Page 28 - QARANC Vol 14 No 7 2013

26 QARANC THE GAZETTE
Armed Forces Day Parade, Southwark “United to Serve”
Sunday 30th June 2013
On a very hot and humid Sunday afternoon around 600 Military personnel from the Regulars, Reserves and Cadets were joined by 250+ veterans and hundreds of official guests, families and well wishes for an act of Ceremony and Recognition held within the grounds of the Imperial War Museum; or Geraldine Mary Hamsworth Park as it is known locally. The event was preceded by a parade through the streets of Southwark of 350 personnel from nine Military Units, three of whom were exercising their recently received Freedom of the Borough. This was the culmination of five months of hard work by a small team from the London Borough of Southwark (LBS) and 256 (City of London) Field Hospital.
Participating units included The Band of The Life Guards, Royal Navy and Royal Marines Reserves, the London Regiment complete with Colours, Pipes and Drums, FANY (Princess Royal’s Volunteer Corps), two detachments of Sea Cadets, two detachments of Air Training Corps and around 80 South East London Army Cadets. Members of the Metropolitan Police, London Fire Brigade, London Ambulance Service and 1st Southwark Brownies were also on parade. Veterans from many associations and cap badges were represented by, but not limited to, the RAMC Association London Branch, QARANC Association Millbank Branch, The Parachute Regiment, 1st Surrey Rifles, Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioners, Russian and Atlantic Convoy Associations and members of the Royal British Legion (RBL) from Southwark, Bermondsey Branches and the London Branch of the RBL Standard Bearers.
The Marching contingent of the parade itself formed up on Library Street, which is about 600yds from the Imperial War Museum, starting from 1000hrs and was inspected and ready to move off at 1130hrs in three detachments. The first being The Band of The Life Guards, the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Reserves and the London Regiment; the second the Pipes and Drums, 256 Fd Hosp, the FANYs; and the third being the Air Training Corps Band, the Sea Cadets, the Air Training Corps and the Army Cadets.
RBL and other Standard Bearers, including QARANC, interspersed with Cadets, line the approach to the hollow square
Marching behind the Pipes and Drums provided 256 Fd Hosp with a real hair up on the back of the neck moment and provided a fantastic start to a wonderful day.
Musical support was also provided by the Army Medical Services (AMS) Band with background music inside and outside the private marquee and a French marching band from Clichy, who entertained the crowd prior to the arrival of the parade.
The Formal Service of Ceremony and Recognition started at 1200hrs and consisted of three parts; the Gathering, the Act of Remembrance and the formal presentation of the Honorary Freedom of the Borough of Southwark. Due to 256 Fd Hosp being the lead Unit for the parade, we had made sure that both the RAMC and QARANC were well represented both on and off the main stage.
When all the personnel were in the correct position The Lord Lieutenant Sir David Brewer CMG JP was asked to join the stage, a General Salute was given and the service began.
The service was led
by the Roman Catholic
Bishop of the Forces,
The Right Rev Richard
Moth and the Bishop of
Southwark the Right Rev
Christopher Chessun
and included speeches
from the Representative
Deputy Lieutenant,
the Mayor, the Deputy Southwark
Leader of the Council,
COS LONDIST and other Religious Dignitaries.
The hollow square formation was commanded by our 2IC, Lt Col Marie Richter QARANC, due to being the senior Officer in the marching contingent, who not only controlled a very mixed formation but because of the London Regiment had to include Rifle Drill and Marching Off of the Colours. According to the RSM of the London Regiment, a job which was very well done; compliments indeed from a regular Coldstream Guardsman.
With the AMS Band, supported by the Pipes and Drums, playing in the background and the sun shining the day became a relaxed and informal event with fun, laughter and the ever present Corps rivalry being given and received in good spirits.
A free full program of entertainment was provided for all the participating personnel, guests and the public after the formal service form 1300 to 1600 and included the London Army Wives Choir, the Southwark Concert Band, the Lambeth Wind Orchestra and the Memphis Belles, an Andrews Sisters tribute act. Service personnel, veterans and the public mixed together and enjoyed the sun and family friendly atmosphere well into the afternoon.
The event has been covered in the National and Local
The CO, Col EMC Coles TD L/QARANC, of 256 (City of London) Field Hospital receives the Freedom of the Borough of