Following a cancellation in our public events calendar, a small group of le Gatinois met for a wonderful time sewing, drilling, trying out some new period card games, and otherwise generally enjoying each others' company. After all, why do we do this hobby if not to make new friends? And if you want to join … Continue reading Summer Training Weekend 2025
Portez vos armes!
As illustrated here in this wonderful photo captured by Daz's Photography, French soldats only ever carried their muskets on their left shoulder, whether at the "portez" or "au bras" positions. By contrast, a French Officer or "bas Officier", a supernumerary NCO such as a sergent or a caporal acting as a sergent, always carried their … Continue reading Portez vos armes!
AGM and Training 2025
We had our AGM this weekend, with a few fun notices coming soon! In the meantime we thought you'd like to see how even the smallest space can be used to work on the essentials of l’Ecole de Soldat (the school of the soldier). Marching is a difficult art for those of us in the … Continue reading AGM and Training 2025
Training the soldats is a tricky business!
The Ordonnance suggests teaching men in threes (to form a full file), but our smaller numbers means the Caporal can spend time making sure we're each getting it right individually... Photo by kind permission of Emma Jayne
Mid-season training weekend 2024
We're just reaching the end of our first mid-season training and sewing weekend. Accompanied by liberal applications of Hornblower, and plenty of caffeine, we've worked hard on practicing the 1776 Ordonnance *and* on beginning to construct our interpretations of contemporary shirts! More on that soon. If you want to join our sectione of Louis XVI's … Continue reading Mid-season training weekend 2024
Training in the French Army
The #18thcentury French Army had two ways of preparing soldats to fire. When training, particularly as a small escouade, the orders would be given slowly and clearly, to ensure that all soldats knew what to do: 'Apprêtez vos armes. En Joue. Feu." However, on the battlefield, with gunsmoke and cannon fire all around, bataillons would … Continue reading Training in the French Army
First unit training weekend!
We thought you'd appreciate a behind-the-scenes look at some of the work we've been undertaking to get ourselves ready for action. Here are a couple of photos from our first unit weekend - sewing and marching, anyone? Photos by kind permission of Alicia Martin
Le Régiment Gatinois 