Page 26 - The Gazette Autumn 2023

26 The Gazette QARANC Association
‘Streets were lined with spectators and a
carnival atmosphere was in full swing.’
WO1 Caz Olive reports on the Nijmegen marches – a four-day international event in the Netherlands which is the world’s largest multiple day march.
In February, Sgt Beekhun of Joint Hospital group North (JHG N) appealed for volunteers to take part in the Nijmegen Marches. With limited places available, the Unit would combine with Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM) to create a team.
There was no shortage of volunteers and five were selected to train and prepare for the qualifying event in May. Being based in Catterick the weather provided a variety of training challenges. During the first training session they were met with snow (which later closed the A66) but all went well and in mid-May the JHG N team travelled to Birmingham to meet with the RCDM team to complete the qualifying marches, covering 80km over two days.
All members performed amazingly and used the time to get to know each other and start to bond. With all members passing the qualifying march, JHG N returned to Catterick and continued to train separately from the RCDM team, not seeing them again until the day of travelling to Nijmegen.
On 14 July the team (of which eight of 10 were QAs) met in Birmingham and under the direction of WO2 Cahill (team leader) packed the vehicles ready for the overnight ferry to Holland. Prior to leaving Birmingham the team called into Fisher House as the plan was to raise money for the charity which supports military patients, their families and veterans that are receiving care at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
On arrival in Holland, we travelled to Camp Heumensoord. The following day was the opening ceremony and several of the team joined others within the British Marching Contingent, in the march through Nijmegen City, along with personnel from other nations to officially open the event. The Monday involved a day of relaxation, kit and foot prep ready for the marches to start early the next morning.
The day of the first march arrived and it was an
All members performed amazingly and used the time to get to know each other and start to bond.
early start for all teams to ensure that as much of the daily 40km route as possible was covered before the temperatures increased. It was amazing to believe that even at 0530hrs in the morning there were local civilians out on the route supporting the troops as they passed.
As the military troops got closer to the joining points with the civilian marches the number of spectators increased, and a carnival atmosphere commenced and remained for the 40km. The atmosphere was amazing with spectators cheering, playing music, and providing snacks along the route.
At the end of day one the team then went to meet with the commanding officer (CO) of both RCDM and JHG N, Col Moorhouse RAMC who had come out to support us.
Day two was a different route and the team were keen to get going after experiencing the atmosphere of the previous day. The CO met us en route and we had a quick break to make the most of the snacks that she had brought for us before continuing with the 40km prior to meeting her again at the end where she was armed with ice lollies.
Day three was hill day and after the past two days of marching on the flat routes it took mental as well as physical resilience to battle the inclines. The support and chanting from the other teams and the atmosphere from the spectators made the time pass quicker and all the team were pleased to successfully complete the march knowing there was only one day left to push.
Day four, the final day arrived, and the team were pleased with what they had achieved so far. They knew that the only thing between them and the Nijmegen medal was another 40km of marching. This route was slightly different, in that there was a 5km area where the military marching contingent separated off from the civilian route, this led to having minimal external supporters on this part of the route and it made us realise how much the team had relied on this support.
On meeting back up with the civilian route the crowds and spectators returned which then increased the morale within the team. This military diversion