KING’S BIRTHDAY.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 August 1921, Page 1

KING’S BIRTHDAY.

GUARDS IN SCARLET AND GOLD

LONDON, June D

When his Majesty the King and ihe Royal Princes ride out in State, it needs no statutory holiday to ensure a line of route edged with a hundred thousand cheering’ : Londoners'. Those who cried “waste” when the War Office ordained that the Brigade of Guards should be clothed again in their prewar uniforms could not but admit when these favoured regiments did honour to tho King on the occasion of his birthday last week at the ceremony of. trooping the colours, that scarlet a id gold serve a purpose unassociated with the drabness of modern war, and add a convincing touch to the splendid pomp to he seen only in the Sovereign city of the Empire. Not since L>l3 has there been such a, brilliant spectacle. As one watched the glittering Life Guards jingle in with mounted bland playing, and the Foot Guards inarching steadily on their markers, making a brilliant splash of scarlet against the green background of the Park, one might almost fancy that we were hack in the peaceful days before the war. But towering over the parade ground (now freed from the hutments of the war period) there stood two six-indh high-velocity German guns camouflaged in mottled drab and green, as a, grim reminder of what has happened since that time. Round three sides of the square rises (he stately buildings of the Admiralty and Government offices, and on balconies and on the roofs of the lower annexe buildings, crimson-draped stands were built for the invited guests. The Queen. Princess Mary, and other members of the Royal Family were there Air and Mrs Massey and Miss Afnsscy were also among the favoured guests and within the square itself several thousand top-hatted men and wellgowned women, friends of those who were privileged to distribute tickets, mode the dark backgrounds for Hie scarlet and gold.

Rig Ren struck the hour as the head of the Royal orocession from Buckingham nalnee turned from the Mall on In Um parade ground. The hrign I<‘mnior of tho Brigade of Guards led Hie wav. Four troopers of the Life Gourde followed and then, amid musing chep'-s from the crowd bv the Duke rF York steps, came the King on a bay chargor wearing guard’s uniform. of a enk onel-in-cliief of the brigade wite the Prince of AYnles as eolondl of the Welsh Guards, and the Duke of Nmnaught as colonel of the Grenadier Guards, riding on either side of him. VII three wore the blue ribbon of the Garter. So did the Duke of York, a

trim figure in Royal Air Force blue

who rode behind with the Farl of Atlilone. Next came Lord Haig, disguised in helmet and breastplate; a colonel of the Royal Horse Guards

with his Majesty's Fquerries, Golonel

Clive AVigrnm and Lieutenant-Colonel A. E. Erskine. Rebind them rode in

line the five military members of the Army Council, making a hraye show with the tossing white feathers of their cocked hats. Then the colonels of the

Scots and Oil d stream Guards. FieldMarshal T.ord Methuen and Lieuten-ant-General Sir Alfred Oidrington. Among tlie nianv officers who followed, two groups stood out. The foreign military attaches, in past years among the most brilliantly attired on cere-

monial occasions, made' a dull patch aniono the sea of scarlet, for three were in kl inki and several in horizon blue and grey. The second group consisted of the King’s Indian orderly officers, whose pagris must, have aroused envy beneath many a towering bearskin.

After acknowledging the Roval sal

ute, the King, followed by the procession, passed down the line, and returned to the saluting base. A single word from the commander of the parade set in motion the solemn ritual of the day. Fed by six drum-majors, probably the most gorgeous figures on the ground, the massed bands advanced in slow time, to Meyerbeer’s “Los Huguenots.” They con n.ter-m arched, and, after a few moments of apparently inextricable confusion, they returned in perfect order to a quick march. More wonderful evolutions by the hands, and the escort for the colour, found by the Ist Battalion, Grenadier Guards, advanced. The colour was saluted and taken over hv another officer, and to tlie slow strains of “The Grenadiers’ March.” he carried the crimson standard. with its roll of battles, before the long line of guards, who stood motionless at the present, while the escort filed between their ranks. The march past followed, first in slow time, then in quick time, the hands playing for each regiment its own regimental march. Another Koval Salute, and the troops and the King and Ins illustrious escort slowly seemed to dissolve from tlie parade ground, hut long after they had gone the cheers of the people who lined the route could be heard gradually lading as the Koval procession made its way to Buckingham Palace.