This article in intended to be a light-hearted look at at one unit’s 1994 season and the characters that make re-enactment so addictive. Before I proceed further, let me say that, although the 15th (King’s) Light Dragoons (Hussars) are not part of the Napoleonic Association, I feel that, if one was to merely alter the names and places contained herein, this journal could be representative of any re-enactment unit of any era.

Our season started as it would continue ... misfortune; misadventure, mismanagement and misery! We had been hired to appear as 1794 era horsed Government Dragoons in a feature film, Chasing The Deer - recently released to deafening critical indifference This involved a March trip over the snow-covered Highlands at a snail’s pace, to Inverness. Just outside a small hamlet called Keith, we discovered a body face down in the snow we retrieved said body which informed us that it was just walking home after a night on the ale and its name! was Keith -- Keith from Keith! We chaperoned Keith the mere four miles home(!) in blizzard conditions for which he bestowed upon us the glowing tribute: “You’re all right... for Englishmen!”

After 18 hours, and by dawn’s early light, our small convoy found the hall that was to be our quarters, only to be told in no uncertain terms: “There’s people sleeping. Keep quiet. Get up in one hour for filming”. Mutterings of Hussar rebellion were quelled by a spirited “Oh well, you’ve gotta laugh”, a phrase that was to become our clarion call throughout the days that were to follow.

Breakfast was a blessed relief and heralded the first of many ‘Hussar moments, such as this from a frustrated casting girl to trooper Kenyon “Ah, here you all are, are you extras?” “Extras.., EXTRAS!?” - cue superb disdainful look “No, my dear, we are the CAVALRY!’ ‘

“Oh God, Al Pacino was never like this!”

Later, a new Jacobite uprising was nearly sparked by the news that we were to be paid for our equestrian skills whilst the foot units were not. In fact, some people were themselves paying for the privilege of appearing in the film! Undaunted, we wore our Chelsea Pensioner coats and tricorn hats and spent two or three days slaughtering rebels, women and children (and they paid us),

In the relative calm of travelling home, I finally had time to discuss a variety of re-enactment topics with some of the new members of the unit. During the cut and thrust of debate, I happened to voice my disdain for W.W.II Nazi re-enactors and, sure enough when I stopped to answer the call of nature at a trooper’s house on the way home, there it was - a leather greatcoat, of distinctly Teutonic appearance, adorned with an Iron Cross. If I opened my mouth a bit wider, I thought, perhaps I could get my other foot in!