An Introduction to the Regiment

May I welcome you to the re-enactment side of the 21eme de Ligne. I must first introduce myself - my position within the regiment is Captaine-Adjutant and my name is Chris Durkin - I am also lucky to be one of the founder members of this great regiment. We are a French Napoleonic re-enactment regiment and dress to the period of 1812 to 1815. This is a time, we feel, that not only our chosen regiment but also the French Napoleonic Empire was at its peak; this period also covers the end of our era at Waterloo.

 

After the 1812 campaign then came the so-called wars of liberation through out Europe in 1813. The French Empire was then pushed back to its own borders fighting all the way step by step. 1814 we feel this period of time shows the true grit of our regiment and the French army along with its people with their backs to the wall as they faced a tidal wave of the combined European arms invading from every part of its borders. So you see we share the success and the defeats with our Emperor.  Our unit is in fact one of the oldest re-enactment regiments in existence. The re-enactment side of our regiment was lovingly put together by a small group of friends in 1978 and since that day we have achieved so many distinctions that only time can give. In 1990 we were given the greatest honour that any re-enactment regiment could ever hope for. The present day 21eme, which is still to this day a regular French regiment and one of the oldest regiments in Europe, invited us to their army camp in France and in a ceremony presented us with our eagle and flag. The present day regiment had now given us our roots and official acknowledgment on behalf of France. I must thank our chairman Adolphe Leschevin and his wife Florence for making this happen.

 

Presentation Of the Eagle at Romain sur Meuse

 It did in fact open many doors for us.  Every five years the family of the 21eme will try and meet up some where in Europe that has a Napoleonic connection with our regiment. Our next form of recognition has given us a garrison in Paris. We have been accepted as the official guards of Malmaison - which was the home of Napoleon and Josephine. Malmaison is in perfect condition and has lost none of its former glory. Over the last twenty-five years we have taken part in all the major re-enactment events throughout Europe. We always hire our own coach to events over the water which means our trips are organized by members for members. We have marched over the Alps and into Italy. We also went to Ajaccio, Corsica and stood with our Eagle and standard in the very room where our Emperor was born. We have marched over the route Napoleon took in the south of France. We have taken part at events on the actual battlefields i.e. Jena and Lipzig in Germany. It was at the large re-enactment of Waterloo in Belgium (1995) that we had a record-breaking turn out of 100 members on the battlefield. Our research side is first class and we have over the years built up many connections in many museums through out Europe. Our members have been given guided tours of the best Napoleonic museums in Europe such as the museum de Empire in Salon de Provence, South of France. The museum de l Armee at the Invalides in Paris. The museum and coach room at Malmaison. The national museum in Bruxelles, Belgium. Our research will never stop in our constant search for information.

 

That was our past and now our future aims which is the coming of the Napoleonic bicentennials this must be the most exciting time in the history of Napoleonic re-enactment and will last for the next eleven years. This will be a journey that will take us across Europe and to every major capital within Europe as we follow in the steps of our Emperor and our regiment. 2004 will find us where it all started at the camp of Boulogne in France

2005 at the battlefield of Austerlitz

2006 Jena/Auerstadt

2007 Poland

2008 Spain

2009 Austrian

1812 Russian

1813 German campaign

1814 French campaign

1815 where this great adventure will all end on the battlefield of Watterloo.

 

During all this we still have a very hectic campaign within the UK - we attend at least three main events during the summer and in the winter months we attend a number of wargame shows up and down the country in our hunt for new members.

 

Everyone is welcome within our regimental set up, age or sex does not matter there is a place in our ranks for everyone, we are a true peoples regiment with a first class family atmosphere. The one question always asked by interested members of the public is how much will it cost us. We have a system where by any would-be member can attend their first event membership free. That way if its not for you then you don’t lose any money with no strings attach.  The organization of the 21eme caters for the new recruits with training from the most experience Napoleonic re-enactors in the field to day. Over the years we have built up a regimental depot of spare uniforms and equipment that we take to every event and loan out to new members who attend. Would you like to experience what it is like to attack in column against a British line or form up in skirmish order against a Russian held infantry position or even form square against a Austrian  Hussar regiment. Come and camp in our period campsites and at night sit with us around our campfire as we sing period song.  All we are trying to do is recapture that long lost Napoleonic nostalgia. Once you have joined our ranks we do expect all new members to acquire most of their own kit over a two year period. If you would like more information on our set up or our events then just get in touch with me at this address:-

        Chris Durkin,
        7 Lowcroft Crescent,
        Chadderton,
        Oldham,
        Lancashire,
        OL9 9UU.