From ARRSE... the RN's POV:
"Well that was mental.
1am start this morning with fuckloads of hurry up and wait.
Trains into London went off without a hitch and then we marched round to MOD main building which was to be our staging area before we formed up.
They’d forgotten to feed us (the RN and RM contingent) on the night rehearsal resulting in a few bods going down due to being stood still for nearly 2 hours after being awake for 20 hours and our last meal being 10 hours previously.
So they made up for it today with a hefty buffet of breakfast rolls, pastries, croissants etc.
We could see Whitehall out of the window and got to watch the carriage go past on it’s way to Westminster Palace.
I assume MOD main building has one way glass because 5 or 6 women from the crowds decided to hop the barrier and use the side of the building as a toilet, unaware that 6 or 700 sailors and marines were watching them through the windows.
At about 11am we marched round to our forming up position just outside the Red Lion pub. As the senior service we were first out which meant we had the longest to wait on parade.
We stood at ease for close to 2 hours just waiting for the off. Obviously you can’t really look around and scope out the crowd because you’re stood still looking straight ahead, but we heard the occasional copper shouting at someone in the crowd which passed the time. We’d practiced standing still but it was still mind numbingly boring. I really felt for the lads and lasses in the guard outside the palace who’d already been stood still since about 9am.
Nice rendition of the national anthem which was our signal to slope arms and get ready to go.
And off we went. I assume you know the rest as you saw it all on TV. We marched up Whitehall, did a quick left wheel round Trafalgar Square, splitting in half and then into three to get round a massive lamp post and go through Admiralty Arch.
The sight as we exited the arch was pretty special with the crowds and all the flags, but one thing we all remarked on was how quiet the crowd was. Very little cheering or clapping. Everyone just seemed transfixed by their camera phones, all pointlessly recording the same footage. I’ve done small remembrance parades in local towns where there was more clapping and cheering.
Maybe it’s just because we were close to the back of the parade (closest to the sovereign) and everyone was bored of clapping by then.
The Mall was littered with horse shit, laminated music sheets and spurs from the pongoes who’d gone before us and that was that. If I’m entirely honest it was all a bit underwhelming and quite weird. The night rehearsal was a much more spectacular affair.
As I’m sure you’ve all seen on TV, we formed sixes from twelves pretty well. At Odiham it had begrudgingly been remarked upon by the GSM that the RN had been “one of the best” at doing it.
I think that’s guards speak for “you fcuking smashed that lads, well done.”
Too right, we’ve been practicing it for 3 weeks straight.
Having formed sixes we marched round the Victoria monument and I caught a glimpse of the HAC colour party (my old regiment) looking very smart in red tunics and bearskins. I can’t say I would’ve wanted to swap places though.
Then into the garden to cheer the King and Queen. He looked genuinely impressed with the rapturous 3 cheers we gave them. We could see some minor members of the Royal Family watching us from the 1st floor windows including Beatrice and Eugenie and Mike Tindall (I think). On the top floor we could see a load of palace workers also watching, including some very casually dressed people in tracksuits. I assume the palace cleaners just wear what they want?
As we turned to march off the palace garden, Princess Anne poked her head out of the window and gave a knowing nod to us in the RN. This was the best bit of the day for me. The entire RN loves her and she truly is our own. Her making the effort to see us specifically March off was a nice touch.
After that it was back to Waterloo for a few hours of being fcuked about and shouted out, including waiting outside the station in the pissing rain in a very unsailorlike fashion for an hour or so while they sorted out our train.
Now we’re all supposed to be going on the piss but we’ve been up since 1am and no one is really feeling the party mood.
The end."
Don't know if it's been posted up thread (haven't read the previous 57 pages) but personally thought it was a nice touch that HMtK and PoW took time to walk the Mall last night to glad hand the happy campers... JB
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