Page 68 - The Bugle Autumn 2016 Issue 12

Camarone Day
Each year, April 30th is a holiday for the Legionaries. Régiment Étranger d’Infanterie, and a bond of
They celebrate the unforgettable Battle of Camarone, where in 1863 the heroic Legion fought to the death against 2000 Mexican soldiers. The battle is the greatest feat of La Légion Étrangère, the behaviour of 60 legionnaires ensured mission success by protecting a vital re-supply with their lives.
2 RIFLES, through the antecedent regiment of The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment, is partnered with the French Foreign Legion. In the Bosnian campaign of 1995 they served alongside the French Deuxieme
friendship was later established between the two units. This bond of friendship continues to this day and as such 2Lt Murphy and CSjt Ball attended the celebration of Camerone.
We arrived in Nimes, Southern France, on the 29th of April. The sun was shining on the idyllic city and there was a distinct change in temperature from Northern Ireland. The Caserne Colonel de Chabrières in the city centre, the spectacular barracks with its whitewash walls glowed in the sunlight, a beacon of the longstanding history between the City of Nimes and the Legion.
The celebration was held in the local elliptical Roman amphitheatre, the oldest amphitheatre in France. Used normally for local bull ghts the setting was perfect to match the scale of the parade. The Legion marched onto the sand singing their Regimental advance as they came. The Colonel of the Regiment inspected the Legion before addressing the soldiers on the importance of remembering the deeds of those who have come before. The event drew large crowds from the local populace and many Veteran Legionaires who still feel a strong tie to the Legion.
That evening was a celebration of the Legion and all of its deeds. Time was put aside for remem- brance of the fallen. The local communities were invited into the barracks to join in the celebrations, with a carnival, several bars and a beauty pageant there was something for everyone that evening. The tradition of Miss Kepi Blanc was continued that evening, a local beauty pageant run by the Regiment. The victor claims a Kepi Blanc, the famous headgear of the Legion, and is invited to events throughout the year. It was a weekend to remember, an insight to a different Army and a glimpse at the grand history and tradition of the French Foreign Legion.
2Lt Murphy, OC 6 Platoon
2Lt Murphy and CSjt Ball celebrating Camerone day with 2 RIFLES partnered French foreign legion battalion, Deuxieme Régiment Étanger d’Infanterie
66 SECOND BATTALION
THE RIFLES
A week in India might seem a change in pace for the emotional connections of many nations
a Battalion supporting exercises and operations in the Falklands, Africa and the Middle East, but paying our respects to the fallen from the Battle of the Somme was a priceless duty for those attending the centenary commemoration in New Delhi. The British High Commission organised a unique and memorable service in the Common- wealth War Graves Commission cemetery in the city. In a true show of the utility of the Adaptable Force, at very short notice, two buglers and an of cer from 2 RIFLES were able to contribute to the commemoration, and experience some of India in the process. The success of the ceremony can be measured by the numerous foreign dignitaries who reviewed the event as being one of the most appropriate and considered they had attended.
To an audience which included the Secretary of State for Defence for India it was clear to see the pride so many nations felt in the sacri ce and service of their ancestors at The Battle of the Somme. With a careful eye to ensure
towards war on the Western Front, The British High Commission gathered participants from India herself, Germany, the UK, South Africa and Canada. This contributed to an atmos- phere which only heightened the emotion in the candle-lit cemetery. Contemporary readings and piped music, bugles and whistles to call people forward to lay their owers on each grave, as well as gun re tea and trench cake, gave an authentic and connected feel to proceedings.
With rehearsals completed the day before, and a midnight ceremony, the 2 RIFLES contingent were able to travel to Agra and visit the Taj Mahal. This was an experience not quickly forgotten as the immense craftsmanship and attention to detail left an awe-inspiring impression. Overall this was a great experience which indicated how the Adaptable Force can be utilised to have a soft-power effect, and ensure we correctly respect those who have gone before us.
Lt O’Brien, OC 1 Platoon
Battle of the Somme Commemoration
– New Delhi