This small event took place on 11th/12th August, 2018

Bob nearly made this one but got a puncture 20 miles out and spent Saturday getting the problem fixed just enough to get him home again. He missed an “interesting” weekend but was at least able to get himself and bike back home for work Monday morning.

In his place I had Mike French as company, which was entertaining and lucky for Vaughan’s as the beer tent did not arrive and Mike was an available sober driver for a run the local supermarket.

There were several parts to the day making it a day of entertainment for the public, static displays, pike drill for the kids, a pre-battle skirmish, weapons demonstration, the main conflict and a fashion show. Yes, a fashion show in which I found myself when the original participants did not turn up on time. Of course when they did turn up in the end and the presenter very nearly forgot I was there but just managed to squeeze me in as an afterthought. Apparently unlike the ladies and gentlemen who had gone before, I was obviously less well to-do and my once new uniform was beginning to show the wear and tear of a life of soldiering.

For the skirmish/pre-battle posturing in the display arena we had just enough to give the public a taster, probably enough musket but a bit light on the pike. Later in the day on the “battle” field we pulled out the big guns with two pieces of artillery and the Welsh Horse. The artillery was evenly split, but with only a small number of pike they were all on one side with most of the musket opposing them with horse in support. Although support from the horse was more a matter of opinion. Supposedly re-enactment trained apparently this did not extend to musket and definitely not artillery. Bang! And they got a bit skittish. Ka-boom and they were gone, just as fast as they could go, riders hanging on for dear life. Each time they were coaxed back the scene repeated itself, to one degree or another. Glad I had both feet firmly on the ground but fair play to the riders, no injuries and only a couple of fallers.

It was a good crowd who appreciated the display including the difficulty of horse control. 

Day two was much better with a little restrain form the drummers and the musket at key moments giving the horse a chance to regain some confidence in their performance. Again a good crowd