Sudeley Castle, Gloucs 29th - 31st May, 1999
The first Regimental major muster of the year - a late start for most of the membership of the Society. Sudeley Castle has played host to the SK before, one of the last times in the early 90's. I have to say that I was disappointed with the camp site. Very limited access onto the site, and a poor allocation of space for our Association (again!!) dampened the spirits a little, for everyone turning up to meet friends & colleagues they hadn't seen for several months. It never fails to amaze me that successive Host regiments & camp commandments fail to allow for more space for what is the Parliament Army's largest Brigade.
The script and the brief from the Brigade General held some degree of hope that the battles would look good for the crowd. However, it does seem that parleys are gradually creeping back, several years after the Army Council voted them out of existence. For my own part, I was allocated half the Association in order to act as Battalia Commander. My own Regiment, alongside those of Lord Saye & Sele's and the Earl of Manchester's, fought magnificently together. All officers and non-coms from all Regiments accepted my orders and worked together well, as I wrestled our co-ordinated advance through the Royalist centre-right. Hats off and grand salutes to the Manchesters/Saye-Sele's pike division as they took on all-comers, an excellent demonstration that showed how attitude counts. It was our Battalia that captured the entire Royalist staff to end the battle, on both days, a fitting reward to all the hard work put in. Sadly, the opportunity to entertain the crowd with the surrender ceremony was lost on t he first day, but this in no way detracted from our efforts. It was a pleasure to command. Feedback from the organisers was very positive, and I believe the SK will go back to Sudeley again in the future.
The weather did its best to spoil things, the mud was everywhere, but everyone in the Regiment just got on with enjoying themselves. Again, it's attitude that counts.
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