[Regia-NA] It has been a long hard battle...(long)

[list-regia-na@lig.net]

My Regia Family,

Four and a half years ago, a wide-eyed American stepped off a 747, into a
drizzly, cold, November Suffolk morning, at RAF Mildenhall.  The weather did
nothing to dampen (excuse the pun) his excitement at having had the fortune
to get assigned to a place he considered Paradise.  For years prior, he had
been involved with "reenactment" (a term used very loosely with what he had
previously experienced), but never to the quality he desired and knew
existed.  Through contacts and chance encounters elsewhere in the world, he
knew that real reenactment could be found in England.  So the day he set
foot onto this green and sceptered isle, he began a journey to reach his
dreams.  Of course that person is me.

As most of you know, I am in the U.S. Air Force, and it is by their "grace"
that I have been stationed here.  Originally I was to be here for only four
years, but have managed to stretch it by another six months.  It has been a
long hard battle in which I have been recently engaged, seeking every
possible route to stay in England.  But each proved to be a dead end, and I
have now been issued orders for reassignment Stateside.  With a great deal
of sorrow, I will soon have to bid farewell to the UK for Keesler AFB,
Mississippi, and the Gulf Coast, and subsequently some of the finest people
I have ever known; the people who have become a second family to me, the
members of Regia Anglorum.

In the early 90's, I had friends stationed at RAF Lakenheath, and they would
tell me endless tales about the area.  Before arriving I knew my first foray
out would be to West Stow.  Within the week, with only a couple days driving
experience, I stood in awe at the reconstructed village, and on that day
joined the Friends of West Stow.  Shortly thereafter, in January, a Friends
meeting was held and it was there that Divine Intervention gave me the
opportunity to meet Nigel Gibson.  I know Nigel must have thought I was
completely insane as I assaulted him with maniacal gusto regarding
involvement in reenactment.  Originally I had plans to seek out the NFPS,
mistakenly believing them to be the epitome of Viking Age reenactment.
Nigel politely deflected me from that path, instead inviting me to attend
the next Moot for his local group of  Regia Anglorum.  I do have to admit
that at first I was skeptical; I had barely any knowledge of Regia.  But I
did maintain some enthusiasm about getting involved and before I knew it, I
was experiencing the full glory of Regia at my first show, Wareham 99.  

Since then I have had experiences that were truly magical.  I HAVE stood in
the ranks of Hereward's army and opposed the Norman oppressors.  I WAS
killed defending the King against the rebel Geoffrey de Mandeville.  I HAVE
been William, leading his army into the conquered lands of England (okay, so
the horse was doing most of the leading).  I WAS that scabby peasant,
pressed into service by the Earl, afraid of death at a Viking spear point,
and in the end fleeing in terror before my blood could be spilled.  There
are those moments when you have to say, "It must have been just like this."
And in the evening, when all The Public has left, I shared a campfire and
friendships with those that were my opponent that day, knowing that tomorrow
we would do the same.  Marching across York, hearing the beautiful voices of
our nuns, standing in the Eye, listening to the music and the crowd, I knew,
I felt, that whether I died in the first clash, or survived the day, it was
worth everything...time, energy, money...I put into Regia, just to be there
to be part of the experience.    

And the learning has been without estimable value, or equal.  I have tried
to learn as much as I could, but can still see how much I don't know.  I can
be but awestruck when exposed to Roland Williamson, and the Uzzells, and
Steve Etheridge, and Chris Bolton, and Andy Nicholson, and....do I have to
list everyone in Regia?  There are so many experiences that have expanded my
knowledge that I could not begin to list them all.  In only a few meager
years, I have seen the birth of a village reconstruction that will rival the
Jorvik Centre.  The inspiration of Paul Keating's needlecase in bone set me to learning it as a
skill for the LHE.  Regia warfare is a total blast.  However, I looked to
being in the England and in Regia as a path to further my education of
everything Dark Age.  I wanted knowledge, how-to's and hands-on experience
on the aspects of Dark Age life that are readily overlooked in other
reenactment venues.  Not only did I learn more about my specific period
interests, but what I was taught was not always obvious.  Just exposure to
Regia has taught me more than I have realized; only the other day a civilian
friend asked me about religion in our time period, and suddenly all this
information just started to flow out from somewhere inside.  And very
importantly, I have learned that being in a boar snout comprised of Lith is
just as terrifying as opposing it.

I take with me thousands of memories of England.  Many of them are of Regia;
watching Dave the Moneyer striking coins, Will being part of Gary Golding's
retinue at last year's Fritton, the smell of wood smoke across the LHE in
the morning, Lord Tobias striding across the battlefield looking every inch
the part, Regia kids running as a pack being kids, pub drinks after battle
practice, Jo Ellen helping me to relearn riding, my introduction to
Strongbow and a shower of arrows, the cacophony of Stooge-esque snores at
the Wychurst Scout hall, the first time I stepped on board a longship, that
day-of-days at Shrewsbury that I was made thegn...the list is endless.

There are a few special thank you's.  To my Lord, AEtheling Bjorn, Kim, an
imposing figure at first meeting, but in reality a marvelous person.  Regia
would be hard pressed to replace him.  Thanks for your friendship and
leadership.  To all the fabulously fantastic members of Grantanbrygc, thank
you for taking Will and I in and making us one of you.  You all will be the
hardest missed.  You all have had such a monstrous impact on our lives.  The
friendships I have made in Regia are those for life.  The farewells will be
difficult.  Yet, I can try and look towards the promise of quick trips back
for some of the big shows, or even seeing some of you on my side of the
Whale-road.  My home is open to Regia travelers.  

I have said They (The Powers-That-Be) will have to drag me screaming and
kicking to the plane.  And I mean that.  

Vivat Regia Anglorum!

Bill Tate
(Leifr Vinlander Hjalmsson, Lord of Mildenhale)



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