The NZ Army uses Caves Too- Dining in style

Late last year I was lucky enough to be invited to an Officers formal dinner for my old Battalion (2nd/1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment) based out at Burnham. A close friend of mine is currently the Commanding Officer and he wanted to do something a little different. Using my brothers cave at Redcliffs as the venue he added a few key ingredients for a great evening. Namely;

• The New Zealand Army Band as world class entertainment.
• A field kitchen set up to cook a three course meal.
• Numerous Army chefs and waiting staff.
• 90 Officers and their wives/partners.
• Many dozen fine New Zealand wines, and
• Some good speeches including farewells.

In fact it was almost a home coming because in the second world war the cave had been used by the Army to store ammunition and the property still has several concrete Machine gun posts.

So a great evening it was. I have been to many during my time in the Army but you forget how close an Army combat unit can be. The Battalion, like many of our Army units, had just had many of its officers and soldiers return from overseas operations including Afghanistan, East Timor and the Islands. This was  a night to thank those wives and partners who remain at home and support those overseas and it was a night to let their hair down (what little they are allowed) and relax amongst close friends and colleagues.

Having been away from the unit since the day I left the Army (April 2004) I was reminded of just how close the bond is between soldiers. Shared experience, tough times, common goals and the traditions of a fighting unit are all reasons for this. My wife Belinda commented on the fact that it was like a big family gathering and even after years away you are still somehow part of it. I have reflected on this and do agree. It is the nice thing about the Army.

In normal workplaces friendships are formed but in many ways they are never as close as those Army friendships you have. Army friends are those that you do not have to see often.  In fact years can go by without even hearing from close mates (not so much nowadays because many pop up on Facebook from time to time and hurl a bit of light abuse) and then suddenly they will be passing through and over a coffee (or 20 rums) and a lot of laughs you can quickly catch up on their lives and the lives of others you served with.

It is an aspect of my life that I am so glad I have and friends like that are few and far between in a world without the community's of old.

Onward