The Groot-Bijgarden (Belgium) Chapter

Musketeers from a number of European countries, including a delegation from the General Staff, met in Brussels on the 3rd and 4th of December for an historic event.

It was the inaugural Chapter of this Belgian Platoon, and for the first time in the history of the Company, it will be commanded by a woman, Judith VANCOILLIE, who was named Lieutenant, Head of Platoon.

To mark the occasion a terrific programme had been arranged by our Belgian friends, which began on the Friday by a Reception at the Brussels City Hall hosted by Judith VANCOILLIE and her Officers.

The reception was also the occasion for the guests to watch the magnificent spectacle of a « Son and Lumiere » projected onto the facade of this historic and emblematic building in the Capital of Europe.

The programme continued by a special showing of the play "The Three Musketeers" by the famous Théâtre des Marionnettes Toone, greatly appreciated by a very knowledgeable public.

The evening ended with a buffet "Breughelien" accompanied by an assortment of regionally brewed beers.

Then, on Saturday, the high point of the programme, with the Inaugural Chapter in the Waerboom Salons, the property of a new Musketeer, who welcomed us into this magnificent building and provided a table of the highest quality where the pousse-rapiere of the Château Monluc and Armagnac Magnol flowed freely.

Needless to say, the 203 Musketeers and their guests were in great form to watch the induction of 16 new Musketeers (from Austria, Switzerland, France and Belgium) including the evening's President, Minister of State Armand de Decker, Past President of the Senate, Ex Minister for Cooperation and Development.

The Captain and the Lieutenants-Captain of the Anglo-Normandy and Italian Squadrons hadn't been mistaken. Judith VANCOILLIE and the Officers of this young Platoon had done the impossible in the shortest possible time. We will certainly be welcoming new participants to the Great Chapter in Condom.

by Michel Auzié

In charge of relations with Foreign Squadrons