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Tim Koch is still square bashing at the Colonel’s Review, one of two full rehearsals for the Trooping the Colour, aka the King’s Birthday Parade, on 14 June. (See Part I here.)
The Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) with the drawn sword received the Colour from the Sergeant of the three-man Colour Party.
The RSM presented the Colour to the Ensign (2nd Lieutenant) who carried it for the rest of the parade.
The Escort For The Colour then became The Escort To The Colour and Number 1 Guard then slowly trooped its regimental colour through the ranks of Guards Numbers 2 to 6 as shown below.
After reforming, Numbers 1 to 6 Guards marched past the Colonel in slow and in quick time.This picture, previously reproduced in Part I, shows the “Rank Past” by the Household Cavalry, its mounted band and The Kings Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, that followed the Foot Guards’ march past. Picture: MoD/Cpl Shaw, Open Government License.Life Guards’ drummer and drum horse. The drummer “steers” with his feet.Blues & Royals. The breastplate and backplate together are called a cuirass.Guns of the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, a mounted ceremonial battery whose role includes the firing of gun salutes to mark both grand occasions of State but also Royal occasions such as birthdays and births.The guns are saluted as they are the King’s Troop equivalent of the colours.Garrison Sergeant Major Andrew “Vern” Stokes, the man in charge, spots something that either needs pausing or slowing down.Finally, led by the Sovereign’s Escort, the massed bands played the imaginary Sovereign back to Buckingham Palace followed by the rest of the parade.The drums carry the same battle honours as the colour.Some of the great and the good that followed the King’s carriage. Left to right: an outrider from the Royal Mews; Baron Ashton of Hyde, The Master of the Horse; a Colonel of the Life Guards.Guardsmen like to say that officers cannot march – but these three seemed to manage.The Escort to the Colour leaves the parade ground.
The ceremony on 14 June will not be confined to Horse Guards Parade. It will begin with the monarch leaving Buckingham Palace and processing down the Mall with a Sovereign’s Escort of Household Cavalry. The King will be greeted by a Royal Salute on Horse Guards Parade and a 41 Gun Salute fired by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery from Green Park. After Horse Guards, the King rides back to Buckingham Palace and takes a further salute at the Palace from Centre Gate. Finally, he joins other members of the Royal Family on the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch a fly-past by the Royal Air Force.
Finally, a reminder that the troops participating in the parade are drawn from operational officers and soldiers from the Household Division and the King’s Troop.
Hear The Boat Sing 