Officers and men of the Polish Guard Lancers,

As the end of 2010 approaches and a New Year is about to begin I would like to briefly reflect on this year.

First and foremost 2010 has been a year of growth within our regiment of Guard Lancer’s. It has seen our regimental strength treble through the addition of our French section making our regiment one of the largest Napoleonic cavalry re-enactment units in Europe. It has been a year heavily focused on the supportive training and equipping of our newly formed French section and the challenges that we have faced in this undertaking.

Personally I have been very pleased and encouraged by the support and enthusiasm both UK and Polish sections have given our French section.

The seeds of this union were set down in April when Marcin, David and myself traveled to Montcharlon in Burgundy to meet and train with Bernard and representatives from the forming French section. It quickly became apparent that their commitment to training and to our goals was not only a serious undertaking for them but was something that they were prepared to work on and develop after our departure.

We were also impressed as to how far Bernard’s section had progressed with uniforms and equipment.

I would also like to thank Veronique, Bernard and Mariane for their hospitality and friendship while we were at Montcharlon.

The rides through the countryside and forests around Montcharlon were truly spectacular

And will be well remembered for years to come.

On our part this visit  was a positive success where we were not only able to show support for Bernard’s vision of a Polish Guard Lancers section but also begin to build up friendships and trust for the future.It was a true achievement to see Frenchmen Poles and Brits communicating together successfully with no barrier to language, thanks to men like Simon Zapata, bilingual in French and English.

In June there arose an opportunity for all three sections to come together at Waterloo Never before had so many Polish Guard Lancer’s taken the field together since Somo-Sierra.

This event not only gave an opportunity to train together but also build up friendships and discuss ways of working together to achieve even greater things in the future.

Personally it came close to the vision of what I would like to see in the future, 20 riders many of them from our UK, Polish and French sections riding together in formation to the same words of command that our forebears in the unit were given.

The riding standard was good and everyone quickly adapted to what was required.

Maybe we were not as good as our original forebears but that can be worked on in the future.

The year ahead is full of challenge with the possibility of Albuhera in Spain and dedication ceremonies to the regiment at Chantilly and Niegolewo. Hopefully we will be able to come together and train as a regiment during the year.

Let us not forget that 2012 is just around the corner and the prospect of following in our forebears footsteps in Russia and the participation of the regiment at Borodino. This will I am sure be a logistical undertaking as no other in the past.

We cannot be complacent but must work together this coming year to show ourselves at our best for this event.

This in turn will mean serious commitment in training and time.

I am sure that I can count on your support in this.

Where ever you are tonight you are in my thoughts.I wish you all a Happy New Year, May good health and happiness be with you all in 2011.

May the Emperor shine his guiding light on us and support us in our goal.

So may we be upstanding and raise our glasses to one and all.

‘Vive L’Empereur !!!’

‘Vivat Cesarz !!!’

‘Niech żyje Polska !!!

George Lubomski.

Colonel of Polish Guard Lancer’s and General of  Polish Guard Cavalry.

There is a pedestal of the monument of Tadeusz Kosciuszko rising in front of the Lubomirski Palace in Warsaw. The monument of the Polish-American hero will be unveiled 16.11.2010 at 11:00 AM. The monument will be a copy of the monument erected in Washington D.C. at the edge of Lafayette Park opposite the White House May 9, 1910. Kościuszko will wear the uniform of the American general of the American War for Independence. Press release of the Capital City of Warsaw reminds links between Kościuszko and Warsaw:

"It was here that he studied at the elite School of the Knights, so he went to Paris and then to America, where he became famous in the struggle for independence of this country and received the rank of General - brigadier. To merit the head for the capital could include, among others military support of its citizens struggle under the leadership of Jan Kiliński on the river during the victorious battle of Warsaw fought for during the insurrection of 17 - April 18, 1794, by which the soldiers of the Russian invaders were forced to leave our capital. Kosciuszko, after arriving in Warsaw, (headquarters was in Mokotów), proceeded to fortify the city, and then organize their long-term, proactive defense against the Prussian army, which lasted from July to September 1794. "

195th anniversary is over. It was a major re-eencatment this year and perhaps the most important. While we are still working on a summary, we are only too glad to present the event in photos. Please feel free to visit our Digital gallery. You may watch selected videos at our forum. Further photos and videos will follow. Enjoy and visit us frequently.

There was historical seminar, annual re-enactment and a muzzle loading competition at Jonkowo (Jonkendorf) Friday-Sunday 19-21st March. Re-enactment groups from Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Belarus attended the event which commemorated a struggle between the Napoleonic and Russian forces in 1807. Members of the Arsenal (Polish Guard lancers together with the Vistula lancers ) formed the cavalry of the period: Gwardia Honorowa Warszawska - Garde d'honneur du Varsovie, which was transformed into the I Régiment de cheveau-légers (Polonais) de la Garde Impériale.

Siege of Malaga 1810, Spain opened the re-enactment seazon for 2010. The anniversary, which combined exhibitions, cultural events and conferences was completed with the re-enactment. Enjoy the video footage of the event.

The Constitution of May 3, 1791 is generally regarded as Europe's first and the world's second modern codified national constitution, following the 1788 ratification of the United States Constitution. The Constitution introduced political equality between townspeople and nobility (szlachta) and placed the peasants under the protection of the government, thus mitigating the worst abuses of serfdom. The adoption of the May 3rd Constitution provoked the active hostility of the Commonwealth's neighbors. In the War in Defense of the Constitution, the Commonwealth was betrayed by its Prussian ally, Frederick William II, and defeated by Catherine the Great's Imperial Russia allied with the Targowica Confederation, a cabal of Polish magnates and landless nobility who opposed reforms that might weaken their influence. Despite the Commonwealth's defeat and the consequent Second Partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, the May 3rd Constitution influenced later democratic movements. It remained, after the demise of the Polish Republic in 1795, over the next 123 years of Polish partitions, a beacon in the struggle to restore Polish sovereignty. In the words of two of its co-authors, Ignacy Potocki and Hugo Kołłątaj, it was "the last will and testament of the expiring Fatherland."

By Jerry Lavender Fins

On the 7 July, the French frigate la belle-poule and the corvette the Favorite weighed anchor from the French naval base at Toulon bound for the island of Sainte-Hélène on board was the official French mission to recover the body of the Emperor Napoleon, they arrived on October 8.and visited the British governor of the island, Lord Middlemore who formally agrees to hand over the mortal remains of Napoleon to their care on Thursday October 15.
Following this short interview, the Mission visited the valley of geraniums where the Emperor was laid to rest and were surprised to find an old English sergeant who had been keeping the grave since his death. And who had fought at the great Battle of Waterloo,
Through the steamy eyes of the Baron Gourgaud, all the memories of the battles, victories, glory, and distinctions, he remember the moment, twenty-six years earlier, during the campaign of 1814, at the time of the battle of Brienne, how he saved the life of the Emperor by killing a Cossack who tried to kill him with his lance.