Seeing your wonderful procession raises a question: what is the precedence for parades? I know that the senior service (probably RN in this case) goes first followed by regiments in ascending order. But what about within a regiment? Colours, band, officers, other ranks, or what? Someone told me that the colours detachment has the flags (officers) followed by three colour guards . . . is this correct? What if there are three flags like in the Frontline HLI ceremonial set? Your comments would be appreciated.
Bosun Al
Hello,
A lot of questions but I’ll try to answer them.
About the Coronation Procession, which followed immediately after the Coronation. The only way to really know who participated and in which column and in which order can be found in the library of the HQ of the Commanding General London District. I have Googled this subject but could not find a (readable) marching order. More and better information I found on YouTube! From the videos I learned that the Captains Escort did not included the mounted band of the Household Cavalry in State Dress but that in front of the First Division of the Life Guards the Regimental Band of the Welsh Guards was positioned and in front of this band the companies of the Welsh Guards. Which makes sense, as Queen Elisabeth II before becoming Queen was the Princess of Wales. Probably many of the mounted band horses were used for the mounted escorts for all those horse drawn coaches that brought distinguished guests from and to Buckingham Palace. Another example is the marching detachment of majors/Lieutenant-Colonels followed by Colonels and junior Generals on Horse Back of the armed forces lead by the Royal Navy then the Army and at the end the Royal Air Force. And all socking wet!
In my Coronation Procession however I have my own rules. Surely I have looked at seniority and how they actually paraded in June 1953 but on the other hand I wanted to use Britains sets that otherwise would have hanged in the air. So, my Captains Escort does include a mounted band namely Britains sets 5195 and 5295 and in number 1 Dress.
As to the position of the Colour party (or Standard Party for cavalry regiments), the following. The order at the march is the Regimental Band followed by the Colour Party with escort. The Colour Party is in the midst of the escort; half escort, Colour Party (With 1, 2 or 3 Colours), half escort. The only personnel in a “free” position are the Commander of the Colour Party and Escort and the Battalion or Regimental Sergeant Major. All other officers and NCOs have a fixed position.
The order at the halt, facing the distinguish person(s), is the same but the band and often the pipes & drums (or corps of drums or rank of file) are then standing behind the Colour Party and escort.
If the regiment has a Mascot with Mascot Handler, they march in front of the band.
Other regiments with 3 Colours I know of, are the Gordon Highlanders and the Royal Fusiliers.
With kind regards
Peter
