Fort Amherst

Warning Order 10th 11th January 2015

Welcome to Fort Amherst for this filming of a documentary on Napoleonic weapons and tactics of our
period, with modern army taking part to show contrast between the two periods.
We have up to 130 re enactors taking part and we have split the 2 days up into reversals on saturday
and Interviews.
Then on Sunday Sean Bean will be with us for the main filming.
The reason for rehearsal is we only have Sean for one day, and as we all know film crews seem to take ages
working out the best angles and tech stuff , we intend that each part of the filming will be rehearsed and
marks made into the ground so on sunday we just go back where we were, this will speed up filming and
be less time hanging around.
When you arrive we will have a full briefing on the story boards and each of you will know what will be
asked of you and what time.
We will run the garrison as a fort would have been in our time, and Rob Yuell will be garrison commander,
so you will be asked to guard and also drill when you are not being used as this will help with back ground
filming.
Accommodation: Will be in the main magazine where you will be sleeping , please remember to bring
camp bed, sleeping bags and blankets . Please email me to confirm if staying or you intend to day trip
There will additional areas for accommodation and these will be made clearer on arrival, we will not need
to be under canvas but if you wish to we will try and find some flat ground for you.
Some of the French will be billet in the guard house area, there are bunks in the guard room and the rest
will be in the tunnel rooms.
Rations:
The garrison will provide a sausage, bacon, rolls on saturday, sunday morning with porridge for vegetarian
and Tea ,coffee will be available all day.
We will be paying each person a meal allowance of 10.00 for lunch (5.00 per day) on the 2 days so that
you can either use the on site caf or go into town which is only a short distance from the fort.
We also have arranged a Free Meal of hot stew for Saturday evening meal cooked and served from the
garrisons Cafe for all, please bring cutlery and your plates for this, and also a vegetarian option
will be available.
Gun Powder will be provided by the NA
Timings:
Arrive from 4.00 pm Friday
and we hope to have a bar in the guard house of bottle beers/ cider on the friday and saturday evening.
Saturday : Revile 7.00 am
Breakfast 7.30 am
First parade 8.30
Garrison commander will issue units their orders for the day at parade and time for powder issue
Lunch is 1.00 pm till 1.40
Sunset parade at 6.30 pm

As far as the filming goes, we would like, if possible, to film some or all of these sequences with you at Fort
Amherst:
1, Cannon drill the process for loading / firing / re-loading a Waterloo-style cannon. French and Allied
cannon drill, but we thought it might be good to pit 2 teams against each other to see who could complete the
action in the quickest time. Maybe Sean could join one of the teams and get involved in the action too. Jim
Paylor
Differences between Naponic cannon and modern light gun ( if available
2, Making musket balls and caring for rifles (cleaning / maintenance etc) - ,Jerry sperring
3, Someone one who could also talk about comparisons between Waterloo rifles and modern army weapons?
Rob Yuell
4, Demonstration of infantry drill: moving from line formation to forming a square etc. but it would be good
to get enough to create some sense of scale if possible. As above, it would be good to get Sean involved, Rob
Yuell
5, Also sean can learn the drill as well. Perhaps this could include a Sergeant or similar who is giving instruction
as it might have been done on the parade ground.
6, As part of this sequence we'd also like to look at the drill for firing weapons etc: how the infantry square is
organised to ensure constant and rapid fire. Rob Yuell
7, And, if possible, we would also like to get one or 2 French cavalrymen or cuirassiers to take part. I'm assuming it wouldn't be safe for them to charge at a square, but we could probably film this to give a feel for what it
is like to see a horse and rider looming out of the smoke and towering above the soldiers standing in the
square.
8, We would like to film a sequence that helps us illustrate the last phases of the battle involving Napoleon's
Imperial Guard. Would it be possible to get any Imperial Guard re-enactors along as well so that we could put
Sean amongst a group of Imperial Guard as they march? As above, I know we will not be able to afford hundreds of men, but it would be good to have enough to convey some sense of scale.
Filming opportunitys:
Tavern
Living history
Interviews with re enactors

Address: Fort Amherst Dock Road Chatham Kent ME4 4UB

Tel: 01634 847747
Tony wilks Site Manger: 07771 728 667