I spent a very enjoyable weekend at the Wargames Holiday Centre near Basingstoke where Mark hosted the 6th annual Donald Featherstone tribute weekend.
This year we took a trip up the Nile in an effort to rescue Lady Kitchener (I believe) and to relieve a town at the far end of the 24ft (around 7.5m) long table. We had a strong force of horse, foot and guns along with two paddle steamers and a small gunboat.
Our camp at the other end of the table also had to be protected, as did the baggage waggons accompanying the main force. I had the unenviable task of commanding the baggage train. Twice during the game I had to issue the order “Convoy is to scatter”, or otherwise “Every man for himself”!
Just to add to the fun a railway train passed across the table at one point, and that too had to be assured of a safe passage.
The objective was for each officer to gain the maximum recognition by destroying Mahdist warriors, and achieving personal objectives unknown to the other players. The Mahdists were generated in random strength at 20 random points around the table edge, or at half a dozen ambush points.
The Nile was also swarming with crocodiles, but luckily their event card never turned up.
On Saturday evening we held at the dinner an auction of our unwanted wargaming items and books, raising over £600 for Combat Stress. In addition Mark donates £25 each of our gaming fee, so the charity will be £1000 better off. John won the “dandy” prize for best dressed gamer at dinner, resplendent in top hat and tails.
A huge thank you to Steve Thompson for creating the game, making the models, painting thousands of figures and writing the rules. Thanks also to Mark for hosting, Henry for being, with Mark and Ron, instrumental in the whole Featherstone Weekend concept and to the other players Ben, David, Eddie, John, John, Melvyn, Sid, Steve, Steve, Tony and Tony for a superb weekend full of laughter.
Here you can see two days of gaming condensed into one minute. Thanks to Ben for this.
General Whiskers' semi-historical wanderings 
Excellent. Looks like a lot of fun and a great tribute to the man himself.
I note your modestly prevented you mentioning your recognition as the most gentlemanly player 🙂
Eddie
Yes. Thanks chaps. I’m still not sure what I did to deserve that, but it is highly gratifying , and the vignette will take pride of place on the shelf with 54mm representations of me in various re-enactment guises. Currently it sits on the mantlepiece in our living room.
And let’s hope they engrave the surname correctly – Wisken !
Too many people have their own idea about how to spell my name…