Page 68 - RADC Bulletin 2018

HISTORICAL
Coronation Day, 2 June 1953
Douglas MacKay RADC (V)
The Royal Army Dental Corps provided eight men to march in the parade on the Queen’s Coronation. Six of the soldiers were from the Regulars and two were from the Territorials. I was one of the latter. Troops were marching eight abreast so we only formed one line. The number of men was decided by the size of the Regiment or unit, eight being the smallest number, and their position in the column being based on their seniority. The
about the fourth floor. We were all in our bunks for an early “lights out” when the Welsh Guards, who were sleeping on the ground floor, began to sing “We’ll keep a welcome in the hill sides, till you come home again to Wales”. It was a sound I will never forget.
We paraded the next morning, wearing No 1 Dress uniforms. Dressers fitted us with white belts, buffed our boots and carefully
Royal Coach and escort came at the rear with the senior regiments just in front and junior regiments ahead of them (the most junior being furthest from the coach and in fact leading the parade). We were in front of the Pay Corps and just behind the Pioneer Corps. Seven days before the parade we reported to The Duke of Connaught Barracks to practice marching and to have our dress uniforms tailored (blue with a two inch green band around the cap and down the side of the leg). Early most mornings we went on a 20 mile march tailing behind one of the many military bands rehearsing for the parade.
The unit ahead
of us was a large contingent of the Pioneer Corps, hopping and skipping trying to “pick up” the step
covered us with capes. We then marched out into the pouring rain heading to Buckingham Palace. The unit ahead of us was a large contingent of the Pioneer Corps, hopping and skipping trying to “pick up” the step. Every time they changed step, we had to do the same. On the end of our line was our Colonel who started using his sword to jab the line ahead of us, in the backsides, saying “Pick
it up”, which almost led to an incident when their Colonel came back to see what was happening. Leaving the exhibition hall we followed Brompton Road to Knightsbridge. As we passed Wellington Barracks, home of the Horse Guards, we were just in time to see the Sovereign’s Escort ride out ahead of
On the 1st of June we went to London,
being billeted in the Empress Hall (an exhibition hall being used as a temporary barracks). The Empress Hall had many floors, but was open in the centre from the ground floor to the ceiling. We were on
us, mounted on about one hundred gleaming black chargers, who proceeded to use the street as a toilet, while we splashed closely behind soiling our lovely shiny boots.
Continuing down Constitution Hill we came to a halt in the park just to the left of the Palace. We “fell out” so we could use the temporary toilets (already flooded) constructed in the park, a few feet from the spot now occupied by the Canadian War Memorial. We piled our capes and we were issued with a packet of Horlicks tablets on which was printed “These tablets are made from barley specially grown on Her Majesty’s Royal Estates, to be issued to her troops on her Coronation”. I now wish I had kept them, but instead I ate them.
From here we marched through streets lined with soldiers, the Guards in scarlet tunics and black bearskins, the others wearing No 1 Dress like us, and behind the soldiers, cheering crowds, some of whom had been there for three days. As the tail of the marching column passed the Palace, the Royal Carriage joined on the end. When it arrived at the Abbey, we had reached almost to Hyde Park Corner, at which point we halted again while the Crowning took place, and all this time it was raining on and off. The delay was about an hour longer than expected due to Her Majesty resting because she felt unwell. (I didn’t feel so good myself, but nobody seemed to care).
When we did move off, we marched under the arch at Hyde Park Corner, on top of which were TV cameras from around the world. We marched in the park, parallel to Park Lane, until we passed under Marble Arch, onto Edgware Road, through North London, and returning along Oxford Street and Regent Street to complete
a 20 mile route back to the Palace, and then on to Empress Hall, where we were dismissed. By this time we were soaked to the skin and water bubbled out of our boot lace holes as we walked. When I arrived home and removed my uniform I found my underwear and body were blue from the dye in the uniform.
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66 RADC BULLETIN 2018
N SDAL
National Association of Specialist Dental Accountants & Lawyers