Another year has passed and the much anticipated Nijmegen Marches in Holland have completed the successful 200 kilometre trek which takes place every year in mid July.
The four day Nijmegen Marches – or ‘Vierdaagse’ – are a tradition that dates back 92 years, excluding WW2 and the cancellation of the 2006 event due to extreme heat conditions. The tradition started as a method of keeping the Dutch army fit after the introduction of motor vehicles. It is now thriving, having become the huge event it is today with over 40,000 taking part and some 5,000 military marchers, walking 30, 40 or 50 Km a day depending on age.
The Marches involve the Armed Forces of numerous nationalities, including the 820-strong British Military Contingent, both Regular and Reservist teams as well as Air Cadets and CCF. They start in the centre of Nijmegen and each day of the event is named after the biggest village it intercepts, beginning with Elst on Day 1.
Numerous Service marchers were involved including teams from HQ ARRC, HQ UKSCG(G), 7 Sig Regt, 4 GS Regt, and 1 Regt Army Air Corps. UKSC(G) Team Captain, Maj Tony McClelland, said that the training for the Marches really paid off and the crowd was keeping them going.
|
Meanwhile, HQ Rhine and European Support Group mounted refreshment and medical centres at Rest Camps along the way, dispensing drinks and snacks as well as first aid for aching feet, blisters and dehydration. They also warmly welcomed another British uniformed contingent, in the shape of several police teams from across the UK. Back again, soaking up the atmosphere, were the TA medics of Scotland-based 225 General Support Medical Regiment and other back-up experts from 150 Transport Regiment RLC (V).
The 1 Regt Army Air Corps team from Gütersloh fielded a 14-strong team. Their Captain, Al McKenna said that they had trained twice a week since May for the Marches and that the atmosphere was ‘fantastic’.
Also marching were the Gurkha ‘loggies’ of 94 Sqn QOGL Regt, whose team captain, Lt Mike Le Maistre, claimed it was his unit’s first time there that the event was much bigger than he had expected.
Team Skipper of Trent Wing Air Training Corps, Civilian Instructor Daniel Bramley, said that he sees the Marches as good exercise for him and his unit - highly appropriate since that is what the Nijmegen Marches were intended for in the beginning.
The atmosphere was surprisingly buoyant, considering the number of people getting their feet bandaged up and the many tired faces – and that was just on the first day! One of the biggest morale boosts was as teams of many nationalities marched into the Rest Area chanting and singing. All team captains were full of praise for the Marches and the support they were receiving from the devoted back-up teams.
On the weather front, sunshine on the first day was followed by cloud and rain, making life cooler for the marchers but also resulting in the odd drenching. In past years heat has sometimes a major issue, causing people to become severely dehydrated, but there seemed to be no problems with heat this wet July!
Whatever the weather, marchers return year after year to repeat the experience, indeed Ft Sgt Barney McAlister, of RAF Spadeadam, was this year on his 29th March. “I aim to make it 30 and beat the British Regular Forces record, before hanging up my boots”, said Barney.
On a flying visit to Nijmegen, GOC UKSC(G), Maj Gen Mungo Melvin caught up with marchers and admin staff at a Rest Centre. Praising everything he had seen at this year’s Marches, he said that he was ‘very impressed’ with the multi-national atmosphere, the commitment of one and all, and the support of the Dutch population. He said that it had been a ‘great opportunity’ to view the Marches and the crowds from both the air and from the ground, and was staggered by the sheer scale of the event. He also stressed that the British military involvement in the event should continue in the future, and that it is a superb experience for the many young people in the Cadet Movement who take part every year.
One of the teams that was also participating was 12 LSR from Gütersloh: their team captain SSgt Nicholas McKenzie said he and his team had recently returned from Iraq and were enjoying the Marches, not least since it was a lot cooler than in Iraq!
As the annual Marches drew to a close and people returned to Nijmegen and the finish line to collect their medals, the spirit and determination of the teams were much admired by the huge crowds who greeted them at the end. This may be the last year of doing the Marches for some, but for many of the younger soldiers and Cadets on their first ‘Vierdaagse’, it is certainly an experience that they will never forget and will probably want to repeat next year, providing their blisters have gone! |
