous cous and some sort of meat dollop, if you so wanted.

The tavern in it's little square is always a lovely place and you must be appropriately dressed on the Landskneckt side. No trainers! 

Friday was a battle practice, the 'Story' of the siege now in 60 parts each announced by a gun firing!  Aaaand your on.  I was an arrow magnet during practice but not on the Saturday night when I just got stabbed. 

The night ended in the town square with disco dancing to a covers band. 

What colour are the enemy? Er, red, yellow, blue... orange.. white.. anyone facing the wrong way.

Scary C16 bee-keepers or possibly baddies from Dr Who. 

Hole park.

Owing to some absences and injuries the French were lead into battle by an experienced NCO whilst I, having a big hat, took up being L'Emporer's aide de camp and adjutant to the French, even being equipped with a walkie talkie to aid co-ordination with the other side but generally just scribbled notes with an oversized pencil.

From it absolutely pissing down when we arrived and put up the tents the weather was sunny in the day.  Hat discipline has become very lax in camp! 

Saturday evening saw a repeat of last years skirmish in the woods (sending a horseman to ask if the British were coming was far more effective than trying to get an answer on the walkie talkie) so yours truely had a price on his head. After last year when we had about ten troops and they turned up with about thirty and an artillery crew we decided on being sneakier and I managed to elude capture and make it back to camp, though I almost collapsed when I got back, I'm clearly not used to such exercise.

 So what of the future?

I confess the weekend as ADC was enjoyable and would do it again although it was a particular set of circumstance. I am also aware that I don't want to be one of those guys who turns up as part of an entourage. There were messages to deliver, notes to take, hobnobbing to do, and just that Napoleon should have one or two staff or it looks odd, but not too many. 

I do like the fact I can take the field as a Doctor and treat the wounded, smell the smoke, get a muddy knee, and risk the cannon fire (and on occasion escape through the woods), so I have a purpose. 

But in camp as just a doctor it can be a bit slow, though there were plenty of general questions at Napoleon's tent, and there is already a very entertaining, lively and well equipped surgery display in the French camp so a further table of medical nik naks would be a bit redundant. 

 I think a middle path would be best, drop in to see l'emperor for a glass of vino and then roll the sleaves up and get stuck in. 

Dates are already on the calender for 2023...