COMMUNITY
WEST COAST REVIEW | 13
and along with the two bits of
pike, held it along my right
side for the remainder of the
parade.
On Coronation Day, the guard
assembled at 8am at Bird
Cage Walk, and marched to
the Abbey for 8.30am, where
we were to stand till 4pm.
The fi rst dignitaries started
to arrive in horse drawn
coaches at 10.30am, and
the Queen arrived at exactly
11am.
It was a cold morning, with a
threat of rain in the air, and at
midday, to our surprise and
pleasure, the overall guard
commander Air Commodore
Yarde, came down the ranks
and announced a change of
plans we were standing down
for an hour. Off we marched a
short distance to the Old India
building, close by.
The Scots offi cers mess had
organised sandwiches and,
of all things, Guinness. So
late on in the parade’s progress
a couple of drinks were
most welcome and seemed
seemed without problems
alas, they were not a wise
move.
We reformed and marched
back to our position around
1pm and, with the Queen
due to exit around 3pm, we
still had a couple of hours to
stand easy.
As those hours passed, my
Guinness began to make
it presence felt a problem
which reached no return as
I was required to make the
muscular effort to go to the
Royal salute as the Queen
appeared some hundred
yards away. Fortunately it
had been raining quite hard
and we were all well soaked,
and in my case I had a cold
wet leg and a warm wet leg
as the Queen passed my position.
A few days later I received
my Coronation medal for my
services to her Majesty, to be
worn on all offi cial occasions
for the rest of my life.
My special duties concluded,
I resumed my normal activities
in charge of ground defence
at RAF Wittering, still
some two months shy of my
20th birthday.
John