ROYAL SALUTE

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27055, 2 June 1953, Page 8

ROYAL SALUTE

Ceremony In Hagley Park 4000 MEN ON PARADE Guns thundered 21 times in salute, and the Royal Standard flew proudly in the chilly breeze yesterday afternoon when nearly 4000 sailors, soldiers, and airmen, massed in review order in Hagley Park, honoured their Queen on her birthday. Then in a less formal ceremony they removed their caps and gave three hearty cheers for Her Majesty. Large crowds watched the ceremonial parade of the three services, which was the first major event of the Coronation celebrations. The streets round Hagley Park were full of cars, and an hour before the parade spectators began to assemble outside the roped-off parade area, which ran parallel to Park terrace. Army units, mostly territorials and reservists, which formed the bulk of the parade, had arrived several hours before to rehearse for the occasion. By 2 o’clock several thousand men were drawn up to await the arrival of the Mayor (Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P.). On the right flank were 200 officers and men of the Canterbury division of the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve, commanded by Lieutenant-Commander J. M. F. Sandeman. Next came gunners and armoured corps troops under the command of Colonel J. F. R. Sprosen. The second Army unit consisted of engineers, signallers, pnd infantry, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel J. R. Williams, and the third unit, commanded by Colonel J. R. Dawson, consisted of Army Service Corps, and medical and electrical and mechanical engineer corps troops. LieutenantColonel F. L. H. Davis, camp commandant at Burnham, was in command of 100 K Force recruits and 900 compulsory military trainees, and 300 officers and men from the Royal New Zealand Air Force station at Wigram were under the command of Squadron Leader J. S. Lane. In the centre of the parade was the band of the 3rd Armoured Regiment, and the mechanised section of artillery, anti-aircraft guns, tanks, and vehicles, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel J. A. Bretherton, was drawn up in Harper avenue. Outstanding Event Honoured

After Major A. J. Steel had called the parade to attention the men were briefly addressed by the parade commander, Brigadier E. A. McPhail, officer commanding the 3rd Infantry Brigade. “We are privileged today to represent the armed services on this ceremonial parade in honour of an outstanding event in our history, the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth,” said Brigadier McPhail. “We have had no opportunity for a mass rehearsal, but I know that each one of you will give of your best to enhance the reputation of the armed services.”

Officers then took post in review order, and the Queen's Colour and the regimental colour of the Canterbury Regiment were carried to the front by the colour party. The Mayor, wearing his robe and chain of office, and his war medals, arrived shortly after 2 o’clock in a landrover, which was preceded by an escort of military police. With him were Commander J. N. Allan, commanding officer of the Canterbury Division, R.N.Z.N.V.R., Brigadier J. T. Burrows, commander of the Southern Military District, and Group Captain B. S. Nicholl, commanding officer of the R.N.Z.A.F. station, Wigram. In another landrover were the Town Clerk (Mr H. S. Feast) and three staff officers. >

Brigadier McPhail called for a general salute, the troops presented arms, and the New Zealand Ensign was lowered while the band played and the Mayor removed his tricorn hat and stood bareheaded at the saluting base. In a brief address to the troops, Mr Macfarlane said it was fitting that during the Coronation celebrations in Christchurch a parade of the armed forces should be held. We should remember the sacrifices that had been made in many theatres of war and in many wars to maintain the British constitution and the British way of life. Mr Macfarlane then drove between the lines of troops in a landrover to inspect the parade, standing up in the

vehicle. His inspection included the mechanised section in Harper avenue, where the crews of the guns and vehicles stood at attention in front of them.

Firing of Salute After the inspection came the most impressive part of the ceremony, the raising of the Royal Standard, and the Royal Salute. Nearly 4000 men, most of them with bayonets fixed, advanced in review order, marching forward 15 paces and halting without command. When Brigadier McPhail gave the order, the troops presented arms, the Queen’s Colour and the regimental colour of the Canterbury Regiment' were dipped, the civilians behind the saluting base uncovered and stood at attention while the band played the National Anthem. Then came the 21-gun salute fired by a saluting troop from local artillery units. Smoke rolled through the trees and hundreds of ducks rose in fright from Victoria Lake and the Avon and flew distractedly overhead as the guns fired.

From Brigadier McPhail came the order “Remove head-dress” and the call for three cheers for Her Gracious Majesty Queen Elizabeth. Several thousand caps were lifted together in the air as the men cheered. The Royal Standard was lowered, the colours were dipped again, and the New Zealand Ensign was raised while the band played the National Anthem again. There was another general salute before the Mayor and the official party left for the saluting base in Cathedral square, the troops began their march out of the park, and the ceremonial parade had ended.