Basing House was a large muster that took place over the weekend of 14th to 17th April, 2017

Another glorious day at Basing House this year Bob, Phil, and I were bolstered on the field by Rob Grace and off the field by our photographer Dianne Lowther.

We joined up with Vaughan’s and River’s to make a decent little block on the right wing in the ditch next to the audience.  Rupert’s wanted us to move out of the ditch and form on the (one in three) embankment a little closer to the crowd, so that they could form into two ranks and have more room to extend further across the field.  Some hope! 

We compromised and let them post 2 or 3 musket on the bank to skirmish (precarious at best) while we reduced our front and reformed into 4 ranks and showed them how to volley fire in 3 ranks and keep one rank in reserve. Classic! Someone really needs to teach Rupert’s how to use the space they have rather than trying to elbow everyone off the field.

I had a little surprise for the guys at the end of the battle as I appeared with my first attempt at a guidon. Bob thought that I had acquired it illicitly and wanted to know who’s colour it was, so we could return it, he held this view all the way back to the pub even though I told him it was our colour and that I had carried it throughout the battle.

Phil joked that it was on a telescopic pole, he wasn’t far wrong the pole collapses into 3 two-foot lengths that just fit into my back pack. Not perfect but does the job it was designed for and puts us on the field.