Page 81 - Mercian Eagle 2013

train had arrived at Lourdes. The train pulled into Lourdes with a French band reception and coaches on call to take us to our hotel.
The first day involved the expected administration and welcome presentation but after that it was an opportunity for everyone to go out, refresh themselves
and get to know their
new surroundings. This
ended up with what
seemed like half of
Lourdes congregating
around the famous
bridge bars. With a beer
in their hands and the
usual self confidence
you would expect from
the 3 Mercian lads they were chatting away with any and every nation there. The Desert Rat on their uniform was the first thing which would draw in soldiers from a multitude of different nations. The brightly coloured red desert rat on black stood out and every nation wanted to do a ‘swap’ for it. A ‘swap’, which is rampant throughout the week, is where the different nations swap their nation’s insignias for another nations; be it a Tactical Recognition Flash (TRF), cap badge, beret, rank slides, unit t-shirt and by the end of the week, even their uniform. There was a rank structure in the swapping game (just like
in football cards when you were younger). Some of the nations just
This ended up with what seemed like half of Lourdes congregating around the famous bridge bars.
One of the many processions
weren’t that desirable and were easily available where as others like the football ‘shiny’, were rare and had a lot of value. The most desirable items were from the French Foreign Legion, the Swiss Guard who protect the Vatican and it seems the ‘Desert Rat’ TRF; which put the 3 Mercian lads in a good trading position.
The next day started with a mass and for those who wanted it the sacrament of reconciliation or confession. Afterwards Father
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