The London to Brighton Run, 6th October 2002

As free camping at Crystal Palace was included with the entry fee, the Forward Party (Dave Middleton, Mark Buddle and Mike Allmey) arrived late afternoon, having sliced through south London as a short convoy of RAF Police, Military Police and Explosive Ordnance Disposal.

Once Crystal Palace Park had been located - it's hidden on top of the tallest land mass between the City and the South Coast under a television transmitter, yet is fiendishly difficult to pinpoint - it was the occasion we had all been waiting for... the inaugural erection of Dave Middleton's 9x9, as bought directly from the manufacturer in Pakistan and specially shipped into Guildford via Tilbury.

The whole point of this international logistics exercise was so that Dave could pay less for a new 9x9 than the going rate for a Grade A from, say, Silvermans. And on the face of it, Dave could. However, by the time it arrived at Tilbury, there was the small matter of Import Duty, VAT, Customs Clearance and carriage from Tilbury to Guildford. Then there were some small issues, like the poles were already rusty, the guys were white, the sod cloth was white, the windows are smaller and meshed, the "heavy duty" tent mallet wilted in sunlight...

"Was it worth it?"

"Erm... no."

LEFT: Dave (at the back) is either practicing to become a Gynecologist or is mysteriously making his Eastern-origin tent levitate

By 2200 there was quite a gathering of the Association, including a significant number of newcomers. I must apologise for not noting your names, but it was good to see you all and have a chat. From our perch beneath the transmitter, the view was quite impressive - the whole of south London stretched out at our feet (the best place for it).

Sunday morning and an early start, the Run was due to start at 0845 and EMLRA were due to be one of the first groups be leave. As it turned out, we were due out as the second convoy, following the Dunsfold Collection.

With a convoy of just over twenty, keeping in one group through London was never on the cards. However, what also wasn't on the cards was the complete lack of signs or marshals, despite official information to the contrary. In short - we got lost! More accurately, the convoy became three sections; the lead group were fooled by signs that said "London to Brighton Run" while the centre and tail group ignored such temptations and read the route card instead. Why the confusion? Because the London to Brighton Run signs actually meant exactly that - there were quite a number of horribly fit people running from London to Brighton the same morning.

Mark takes up the story:

"We set off in to South London confident of a good run I expected to loose a few because of the many traffic lights but where were the markers or Marshals? As I started to go wrong some of the convoy found the correct route, the radio sets Carl Honeysett had provided didn't operate within the Land Rovers and Mr Chaos started to knock at the door.

"Eventually we found the chosen path and picked up the markers indicating what I thought was the intended route, a sketch in its own right as we seemed to be passing rather a lot of runners and drinks stations, it just happened to be the London to Brighton road run for runners. By this time I had followed, in true Army Tradition, all the route markers as a main Supply Route would be marked on exercise and we were now some way off course.

"A speedy roadside meeting decided that Brighton no-matter-what should be sought and headed for the A23 where we could find it, leaving the roadrunners to miss the spectacle of my now disheveled convoy of six. Amazingly, when we got into Brighton we were only three cars behind the first section to arrive."

Despite the fact this was October, our arrival at Madera Drive was greeted by sunshine, blue sky, blue sea... and the same commentator from Eastnor Castle, Diane with Radio Microphone, the Voice of LRW who was interviewing almost each and every arrival as they arrived - thereby causing a huge traffic jam. When they'd last met in the arena at Eastnor, John Butcher has fascinated Diane by saying how many Land Rovers he owned; they had the same conversation again, only now John has added a Freelander to the family fleet. Not to mention a fine pair of slippers.

The space we had been allocated allowed us to have a green-and-black car park up to ten wide and two deep; not the sort of display we've been doing this year, but certainly the biggest single outfit there.

And then Eddie Johnston became careless and won the Best Military prize - he'll not be allowed out in future if that keeps happening.

Proof of the pudding... Eddie poses while Mark rushes in to make sure his boots are shiny enough to be seen in public.

"... but I don't take my slippers to shows, not like that John..."

Drat! Something else to dust!

Thanks must go to the Surrey and South London Land Rover Club for organising such an enjoyable event. Certainly one for next year. Don't worry, we'll find our own way.