Frog Marchers of Frejus
THE FROG-MARCHERS OF FREJUS!
It all started with an e-mail to the SVA from General Pierre Lang, a retired army officer of the French Troupes de Marine, inviting a group of Suez veterans over to France to participate in a joint commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of Operation Musketeer. The occasion was also marking the Troupes's 136th anniversary of the combatants of Bazeilles in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. Frejus was to be a bigger occasion we had anticipated.
Jeff Malone's enthusiasm for the Event soon manifested itself in an exchange of correspondence with the General and organising a small group of interested SVA members to participate in a veterans parade and whatever else might be required of us. Despite such short notice, Jeff soon organised the travel and hotel arrangements.
DAY 1: 0812 hours on Wednesday 30th August saw our party of 15 (joined now by two former Royal Marines) departing London Waterloo and by 1147 (local time) the Eurostar arrived at Paris Gare du Nord. Interchanging stations on the Metro we left the Gare de Lyon at 1350 on the TGV which finally brought us to St. Raphael at 1830 hours.
We were met at the station by Lt. Julien Fargettas, a young officer of the 21e Infanterie Regiment Troupes de Marine who was to be our guide, interpreter and aide for the tour of events. He directed us towards a waiting bus of the lell1e Regiment Cuirassiers which ferried us to our hotel in St. Raphael - an excellent choice of accommodation and conveniently close to Frejus, the centre of events. That evening, while the rest of us relaxed, Jeff and Bill Taylor went with Julien to recce the Arena where we would parade the following evening. They returned about midnight with Jeff comparing the event to the Edinburgh Tattoo. So, we we needed to be on our toes if we wanted to keep the old Flag flying.
DAY 2: After breakfast, Bill Taylor assembled us in the car park of the hotel to take us through the rudiments of the parade - bags of swank! Before we left the UK, Jeff advised against wearing blazers and ties in the heat of southern France and suggested a parade dress of KD shirts, berets, black shoes (medals) for receptions, parades and the official lunch at Camp Lecoque. By cannily adapting the SVA blazer badge to fit over the shirt's left pocket and by using epaulette slides with small SVA logos attached. we achieved a very smal-t shirt-sleeve order. It was successful enough to be considel-ed for other hot-weather parades.
Soon. the bus arrived for our visit to the TI-oupes de Marine Museum in Frejus. It was notable that the display devoted to 'Suez 1956' had a prominence that shamed the museums back home. Later that day. we drove back to the hotel to change into our KDs for the reception at <Baume', a sort of joint services leisure centre where we met French veterans of Suez and Cyprus, and a host of Army and Marine k/p/m - kepis per metre! Food and drink was plentiful but we had to remain clear-headed for the parade later that evening. Leaving 'Baume' the bus took us to the football ground-sized Arena where we were ushered into front seats that had notices pinned on them declaring that they were 'Reserve ANCIENS SUEZ!'
Spectators in the Arena (a former Roman amphitheatre) were entertained by the band of the L'Armee de Terre, who, after playing popular songs on the bandstand put on a display of marching and counter-marching. The arena lighting then dimmed to almost total darkness to begin a series of floodlit tableaux depicting past and present roles of the Troupes de Marine. There followed a remarkable and lengthy fireworks display, its finale being the signal for us and the French veterans to vacate our seats under cover of darkness and form up in the entrance tunnel to the Arena. Bill resplendent in kilt and bonnet reminded us of the need for bags of swank. With Don Axon as SVA standard bear'er alongside those of the French veterans, and with Bill calling the cadence, we marched into an arena ablaze with blinding floodlights. Cheers arose as Bill halted us centre-stage before right-turning us to face the VIP rows. In openorder formation we were then received by General Lang who moved through the ranks to thank each one of us.in turn. A moment's silence, and then the voices of the Troupes de Marine filled the auditorium as they broke into their slow Regimental hymn in tribute to us. Performed on special occasions, the hymn was a moving moment that brought many a lump to the throat. It was now time to march off, and Bill brought a roar from the crowd as he hollered the command, 'Suez Veter"ans - move to the left in columns of four - left turn.' More cheers as we completed the movement with a parade-ground stamp of the right foot. To the sound of the band and the crowd clapping, we marched off the Arena to a marquee where another reception was laid on. Here, Jeff received a medal on behalf of the SVA in recognition of the occasion. It was late when we returned to the hotel and needless to say we were completely 'cream-crackered'!
DAY 3: 0730 hours. The coach arrived at the hotel and this time it was accompanied by Cpl. Ezzaouche, a female NCO of the Troupes. Again, it was parade dress for our first engagement, which was a special military service in Frejus Cathedral attended by many of the Troupes. The event gave me the opportunity to lay a poppy wreath I had brought with me in a side chapel dedicated to the Fallen. After the service, it was back on the coach for the big parade at Lecocq Camp, headquarters of Troupes de Marine. We sat facing a huge square where units of the Troupes were forming up. Among the top-rankers and VIPs attending were at least five generals. In charge of the parade was an officer who gave commands via a PA system and when giving the order to 'Rest Arms' it would boom out, <Reposer- OOOUM' in ultra-high amplification, much to the amusement of the British veterans. Bill Taylor would have eschewed the use of such modern super-microphony!
After a flypast by the Patrouilles de France and some lengthy speeches, awards were issued including one to Brig-General G. Thomas, commandant of the 3rd Brigade, Royal Marines. Three Legion of Honours were awarded that day. Then. a galaxy of senior' French officers led by a Chef d'etat major des Armees made their way over to where we were seated. Specially thanking the British Suez veterans for attending the Chef said how very important it was for us to be there and how much it had meant to them. Praise indeed. The event was reported - with photos - in the Press and local newsagents were amazed to see their stock snapped up by a bunch of excited anciens britaniques who spoke or read little or no French!
The parade ended with a march off by Troupes de Marine units followed by a smart squad of Royal Marines who had flown over' from Britain the previous day. Again British honour was upheld, though one couldn"t help but admire the grand finale of a 'stick' of commandos parachutistes de Marine deploying over Camp Lecocq and dropping one by one on the parade ground in front of us. An excellent display all round, and the prelude to a lunch taken under the welcome shade of Camp Lecocq's marquees. We partook of various pates, cheeses and viands all washed down with half bottles of Troupes de Marine wine. Come to think of it, does any regiment in the British Armed Forces bottle its own labelled house wine? Think Chateau vin du Royal Logistics Corps?
The lunch ended with a thank-you speech from Jeff to General Lang and to Julien our young Lieutenant. It also gave myself and Cyril Blackburn the opportunity to present a framed certificate and an emblazoned mug to the General on behalf of the SVA to mark the Suez 56 Anniversary.
That evening saw us bid farewells to our French veteran counterparts, but not before photos had been taken and addresses exchanged, hopefully a video of the Event will be produced by one of the Fench veterans.
DAY 4: With the trip almost at an end we could relax and settle down to enjoy our last two days on the Mediterranean, but after the buzz of the previous three days it was now somewhat of an anticlimax. Recalling the reception after the floodlit parade, an amusing moment was seeing Cyril sink three, or was it four glasses of champagne? <It was all taken in the spirit of entente cordiale', he said later. Yes, Cyril.
And so we took our leave from la belle France, our Marine hosts and new friends among the French veterans. A successful trip, and on behalf of THE FROG-MARCHERS of FREJUS, may I thank Jeff, Bill, and all those who participated in a unique event.
John Mitchell
