THE KING

Southland Times, Issue 20792, 5 June 1929, Page 5

THE KING

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATED

CEREMONY OF TROOPING ■ THE COLOURS A BRILLIANT PICTURE (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph—Copyright.) London, June 3. The King passed another .good night, and his Majesty’s birthday was quietly celebrated at Windsor with a ceremonial parade of the guardHis Majesty received congratulations from all parts of the Empire. Replying to the Lord Mayor’s message the King said: “Gratefully remembering the affection and sympathy evinced by the citizens of London during my recent long illness, their greeting is more than ever welcome this birthday.” Bells were rung in Windsor and a salute of 21 guns was fired in front of the castle. At the naval ports the battleships, battle cruisers, and cruisers in full commisison were dressed, and the ships in the reserve commission also hoisted mast head flags. Royal salutes were fired at noon by all the saluting ships. In London the annual birthday ceremony of the trooping of the colours took place on the Horse Guards Parade. As usual the brilliant, picture of this ceremonial was watched by a huge crowd. In the absence of the King, his uncle, the Duke of Connaught, took the salute. He was accompanied by the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York and Viscount Lascelles, the King’s son-in-law. Military attaches of foreign powers took part in the pageant and the officers and men in the parade numbered fully 2000, consisting of two troops of Life Guards, one guard of the First Battalion of the Grenadier Guards, one guard from each of three battalions of Coldstream Guards, two guards from the First Battalion of the Scots Guards. two guards of the Second Battalion of Scots Guards and the massed Guards bands. The elaborate ceremonial was performed with the superb precision which invariably characterizes it _ and which makes it London's greatest military spectacle of the year. The Prince of Wales and Princess Mary visited the King in the sick-room during the day.—Australian Press Association.