Page 3 - Chiron Calling Autumn/Winter 2022

Queen
Elizabeth
II State
Funeral
by Jack Kemp – Spain District North Chairman The Royal British Legion
The news that hit the United Kingdom and indeed the world on the evening of Thursday 8th September that Queen Elizabeth II had passed
was deeply upsetting. We have
been hugely privileged to have had Queen Elizabeth II serve as Patron of The Royal British Legion since 6th February 1952. When the Queen passed OPERATION LONDON BRIDGE was immediately called, the plan was created as early as the 1960s and revised many times in the years before her passing.
The Royal British Legions part in this Operation was to provide 72 Standard Bearers from the across all of the 2,200 Standard Bearers in Counties and Districts, from
the Overseas Branches, Spain
was represented by Jack Kemp,
Germany represented by Helen Hefferman, Belgium represented by France Frison, the 72 Standard Bearers were all selected by the Commemorative Events Team to represent The Royal British Legion.
Nothing was left to chance. On
the day of Queen Elizabeth II State Funeral, it was up for an early breakfast at 05:30, then off to central LONDON to our staging post at MOD Main Building, not far from the Cenotaph, the hours slowly ticked away until it was time to ensure we were all looking our best, checking each other’s dress and equipment, then formed up outside in our positions ready to march
onto Whitehall and form up in front and each side of the Cenotaph.
This was a moment in history that
we will always remember, for the 72 Standard Bearers that were selected in was a great honour
and a privilege to represent The Royal British Legion, our Counties, Districts, and of course all the 81 Overseas Branches.
I would like to thank Philip Walden the Chair of the
Ceremonial Working Group, the Commemorative Events Team
and John Thornhill the National Parade Marshal and his team of Parade Marshals which included Norman Espie, David Brown, Laura Hayworth, John Grimes, and Kevin Lliffe, thank you all for ensuring everything was taken care of and the 72 Standard Bearers were able to provide the best possible final Act of Homage to Queen Elizabeth II.
Royal British Legion Standard Bearers Dip as an Act of Homage as Queen Elizabeth II passes the Cenotaph on Whitehall. Jack Kemp second from the right.
DMeeting The Queen
uring Her Majesty Queen stand at the end of the departing Elizabeth’s II visit to line to see Her Majesty Queen, Melton Mowbray and DAC which she duly did and on coming
on Friday 28th June 1996, Sgt Trish Clegg was not originally meant to meet Her Majesty, however one
of the Royal Protection Officer’s (David Robinson) recognised Sgt Clegg from Sandringham and came over for a brief chat and asked Sgt Clegg if she was meeting The Queen.
He then kindly said she knows who you are here and will want
to see you, but Sgt Clegg didn’t take too much notice. Later Trish Clegg was instructed to come and
to Sgt Clegg Her Majesty said, “Hello Patricia”. Trish had a
good conversation about her job, family and shared the comment “the higher the rank you become the less you have hands on with the animals and you get stuck in the office which is not so great” and Her Majesty agreed hence
the lovely smile in the picture. Trish went on to say the Officers watching on were in shock as on first name terms with Her Majesty!
Very recently Trish was
honoured to represent her father, (who was the Head Game Keeper at Sandringham) for Her Majesty’s Committal Service in Windsor on Monday 19th September 2022. Which Trish says, “understandably was very emotional and something she will never ever forget”.
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