Page 11 - The Gazette Autumn 2023

The Gazette QARANC Association 11
Soldiers march
The QARANC contingent and their AMS colleagues were now held, along with the rest of the Army, in the (massive) underground car park at the Barracks so one of the highlights during the rehearsal and on the day was spending time talking to our personnel. They were in tremendous spirits despite their tough rehearsals. I was incredibly proud.
After a few more hours spent watching the spectacle of the Army elements of the procession form up and march off behind their respective bands, we formed up. I think this was about two in the morning but having carefully followed the GOC’s instructions to suspend independent thought I had quickly got into the swing of not thinking for myself and so had lost track of time by then.
“This is going to be interesting,” I thought. About 100 of us, completely out of practice and with no rehearsal about to step off. But we came to attention pretty smartly and got underway without embarrassment. I confess I needed to change step here and there to begin with but behind the Massed Bands of the Irish Pipes and Drums we all settled very quickly.
Now, I have only ever marched on a parade square. The route to the Palace garden involved cobbles, speed bumps, gravel, kerbs and grass and quite a lot of changing direction. But we arrived in good order. Fascinating just how deep in our brains these skills have embedded. I needn’t have worried.
We were able to move around and chat for a while then formed up to wait for the main procession to arrive. On the day they would go behind us onto the grass, but it was flooded in parts, so they marched between us and the Palace and straight out of a side gate. Or at least that had been the plan, but they were locked! The man with the key was duly found and everything started up again.
Another unexpected and unique treat was watching the entire procession march past just a few feet away. We followed the procession behind ‘our’ band round the Victoria Memorial, up Birdcage Walk and were brought to a halt on Horseguards. There, the Guards officer designated to keep us in order passed on the feedback from the GOC London District that the Senior Officers Cohort had generally done well but please could we not fidget quite so much on the day.
It was generally agreed among the senior officers that we would not need to fidget quite so much
“Sirs, Ma’am’s, you are moving into public view, please stay in step.” Cheeky I thought.
We had completely nailed it some time ago.
because we would not be quite so incredibly cold on Saturday afternoon as we were in the very early hours of Wednesday morning. We were freezing and had been very happy to set off marching again just to warm up.
Walking across Horseguards as dawn was breaking was magical. Still wide awake I captured the memory and started to look forward to doing it all again in daylight.
Others will describe their experience of the Coronation procession and the overall day so I will return straight to Buckingham Palace Garden.
The ‘Three Cheers’ was incredible. Concentrating hard on getting the hat off onto shoulder, up in the air, back to shoulder, back on head routine correct and in time with everyone else I was completely unprepared for the wall of sound. The volume and resonance were immense. Fortunately, there were two more to go, to focus on and enjoy.
Having been delighted to find myself on the very front row I had realised once in-situ for the rehearsal that we were so far to one side that however much I tried to swivel my eyes (without fidgeting of course) I was not going to be able to see The King and Queen. All I could see was a couple of the ground floor French windows and net curtains. But those curtains twitched, and Prince George appeared resplendent in his red tunic followed by the King. They opened the door and watched the parade leaving the garden while chatting and pointing at the activity. What a bonus.
A guardsman had been positioned at the garden gate to say repeatedly as the senior officers passed “Sirs, Ma’am’s, you are moving into public view, please stay in step.” Cheeky I thought. We had completely nailed it some time ago.
There was one last treat to come. The march up Birdcage Walk behind the Pipes and Drums. I was very conscious that this would be my last ever and I needed to not only concentrate on what I was doing but take it all in and remember the moment, how special it felt, what it meant, and once again how extraordinarily lucky I was to have had such an experience.
(Left) Coronation Day. (Right) Master General AMS, Senior Health Advisor (Army) and the AMS Colonels Commandant in Buckingham Palace Garden