Regimental Holidays

In Rawdons, we have a long-standing tradition of "having a good time" and "messing about".

At musters, we used to have Rawdon Games after the battle on the first day, and it was true to say that there were more injuries during the Games than during the battles.....

One year we made grass sleds out of plywood, shiny side down, with rope handles at the front and a longer rope for pulling it with: designed by the Scouts for one rider and one "donkey", we found that it was much more exciting to have a team of four or six to pull, and one brave soul attempting to stand up and "surf" on the sled. Excellent game for rope burns and grass stains.

Occasionally we'd play our interpretation of Space Invaders, which involved rows of Rawdons holding pikes behind their backs, moving from side to side then forward two paces, while one person at the front throws pine cones or other suitable objects at them. But this wasn't violent enough, so it didn't last long.

Then we had a craze, again from a Scout book, for using our bodies to spell out letters and send messages from one side of the field to the other. This was a bit complicated, so we went back to good old British Bulldog.  If you've never played this, the idea is to choose one person to be the first bulldog: they are placed half-way down the designated playing area, with everyone else at one end. On the word "go!" everyone rushes from one end to the other, trying not to be caught by the bulldog. Whover gets caught becomes a bulldog as well, so you can see that this game starts with one person being trampled by a mob, and after a few rounds becomes a line of revengeful bulldogs and a shrinking group of scaredy-cat sissies who have been known to run miles round the outside of the field to avoid being thrown to the ground or ripped limb from limb.

As a variation, if we didn't have too many new recruits or tender girlies, we'd play the anti-gravity version where the bulldog had to lift whoever they caught off the ground before they could be properly bulldogged. This led to a lot of falling over, crush injuries, shin wars etc, and also to ridiculous sights such as a group of five or six girlies trying to get one Andy "Yatti" Yates off the ground - a hopeless task, as he'd just wade on, dragging the girls behind him. He was a big lad!

Of course, hardly any photos exist of Rawdon Games, as everyone who came within range would be dragged in to play. And everyone, just everyone, loved to play, as it was a great excuse to get physical with each other, without having your face slapped! Well, I say that..... anyway, it was great fun.

As well as Rawdon Games, we used to take every opportunity to go out in a bunch, or to go early to the occasional Holiday Muster, where the campsite would be open for the week before the event, allowing us to camp for free, and have a holiday.

"Run away!"

Here we are at Exmouth, in 1982, building sand forts on the beach in full - well nearly full - kit.

Featured here are Alan Perry, who is turning and about to run; Les Skipper (ha, must be pre-Split then) (oh yes, the photo is labelled June), and that's Gurgeri falling flat on his back - in clogs. The tall lanky chap in white shorts is Stoney, Andy Stone, who let the side down a bit by refusing to wear kit. Ok, so it was a hot day, but who cares, we're Rawdons, we wear kit at all times!

 Clacton

And here we are, in black and white, apparently, having a lovely day out by the seaside at Clacton.

Back row, John "Willy Willy" Wilson, Stoney, Michael and Alan Perry - Alan going through his moustache phase - and some girlfriend of Stoney's. Front row: Les Skipper, Steve Smith.  As this is post-split, I have no idea why Wilson and Les are with us! It's a bit hard to see, but Wilson is wearing a sweatshirt with the motto "Musketeers do it - but they need a rest!". There was a craze for that sort of thing.... the pikeblock had shirts that said "Pikemen do it with an eighteen-footer" referring to the length of the pikes.  I was a drummer at the time, and mine said just " Drummers Do It!"  Not very subtle, but apt.

OK, slightly strange, here's me and Sue taking Teddy (her bear) for a walk. He'd obviously come on holiday with us to the muster, and wanted to get some fresh air.

It may have been Ulveston, or possibly Braintree? I really can't remember, and there aren't any clues on the back of the photo.

I do remember that it was a really hot week, and I can see from the photo that I was in my "regimental witch" phase, as I'd dyed my hair black.  At the next event - alas, no photos survive - I was tried, and tossed into the village pond. As it was an equestrian event, and we were using the water jump, and as it was only 4" deep, I ended up sitting on the bottom, but the twins insisted that I was floating. For months, the phrase was "You were drifting!" which, I assure you, I was not.

Ulverston 84

Another holiday muster, lots of fun. We took a day trip out from the campsite on the, er, Ravenglass and Eskdale (from memory) steam train. And look, we're in civvies! Very rare!
From the left, Ray Palmer in sunglasses and hat, but a hat without a spoon in it; Graham, known as "Fragile" or "Moth", David Soanes (ah, now I remember, that girlfriend of Stoney's was Linda Soanes, his sister). Michael, Sue, Steve Smith, Yatti, Niggle Prune (Nigel Plum) and Stoney.

The theme that weekend was Famous Five, and my catchphrase was (in BBC accent) "Oh, I'm sew happy, I just knooow these hols are going to be really first rate!". I said it so much that Derek Bradfield, a single twin, (yes! Rawdons had TWO sets of twins!)(well, technically, one-and-a-half) bought me a Famous Five paperback later in the week - luckily, it was one I didn't already have. But it was a sweet thought.

1987 Jelly Party.

Ah yes, Nottingham, house of Sarah and Michael, scene of many strange goings-on, not least of which was a mad "little girls and little boys" jelly party.

Luckily I'd made myself a very suitable dress just the week before, and here I am before the party starts, trying out Alan's new musket for size.

The pigtails, the freckles, the pantaloons, the enormous gun: I just look so sweet, don't I?!

And if you were still thinking about the hideous carpet in my old flat in Waltham Cross, just look at what they had!! And the wallpaper!!! But as Sarah said at the time, there really wasn't any point doing it up, as they had a constant stream of us trooping round the place, soggy tents going in and out, dirty muskets all over the place: and it was kinda fun to behave like kids and, for example, off the top of my head, throw jelly bombs around the place.

Kutna Hora

Not a full regimental holiday this time, just a small group of us, we went to the Czech republic at just the time when they had no money at all, and were desperately keen to encourage tourists by being very, very nice to them.

We saw some fantastic castles, and got very close to a lot of fantastic armour and stuff. We also found time to play with the statues, and here is a huge Aslan, apparently obeying Sarah's commands to eat Michael.