Page 24 - RADC 2023

Day 7 – This was spent getting much needed sleep, food, admin work.
Day 8 – This was our last day of rehearsals in Sandhurst. It was also our last time practising the coronation procession with all the Army and Commonwealth procession groups.
Day 9 – The day before the Coronation, we spent perfecting our uniforms and shoes, making sure feet were taped up and that we were well rested. We made sure we are well hydrated and had eaten well. Relaxed and just to get in that mindset of how tomorrow is going to be a good day and we would nail it and make everyone proud ...
Day 10 (Day of the Coronation) – The day had finally arrived and the excitement was in the air. This was the day for us to present the culmination of all our training, efforts, and hard work.
Alarms went off at 2 am, time to wake up and go through the same process that we have been rehearsing for almost three
weeks. It was only after we got off of the train at Waterloo that it dawned on us the enormity of our roles with the swarms of media and people surrounding us.
Marching from Wellington Barracks to the Buckingham Palace and cheering for the King, gave me an immense feeling of pride. Nothing could’ve gone better and everything was immaculate.
Once the day was over, we were relieved to know our hard work had paid off and we have done ourselves, our family, our Corps, and our country proud.
Day 11 (Last day) – Everyone had packed up, handed back all required items, and were ready to return home. Before we left, we were thanked by our OC Major Smith and CRSM WO1 Beckett for our hard work and efforts. I could not believe the time had gone by so quickly and that was time to bid Pirbright farewell. It had been an intense but exciting ten days!
I am grateful to everyone in our contingent
for looking after and supporting each other and making this event a once in a lifetime opportunity. Hope to see you all soon.
Drill is a Pill
Capt Dougie Bruce
‘Drill is a pill that should be taken twice per day’ is a phrase familiar to all of us regardless of when and where we did our initial training. However, it’s safe to say that with respect to drill, a wee bit of rust had set in, especially for those of us in DPHC who haven’t set foot on the parade square in years.
After a few weeks of spinning around the country hunting down the various bits of uniform required and ransacking every tailor for their supplies of RADC buttons, it was time to head to Tidworth for Mission Specific Training (MST).
The 5 days in Tidworth provided an ideal opportunity to ‘iron out the creases’ away from the gaze of the wider Army. It also
22 RADC BULLETIN 2023
THE CORONATION