VEMRA once again held it's annual, and very popular, one night only fundraiser of amateur dramatics on the last Saturday of September.
This year, as with most years there were four skits presented. Each was stationed in a different area of Fort Rodd Hill.
And despite facing stiff competition from the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Victoria, and less than ideal weather conditions, it still ended up being a very successful night.
Everyone met up at the fort in the early afternoon to get in some rehearsal time. Soon after, it was time for dinner with the ever popular Panago pizza.
And as the light began to fade, lanterns were lit and the tours began...
The first skit was letters from the front between a WW1 Canadian Nursing Sister and her RAF husband. A Nursing Sister was technically not allowed to be married, so those that were had to keep it secret. Here, each describes their experiences throughout the war, with a twist at the end.....to give it away, she dies...
The second skit was set during the Boer War, or South African War as it is sometimes known. A war correspondent comes upon a couple of Canadian Scouts on patrol, chasing after the evil Boer commander Jack Hindon. And they discuss the brutality of war and the brutality of British Army cooking...
The third skit sees a couple of SOE agents, being briefed by the pilot and dispatcher of 138 Special Duty Squadron RAF, located at the secret air station RAF Tempsford, just outside of Bedfordshire, England, before they are dropped behind enemy lines in France just prior to D-Day 1944. SOE stands for Special Operations Executive, which was a British organization formed during WW2 that was tasked with espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance in occupied Europe.
And lastly, the final skit was about lighthouse keepers, one of which had joined the PCMR (Pacific Coast Militia Rangers -- a home guard unit unique to the west coast ), getting instructions from an Army Sergeant on identifying Japanese planes and what to do if the Japanese were to land near the lighthouse.
This event also marks the last major event for us for this year. It has been a very busy but fantastic year, with lots of fun and different events. Next year promises to be equally busy, and hopefully just as fun! See you there....
All photos for this event can be found here.