Queen Interrupts Ceremony

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30603, 20 November 1964, Page 13

Queen Interrupts Ceremony

(Special Crspdt. N.Z.P.A.) LONDON, Nov. 18. New Zealand officers and men were presented to Queen Elizabeth on the Buckingham Palace forecourt today while the Changing of the Guard ceremony froze in mid-stride. The Queen often watched the ceremony from behind a curtained window: but her interruption of a ceremony and the presentation were probably unprecedented, Palace officials said. The Welsh Guards were drawn up in the forecourt awaiting the arrival of the New Zealand detachment to relieve them when the Queen walked from under the main archway of the Palace accompanied by the Defence Services Secretary, General Sir Rodney Moore, and a Lady-in-Waiting. General Moore presented Major H. S. Cocks, of Wellington, Officer Commanding the New Zealand contingent. The Queen, in a bright, vivacious mood, and Major Cocks talked for nearly 10 minutes. After congratulating Major Cocks on the previous four guard mountings, the Queen asked why the New Zealand troops had not worn greatcoats, whereas the Irish and Welsh guards had. “You will see why when you see this guard come on, ma’am,” Major Cocks replied. “Greatcoats are not usually worn in New Zealand. They vary in shape, size and colour.”

The Queen laughed and apologised for the London

weather. She wanted to know the percentage of Maoris in the 150-man contingent and was told that approximately a third were either Maoris or of Maori extraction. They then discussed the height of Guardsmen. The minimum height in the Household Brigade is sft 9in, but tall black bearskins make the guards look much more imposing. The Queen said that when the Royals came down from Lancashire for several weeks’ duty recently (a company is now in New Zealand) she had noticed that they were a smaller type of Englishman. Major Cocks had told her that his unit had met the Loyals on their arrival in Auckland last month and, nervous about their approaching public duties in London, had been relieved to find that the men who did guard duty at the Palaces were not all 9ft tall. A Welsh brass band, followed by twelve brown-kilted and green cloaked Irish pipers, played the New Zealand Palace Guard into the forecourt.

Major R. B. Potts, of Papakura, the captain of the

Guard, faced his men at the Old Guard and the two detachments saluted each other. Then Major Potts and the Welsh Guard captain (Captain John Richardson) approached the Queen, Captain Richardson standing aside at the last moment. Major Potts was joined in line by Major P. H. Bell, of Wellington (captain of the St. James’s Palace guard), Lieutenant P. Williams, of Papakura, Warrant Officer R. Pedersen, of Invercargill, Staff Sergeant A. Quested, of Invercargill, Bombardier G. K. Cramp, of Nguruawahia, and Trooper W. T. Davis, of Hawera. Trooper Davis is a Maori. Each was presented individually and the Queen spoke to them all. She was concerned that they had had leave to visit any relatives in Britain. By coincidence most of the men in line had had the opportunity. The Queen remarked that it was “a great thing” that troops from Commonwealth Armies could do public duties in London and expressed the hope that New Zealand troops would be able to repeat their visit.