2nd Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment

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KING GEORGE VI’S CORONATION
12TH MAY 1937

By
Col. Lionel John Lindsay Hill 77668

 

The following was written by the late Col. John Hill for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977.

As momentum gathers for the Queen's Jubilee celebrations, many of those who served Her Majesty on former royal ceremonial occasions, no doubt looked back briefly to recall their experiences.

How many of us have had the privilege of attending two central activities on two previous great occasions: our Queen's Coronation in 1953 and her father's Coronation in 1937. It was my happy privilege to be lining the route in Parliament Square as a cadet at the Royal Military College at Sandhurst on 12th May, 1937 and then, sIxteen years later to command the detachment from my regiment in the marching column forming the procession on the 2nd June, 1953. Thumbing through the official instructions (122 pages in 1937 and 56 pages in 1953!), vividly brought to mind many of the highlights from these two great occasions.

..............KING GEORGE VI’S CORONATION
........................12TH MAY 1937


550 of us lined the route round Parliament Square. My post, 30inches from my neighbour, was exactly opposite Big Ben. I remember Reveille at 02.30 at Sandhurst, porridge for breakfast at 03.00, catching the train to Waterloo and marching to and from the stations. After at least three inspections. the first in torchlight, our leather belts, rifle slings, rifle. bayonets superbly polished as only young 17 and 18 year olds with six months' specially accelerated training under sergeants and sergeant-majors of the Brigade of Guards knew how, arriving at our post for the day at 06.15, after marching from Waterloo Station. People asleep on and under newspapers on the pavements being "encouraged" by the police to wake up and get behind the barriers erected all round the Square; the inevitable drizzle which cleared later; Big Ben striking 6.30, and 7.30, and 8.30, and 9.30 and all of the hours throughout the day; crowds beginning to pile up behind us - we being relieved once every two hours to "loosen up" and to repolish our boots. Then from 9 a.m. onwards, being called to attention, watching out of the corner of our eyes, the regular Royal Marines just opposite us and thinking our arms drill was better than theirs! Sometimes to slope arms, sometimes to present arms, as appropriate salutes to V.I.Ps. Then the processions arriving with the crowds, pressing against our backs, small girls and boys trying to look round, and through our legs -my bayonet scabbard being used as a receptacle for toffee papers! - every notable carriage being greeted by cheers and especially, a certain General Walter Venning who stood up and waved his ceremonial full dress hat in the air to a friend in the crowd (sacrilege to a young cadet recently taught strict discipline!). Haversack rations eaten during one of the short breaks - the splendid processions passing us - hardly able to see, 'eyes front and don't let me see or hear any of you breathe', quote from the sergeant-major. 13.00, 14.00. 15.00. 16.00 hours, Big Ben's hands moving on and on while the crowds remained as enthusiastic as ever. By now, surreptitious alliances were being made with the more friendly of the opposite sex immediately at our backs, for assignments after the show, only to be disappointed, because we marched under tight control to return to Sandhurst via Waterloo with no suitable breaks!

The Earl of Cavan commanded the troops and among those who drove in resplendent carriages in the procession was Commander Lord Louis Mountbatten. Glistening coaches and horses, cheering and happy people - the King and the Queen and the small Princesses, only a little younger than we, formed the central moment for us. Then, it seemed it was all over. After ten hours of lining the route, eighteen hours after Reveille that morning, we marched back to Waterloo Station and were finally “dismissed" at Sandhurst after dark that night.

Then, unknown to me, my future wife was also 'on parade' this day as a mobile V.A.D. from the Camberley Detachment (Red Cross) posted at Marble Arch from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. Unfortunately, however, she did not administer sweet tea or stimulants to me, but we met shortly afterwards and almost inevitably at the highlight of our social year - the June Ball - but that is another story!

 

 

 

Col. Lionel John Lindsay Hill
Col. Lionel John Lindsay Hill

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