MORE than 170 members of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines have been practising their marching skills ahead of the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph in London.
MORE than 170 members of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines have been practising their marching skills ahead of the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph in London.
Some 111 members of the Royal Navy, eight QARNNS (Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service), ten Royal Fleet Auxiliary and 48 Royal Marines will also be taking part in the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall and the Lord Mayor’s Parade on Saturday.
Marching training has been taking place at HMS Excellent on Whale Island in Portsmouth since October 22 and will continue until the end of the week when the three Services will meet in London.
State Ceremonial Training Officer , Warrant Officer Paul Barker said:
“To be chosen to march on Remembrance Day is a real honour – we pay tribute to the memories of those who died not just during the First and Second World Wars but also the 16,500 who have died in conflicts since.
“The training over the past couple of weeks has been really good, they have been picking it up quickly and they all look very smart. It is always fantastic to see the Senior Service marching through the streets of London.”
As well as the drill training which runs from 8am until 4pm every day, the personnel spend several hours in the evening preparing their uniforms.
Petty Officer Paul Holland will be taking part in his fifth Remembrance Sunday ceremony this weekend.
He said:
“The boots are probably the hardest things to keep looking smart – and polishing all the brass buttons on the coat. The rest of it just brushes off. I’d say we probably spend two hours most evenings sorting out our kit.”
[mappress] Naval Today Staff,November 8, 2012; Image: Royal Navy