Mornin’ all. I have just come in from the garden and am watching an incredible display of ceremonial pomp and military precision by fighting troops who have lost colleagues in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is Her Majesty’s official birthday, so will all the republicans please go and hide in a corner until it is over?
OZ
Boadicea's Chariot 
We get a public holiday for the Queen’s Birthday – eat your hearts out!!!
Even our Republicans enjoy a day off!
Boadicea – We should make republicans work on such days and flog them to within an inch of their miserable lives in the process. 🙂
OZ
I’m with you OZ, well, not in person of course, but I am watching trooping of the colour, makes you proud. Hip Hip, hoorah
Not much brings a tear to my lupine eye these days, Val, but I seem to have something in one of them. Keep watching for the flypast up The Mall
OZ
I am, I am oz.
Oh dear, I’ve just discovered your post, OZ, which probably went up while I was composing. I did think of ending it with “Yah, boo, sucks to you anti-monarchists” but decided not to rub their noses in it!
I’m not so proud – “Yah, boo, sucks to you anti-monarchists”. 🙂
OZ
The biz 🙂
I was trying to be tactful, naughty wolf! 🙂
Hiya, Bravo. You probably won’t get the transmission in Cyprus, but it was, as usual, ‘the biz’.
OZ
OZ – you’ll be glad to hear I am at work and I am run off my feet therefore missed all the pagentry
Glad you all enjoyed it!
I’m a bit disturbed having seen the pictures on the BBC that Edward is wearing a uniform though….
Bit of trivia. You can tell which guards regiment is which by the positioning of the buttons on the tunic.
Grenadiers single buttons, evenly spaced.
Coldstream buttons in pairs
Scots in threes
Irish in fours
Welsh in fives.
The Coldstream Guards is the oldest regiment in the British Army in terms of continuous service. But because it was part of the New Model Army and was formed by General Monck at the town Coldstream, precedence is given to the Grenadiers who served the Crown. The Life Guards is the Senior Regiment of the British Army. They were raised in 1658 in Bruges to protect the exiled King.
Years formed and their mottos
Grenadier Guards – (formed 1656) Honi soit qui mal y pense
The Coldstream (formed 1650) Nulli Secundus
Scots (formed 1642-1651 and 1661 to present) Nemo Me Impune Lacessit
Irish (formed 1900) Quis Separabit
Wales (formed 1915) Cymru am Byth
You can imagine that their is much bickering about who should actually be the senior regiment.
Hiya, Cuprum. Eddie was wearing an honorary uniform of a Territirial Army regiment so we were informed, but I agree he doesn’t deserve to wear a proper one like Wills and Harry, for example.
Yoo hoo, Sipu – thanks for the info. 🙂
OZ
Just to show I do have a small bit of support for such matters, I did get to see some of the highlights late last night. I have to say the horses were impressive, I loved the fact that the Drum Horses have the rank of Major! Brilliant!
I agree, a fine spectacle, and I was very impressed with the discipline and organisation of it all. Puts my drill practice from 17 years ago into shame!
Eddie should go hang his head in shame though.
Out of interest, is it a royal occasion or is it a military occasion to remember fallen colleagues etc? Excuse my ignorance. The BC commentary didn’t really make it clear.
It’s a royal occasion, Cuprum, Her Majesty’s official birthday, but one should never forget that the soldiers on parade are just back from active service and have lost colleagues in recent conflicts.
OZ
Here you go Sipu and OZ, a little more Trooping Trivia.
“GSM Mott was presented with a new insignia of rank reviving the original one made for Sergeant Majors appointed to the Court of King William IV in the early 19th century. It incorporates the Royal Coat of Arms worn by selected Warrant Officers Class 1 of The Household Division, placed over four chevrons sewn in gold thread, the traditional badge of the Sergeant Major. The badge was researched by the staff at The Guards Museum and commissioned by Major General Commanding the Household Division, Major General William Cubitt CBE, before being approved by HM The Queen.”
Splendid! There is a point though – all WO 1’s wear the Royal Coat of Arms – perhaps not so large and grand as that big boy, but the coat of arms, all the same 🙂
Everything is larger in the Guards Division. The officers wear larger Bearskins than Guardsmen. The badges of rank on ceremonial dress are larger than the rest of the army. Lance Sergeants (corporals in the rest of the army) wear white chevrons whilst Sergeants wear gold chevrons.
Back in the day, I attended the six week All Arms Drill Course at Pirbright. The old saying that you have the Army Way and then you have the Guards Way was made very clear to me there. 🙂
Super photo Toc. I love a large man in a Bearskin 🙂
Sorry, I’ll go and stand in the corner now.
You can stand in my corner Val anytime. 🙂
Oh for Heaven’s sake, get a room you two! 😀
OZ
Only if they don’t have corners OZ 🙂
Despite all the bickering, kindly rememer that the Artillery hold the right of the line!
Yo Toc, the All Ars Drill course – I loved it….not!
Bugrit! ‘Arms!’
Tic Toc. 🙂
Val, how about the real deal…
A bit more trivia. Did you know that when the Queens Official Birthday, that is marked by Trooping the Colour occurs on 10th June, that corresponds to Phil the Bubble’s birthday, a 124 gun salute is fired? (Yes I know he is Danish really)