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BBRFC began its career playing at the Quai des Usines in Schaerbeek, then moved to the British Army facilities in Grobbendonk. Following restructuring of the needs of BAOR, Grobbendonk was closed, but we managed to reach an agreement with the International School in Bierges until parents complained of the mud from the pitch being transferred onto their children's clothing. We moved to another army pitch in Leefdaal, arguably the best-laid and best-drained rugby pitch in BeNeLux, but 40 km drives to home games began to pall. The next move was to the British School in Tervuren, where we enjoyed a number of seasons before it was decided that the pitch was being over-played. We then acquired our own ground in Wolvertem, leasing enough land to produce two pitches. We built, Kevin Whalley designed changing rooms, drilled our own well and installed heating and showers. The well dispensed water with a remarkable odour of sewage and the pump froze solid in winter, our self-powered mower kept on breaking down, but it was home and we no longer depended on others. In spite of digging massive drainage ditches, the pitch was often flooded, the goalposts were noticeably wobbly when it had rained for several days and sometimes we could not quite finish cutting the grass before kick-off time. Rain also penetrated the outside walls but at least this meant that we could wash the mud off the floor before changing. Since the move back to Tervuren, the Wolvertem facilities have been taken over by a local soccer club. The playing surface is perfect and the changing rooms have been upgraded. The drainage ditches would still repel any modern tank. The place still echoes memories of matches against Leicester, Arras, Coq Mosan, Rheindalen and others.
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