Newsflash: ill tidings for the Nijmegen Marches

Yesterday, a Dutch newspaper reported that Camp Heumensoord, arguably the centre-piece of the Nijmegen Four Day Marches, will cease to exist from year 2013.

by Thorbjørn Hein, Lieutenant, The Royal Life Guards, Denmark

UPDATE, 10 Dec: Please become a fan of the Facebook Page in support of Heumensoord. Go to the page by clicking here.

Oh, but man. I bring the non-Dutch speaking part of the international marching culture bad news here. One of my comrades-in-boots from the Danish roads posted a link to de Gelder on Facebook tonight. Basically, the article quotes Four Day Marches Chairman John William Stein for saying that he expects dire effects on the march from planned cuts in the Dutch defence budget.

A Canadian team passing under the famous Boot Gate
at the entrance of Heumensoord, earley in the morning.

The effects of the cutbacks will be "limited" next year, assesses Mr Stein, but not so for the 2013 march. Then, he fears, there will be no Camp Heumensoord in the woods outside Nijmegen and no pontoon bridge across River Maas at the town of Cuijk on day four. Both camp and bridge are constructed by Dutch Army Engineers.

As a soldier it is hard to imagine how it would be to not be living in Heumensoord during that week. The comradeship between the many service members from all over Europe - indeed, from all over the world - is such a huge part of the experience. I mean, we don't walk six-seven-eight hours just for the spectators and the party out on the route. OUR party only truly begins when we march into the infamous Beer Tent to the cheer and singing of our colleagues.

We can only hope that somehow the Dutch Minstry of Defence will realise just how great a brand the Four Day Marches are for not only the city of Nijmegen, but also for their Armed Forces, and find some of the money for a compromise.

Nijmegen without Heumensoord? No, no, no ...

Source: de Gelderlander

Below: a video shot by Leo, the Dutch Viking, featuring several Beagle Boys: the HQ Coy of The Royal Life Guards, Denmark, doing their traditional Beer Tent Entrance Stunt, july 2011.

Self portrait on the far side of Cuijk, with the
iconic bridge across the Maas, July 2009.