Late October 2024, in the middle of the night, an unusual activity took place in the old Bukit Timah Road. The Rail Corridor, also called the Green Corridor, was host to the first ever completion of the Norwegian military foot march in Singapore. What is the Norwegian foot march badge (“det militære marsjmerket”) you might ask?
The Norwegian foot march badge is a long-standing tradition in the Norwegian army, the badge being awarded to soldiers who complete a 30-kilometer route march within a cut-off time of 4 hours and 30 minutes to 6 hours depending on age and gender. The march needs to be completed in military uniform and with a backpack of at least 11kg. First held in 1915, it is a test of marching endurance for soldiers in the Norwegian army.
Finishers: Fang Fang, Alex Martin, Samuel Egerton and Yuseff Murphy.
Photo: Sam Egerton
A member of the Singapore Armed Forces Volunteer Corps (SAFVC), Sam Egerton, heard about this Norwegian military tradition from fellow soldiers after participating in a different military march in the Netherlands in 2023. Inspired, he returned to Singapore with a goal of organising this statement challenge in the Lion City for fellow Volunteer Corps members, enlisting the support of a fellow SAF Volunteer (SV), Nadim van der Ros, a staunch advocate of cohesion and connection activities for the SAFVC through a volunteer-led organization, SVxSV.
The Norwegian Embassy in Washington is responsible for Norwegian foot march initiatives outside of Norway, handing out the official certification to individuals who have completed the march abroad.
Designed for a vastly different northern European climate, hosting the event in Singapore posed some unique challenges. The event organisers had to liaise closely with the Norwegian Embassy in Washington to get special permission to exceed the standard 25C upper temperature limit for the march: the year-round heat and humidity of the island nation, would make the task a tough one to conquer!
However, despite the size of the challenge ahead, with the necessary permissions in place, Sam Egerton set about engaging participants, and Nadim van der Ros engaged the logistic support and event crew, tapping on the vocational and professional skills of volunteers from all across the SAFVC, to ensure a safe, efficient and fun event.
A well-deserved rest after the effort. Photo: Sam Egerton
Now that the first official Norwegian foot march in Singapore has been successfully completed, it will doubtless become an annual tradition here. The date for next year is already set for the 4th of October 2025. The Norwegian Embassy intends to send a colleague or two to participate and we urge Norwegians here in Singapore to join the challenge! If you are interested, please contact Sam via samegerton@hotmail.com.
The SAFVC was established in 2014 to allow Singaporean women and first-generation permanent residents to contribute to the country’s defence. While organised by SAFVC members, anyone may participate in next year’s Norwegian military foot march in Singapore; you do not need to be a member of SAFVC. There will be spaces specifically designated for both military and civilian participants. However, numbers are limited, so do reach out soon!