Honouring HM Queen Elizabeth II

from Education Choices Magazine - Autumn 2022

Envisioning your space and its endless possibilities

Dulwich College Cadets participated in the state funeral

On Monday 19 September Edward Stimpson, Ben Jones and Charlie Eccles, all Year 13 pupils at Dulwich College and members of the Combined Cadet Force (CCF), were given the honour of representing their school and the Air Cadets Organisation at the state funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth II. The Cadets were accompanied by OC RAF Section, Flight Lieutenant Emily Rutter who had also joined them for four days of training in preparation prior to the funeral at Cadet Training Centre Frimley Park in Surrey where they met 12 other cadets from Wilson’s School, Pangbourne College, Winchester College, and City of London School.

Edward reflected on his part in Operation London Bridge: ‘On Wednesday we arrived at Wellington Barracks in Central London and at 02:00 were informed it was time for the first night rehearsal. Seeing London in the early hours is always an eye-opening experience, but even more so when it’s completely full with soldiers! It was gruelling, but filled us all with confidence and a sense of how significant this event was and just how lucky we were to be involved. On Monday members from almost every British unit and every Commonwealth country were all massing at Wellington Barracks in preparation for the funeral. While waiting, I remember an anxious feeling in the air as everyone mentally, and physically, prepared themselves for the event ahead. The funeral procession itself was a blur and truly felt like I was experiencing every single emotion at once. Immense pride matched by an immense humility, though, were

“Being involved in the funeral was an incredible honour and something I will never forget for the rest of my life.”

at the forefront of my mind. The scale and grandeur of the funeral was simply immense and unlike anything I had ever seen before. Equally, three hours had never felt so short, and so long! Being involved in the funeral was an incredible honour and something I will never forget for the rest of my life.’

During the period of national mourning, the Dulwich College community also recalled our 400th anniversary on 24 June 2019 when The Master and Chair of Governors travelled down the Thames on Gloriana, The Queen’s Rowbarge, with a letter of congratulations to the College from HM The Queen. Their journey took them past the Houses of Parliament and Globe Theatre to St Paul’s Cathedral for a very special service of pageantry, words and music.