Page 10 - The Gazette Autumn 2023

10 The Gazette QARANC Association
‘My extraordinary good luck to
be a part of the Coronation’
QARANC’s Col Commandant Carol Kefford recalls her pride (and anxiety) of being part of the parade at the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
It was pure luck that I had this amazing experience. I was in my final couple of months as Colonel Commandant QARANC and if the Coronation had been only a few weeks later I’d have missed it.
The original plan had been for the Master General to represent all the Army Medical Services, but thanks to the timely and vocal intervention of Colonel Graham Johnson as Colonel AMS, all the individual Corps’ Colonels Commandant were able to parade. So, on two counts at least I was very, very fortunate.
We were to be part of the 100 strong senior officers’ cohort which included all but the Service Chiefs who were in the Abbey. However delighted I was I confess to anxiety creeping in very quickly. I had not marched in formation for at least 20 years and more on this later.
The detailed instructions were only being released close to the event, but we knew that they would include a video of the hats off routine required during the ‘Three cheers.’ So, after two decades of no marching and never having done ‘Three cheers’ while on parade I could only wait to find out what was required.
There was then the matter of changing my rank crowns and cap badge to the King’s Crown. These were in very high demand and very short supply but
A sense of excitement and “Aren’t we lucky?” was evident.
The dawn walk across Horseguards
mine arrived in the nick of time. The cap badge was a different fitting to the Queen’s Crown I had on my No 1 dress hat so required some nifty work with a scalpel to get it fixed and changing crowns on gold cord shoulder boards required some strongarm manoeuvres with a large pair of pliers. With only minor damage to my fingers the job was done.
Overnight rehearsal! By this stage I had my niggling concern about the drill, hoped that I had got the uniform right and now remembered that I hadn’t stayed up all night for at least 20 years either. I did remember though that if things were as interesting and lively as they often were on night duty then it would not be difficult to stay awake.
We were briefed during the afternoon in the Guards Chapel by the Garrison Sergeant Major, the now very well-known WO1 Vern Stokes, Coldstream Guards, at which point I think we all recognised that the overall Coronation plans were way beyond anything seen before. This was indeed going to be interesting.
GOC London District spoke and found a polite way of telling his fellow Generals and not quite so very senior officers that our job was to suspend any notion of independent thought and simply to do exactly as we were told.
It was lively too as we assembled in Main Building, changed into No 1 dress and caught up with colleagues and friends. A sense of excitement and “Aren’t we lucky?” was evident. Then on to the coaches at 22:00hrs for the short drive to Wellington Barracks. One hundred senior officers did exactly as they were told to exit Main Building in good order but still nothing had been left to chance and there were guides posted at every doorway, lift, and staircase to make sure we didn’t wander off.
We were held at a road junction and witnessed the procession from Waterloo Station. Imagine. In the dark, band after band with troops marching behind each one, in full dress uniform, across Waterloo Bridge to the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben with the London skyline lit up behind. Quite a sight.
Off the coaches and we were formed up in a pre- determined order. I was middle of the left flank and so to my delight found that I would be front row at the Palace. Just one rehearsal for the three cheers and then into the Officers Mess for something to eat and the long wait.
X2 taken with the QAs while waiting at Wellington Barracks