GUARDS’ NOBLE PAGEANT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 665, 17 May 1929, Page 9

GUARDS’ NOBLE PAGEANT

HISTORIC REGIMENT REVIEWED PRINCES SEE THE PARADE British Official Wireless Reed. 11.25 a.m. RUGBY, Thursday. The review of the Grenadier Guards by the Duke of Connaught this morning, on the Horse Guards' Parade, was i a veritable pageant. All three battalions of the Grenadiers were on parade, the first battalion having come from its quarters at the Tower of London, and the other two battalions from Chelsea barracks and Wellington barracks respectively. The Grenadiers, in their brilliant scarlet uniforms and bearskin headgear, moved into position like beautiful machines, their bayonets glittering in the bright sunshine, and their standards fluttering in the breeze. The Duke of Connaught, wearing the uniform *of the Grenadiers, of whom he has been colonel for 25 years, arrived in company with the Prince of Wales, who was in the uniform of the Welsh Guards. They rode to the saluting base just beneath the Horse Guards’ Arch. In the window of the archway sat the Duke and Duchess of York, Prince Arthur of Connaught, and the Princess Royal. On the parade ground were also the Grenadiers of yesterday. Two hundred stalwart London policemen, who once wore the uniform of the regiment, stood drawn up on the Duke’s left, their dark-blue uniforms and helmets presenting a strange contrast to the scarlet of the soldiers. On the Duke’s right were drawn up lines of civilians, who were once in the Grenadiers. The Duke rode along the ranks inspecting the battalions and the ex-guardsmen. Then, to the music of the bands of the regiment, the battalions marched in column of companies past the saluting base. As each battalion's colour party passed the Duke and Prince of Wales, historic flags were dipped in salute. After the march past, the Duke led the Grenadiers along the Mall, and took the salute once more at the gateway of Clarence House, his home, while the band played the famous air, “The British Grenadiers.” Half an hour later, the first battalion were marching back through the city to the Tower of London. It exercised the ancient privilege of marching through the city with fixed bayonets, and from the balcony of the Mansion House the Lord Mayor, Sir Kyneston Studd, took their salute.