Page 36 - QARANC Vol 14 No 8 2014

34 QARANC THE GAZETTE
The 97th Nijmegen International Four Day Marches 16–19 July 2013
This is the largest marching event in the world in which The Royal Centre for Defence Medicine (RCDM) was lucky enough to take part for the second year running. The city of Nijmegen, Netherlands, plays host to the event which attracts approximately 46,000 participants each year. Of this number approximately 5,000 entrants are military personnel. The event takes place over four consecutive days. Each day’s march covers a different route, although the start and finish remain the same every day. All military participants are required to complete the 40km military route making the total distance 160km.
Each year contingents from approximately 30 countries are invited to march in uniform and their presence contributes considerably to the unique and colourful atmosphere of the marches. At approximately 1000 personnel, the British Military Contingent (BMC) forms the largest of the foreign military contingents with Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force, Territorial and volunteer Reserve Forces in attendance. The British are also the only nation to have Cadets taking part.
To be able to enter the Nijmegen Marches all team members must complete a qualifying event of 50 miles over 2 consecutive days. RCDM got all 14 of their tri-service team through 2 days at either Scottish Garelochhead Marches or the Waendel Walk in Northampton with ease. Unfortunately – due to operational commitments – two team members were forced to withdraw from the event. The remaining 12 continued training three days a week once back at unit until a week before the event.
RCDM was lucky enough to have a veteran within the team; WO2 Nick McKenzie who had participated in the Nijmegen Marches 4 times previously and was the only member of last year’s team crazy enough to do it again this year! He proved to be a valuable asset to the team and was able to prepare us a little for what was about to come.
We arrived in the town of Nijmegen on the evening of 13 July and booked into Heumensoord Camp, our accommodation for the next week. Safe in the knowledge that we didn’t have to march for another 3 days,
the team headed into the centre of Nijmegen to soak up the atmosphere of the carnival the locals put on throughout the event.
The next day included a poignant visit to a local war cemetery. We paid our respects at the grave of team member Corporal Neil Middleton’s distant relative who died in action in World War 2.
The eve of the first day of marching consisted of kit administration, team briefings and an early night given the 0300 alarm call!
Day One of the Marches consisted of a very early breakfast before parading outside at 0400 ready for the march past and salute. Rather aptly, we were designated team number 412 – this is the number of the military ward at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham in which RCDM is based. This felt like a good omen and inspired us before we set off. It was still dark outside but this didn’t stop the Dutch from lining the streets in force offering support, snacks and free hugs of which Lieutenant Colonel James Ralph took advantage at every opportunity! This support from the locals continued throughout the whole event and played an important part in helping the team notch up the miles. It was one of the longest days as we marched for 44 km in hot conditions but the whole team finished Day One. Later that evening we received some disappointing news – one of the team had been given a ‘red card’ by the medics for a heat injury sustained throughout the day, and so we were to start Day Two as 11.
Day Two was another early start but – to the relief of the team – a shorter distance of 36 km. Blisters began to make an appearance, however as a team largely made up of medics we were well prepared for this. Flight
Lieutenant Tom Borrough even earned the nickname ‘Florence Nightingale’ after his nursing counterpart for his insistence on providing medical care to one and all!
Day Three was a blow to morale. At the end of the 40 km we had lost two further team members to painful blisters, but the thought of the final day of marching approaching kept everyone going. One of the good things to come out of Day Three was the new marching songs we learnt and put into practice the next day.
On Day Four spirits were high and the atmosphere along the route was indescribable. It carried us through to the final 5 km – the Dutch cheering everybody on and handing out gladiola to congratulate us – where we finished in the centre of Nijmegen. We were met by the RCDM Commanding Officer and support staff holding cold beers to reward us for our efforts (and numb the pain of our aching limbs!). The celebrations continued into the night.
RCDM entered a team of 12 into the 97th Nijmegen International Four Day Marches but unfortunately only 9 managed to complete the gruelling course. This was due to the extreme temperatures of over 30 degrees and problems with nasty blisters, which unfortunately are inevitable at this sort of endurance event. Altogether around 40,000 participants – civilian and military – completed the event and earned their well-deserved medal. The whole team enjoyed this tough, yet thoroughly rewarding, event and are already making plans for taking part next year.
WO1 J Keeping
RCDM