Forty Kilometers in Four Days
Szöveg: SFC Hajnalka Kiss Matócsiné | 2015. augusztus 4. 9:00Six Hungarian soldiers recently participated in a four-day march organized by Dutch soldiers in Afghanistan. Organized for the 106th time, the march has the objective of covering 10 kilometers per day in four days with a 10 kg backpack.
It was C. Vienhoff, a lieutenant from Arnhem who came up with the idea of the first “four-day" march in July 1907, when he proposed that a tour like this be organized in the Breda sports days. The first “four-day" started in 1909 when 306 soldiers from 10 barracks set out to walk 150 kilometers through the garrisons. In spite of the difficulties, or perhaps due to them, the concept became more and more popular. Because of the growing popularity, the number of participating countries rose from the initial 7-8 to 60 by 2004.
The march in Camp Marmal, Afghanistan between July 21 and 24 involved some 100 soldiers of the 22 nations present, including six Hungarians. Of the soldiers representing Hungary, four are serving with the HDF Force Protection Platoon, and two in individual positions.
Photos by the author
