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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