Reports from the Field
A Fitting Finale
Fort Amhurst Chatham
The 1997 NA Tattoo
by Ed Parker
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For those readers not familiar with Fort Amhurst it is one of the best preserved Napoleonic forts in the country and plays host to many re-enactment groups including NA units who find its impressive facilities ideal for training weekends and public displays. This now traditional end of season event, gives us the chance to say a big thank you to the Fort Amhurst Trust for their hospitality over the year and help to raise some much needed funds for the upkeep of this very important site.
Although the formal Tattoo did not start until the early evening, a full afternoons programme was conducted for the benefit of visitors and participants alike. The parade ground, with its backdrop of the castle works and surrounded by grandstands creates a natural amphitheatre. Many units took the opportunity to perfect some drill.
The natural fortifications with their many Earthworks, Ditches, Batteries, Magazines and Battlements provide ideal skirmishing and siege conditions. And during the afternoon we had every opportunity to try them out.
The British Division garrisoned the Fort with various Regiments designated to defend precise areas. Under the rules of the game they were unable to leave their designated positions and come to the assistance of any other Brigade under attack. This gave a small but mobile French division, under the leadership of Darren Gallagher, the opportunity, by a combination of stealth, a bit of good luck, some tireless field work accompanied by a touch inept British defending to make some significant gains against the Line Brigade, before eventually retiring in good order.
Commence
At 18.00 hours the Tattoo commenced. The British Division deployed around the edges of the parade ground started the proceedings with a Brigade volley. As the Division left the parade ground the staff officers were left to surmise upon the absence of the Highland Brigade. The distant sound of the pipes and drums announced their somewhat late but spectacular arrival.
The 42nd upon arrival were efficiently put through their drill paces with the exception of 2 privates who made great play of being approximately half a second behind the rest of the unit in every drill movement they made. A remarkable performance by privates Michael Freeman and Lorne Brown who must have found this more difficult than keeping in time with everyone else. Their resulting double time punishment under the unforgiving Corporal James Gay continued at various occasions throughout the rest of the evening much to the amusement of the spectators.
Captain Robinson of the 42nd who took great exception to some of the jibes by his fellow officers on the late arrival and drill abilities of the Highlanders eventually snapped and a duel was arranged for later that night.
Trevor Horn led the musical contribution from the Royal Artillery Band ably assisted by the pipes and drums of the 42nd. The audience was given an insight into the considerable repertoire of the NA's singing abilities, usually reserved for the pub after the event, as Mark Robinson of the 42nd led the NA in a rendition of Boney was a Warrior and of course the obligatory Over the Hills and Far Away. A beautiful presentation that included a considerable amount of audience participation.
The duel between Captain Robinson and Captain Graham Ball of the 1st Footguards ended in an unpredictable and wholly dishonourable fashion. Despite the pleas of fellow officers and the acknowledged disfavour of the Commander in Chief Lord Wellington the proceedings moved forward.
After the obligatory 10 paces, Mr Ball fired and missed (to no one's real surprise) and Captain Robinson misfired - twice. And despite the pleas that honour was satisfied, the assembled seconds failed to placate the aforementioned Captain, who reached for an available blunderbuss and annihilated the "brave" Captain Balls' party of seconds. Honour was therefore deemed as having been satisfied.
Mark Gibson commanded the display by the Fort Amhurst based Royal foot artillery. Their precise loading and firing techniques reverberated around the hills and the town, entertaining most of the County of Kent.
The recruiting party managed to persuade half of the young, and some not so young, able bodied men of Kent to take the Kings shilling.
As the young recruits were marched away, units of the British brigade were seen moving forward in the darkness carrying scaling ladders to lead the assault on the impregnable defences of the French held citadel of Amhurst. Half way to their objective they were spotted by French skirmishers, whose opening volleys were succeeded by the detonation of two defensive mines creating great carnage amongst the Forlorn Hope.
The final parade was met with great applause from a delighted audience. It was a little unfortunate that by the time our French Division had made it down from the heights they had to wait for the raffle to finish before taking their well deserved cheers (and the customary boos). But everybody appreciated the invaluable and selfish contribution they made to make the day such a success.
There was no doubt from the reaction of the departing spectators and the comments by the management of Fort Amhurst that this was the best Tattoo ever.
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The final re-enactment event of the season, the annual Tattoo held at Fort Amhurst was blessed with the same glorious weather that seemed to accompany most of our events throughout this summer. And it prompted an excellent turn out by participants and spectators alike.
The whole of the British Division then commenced their assault on the French positions, sending volley after volley into the heights above. Supported by the artillery, the continuous bombardment finally took its toll and the Highlanders led the assault up the ladders and skirmished their way along the heights until we saw the union flag running up the mast accompanied by great cheers all round.