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Halton Support QPJ Parade
Station News HALTON SUPPORTS QPJ PARADE'
Flt Lt Ollie Evans, 2IC SMS
RAF Halton was used by over 300 Royal Air Force aviators to prepare for the
Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
Pageant, which took place at Buckingham Palace on
Sunday 5th June 2022, as part of the celebrations to mark Queen Elizabeth
II’s 70-year reign.
In the weeks preceding the event, the Station prepared for the arrival of the nominated personnel and to provide all the real-life support for the duration of their stay. This included catering provisions, accommodation, tailoring, clothing, medical care and armoury support. Station personnel alongside Babcock and Sodexo, our
Industry Partners, worked hard to facilitate all the requirements to ensure that the parading troops could focus on perfecting the drill and ceremonial aspects. The Station also ensured that the welfare of the individuals brought onto RAF Halton was provided for, which included special screenings at the Station Cinema (which is now in the Theatre building) of ‘Uncharted’ and ‘The Batman’ and access the gym facilities and coffee shops. The highly experienced Drill Instructors (DIs), who usually provide the drill and ceremonial training to the Basic Recruits Training Course at RAF Halton, were used to teach the requisite drill moves and provide some conditioning training to the selected aviators to ensure the highest of standards were met at the Pageant. A route was configured on Station to replicate what they would be doing in London to provide a training environment as realistic as possible. As part of the training schedule the RAF contingent also took part in an Early Morning Rehearsal on Tuesday 31st May, alongside their sister Services. This rehearsal took place in London, outside Buckingham Palace, and
provided the aviators an opportunity to practice on the exact route they would be marching and enable the complex transport plan to be tested.
The RAF Contingent delivered a professional and well executed parade at the Pageant, which was enjoyed by all involved. On return to RAF Halton, the aviators were able to enjoy a lovely meal funded by the RAF Association and RAF Benevolent Fund. This was part of a ‘Thank You’ for all their hard work delivering the Royal Air Force’s tribute, on the ground, to our Monarch. RAF Halton’s role was significant and was only realised through the hard work of the Whole Force; from the visible efforts of those parading, to the unseen elements of planning and support. This thoroughly successful event certainly ensured RAF Halton’s mission was achieved: One Team, training people for Defence.
Arrivals are onboarded at the Finlay Gym in Receipt Staging and Onward Integration (RSOI). National media filming the practices for news outlets.
The Stn Cdr welcomes the QJP personnel.
The following testimonials show the value staff placed on the event:
An incredible, once in a lifetime opportunity. As a DI for the training, everyone was very receptive to help and feedback, which ultimately made the end product the best it could be. A shared experience amongst all ranks and ages in which we worked extremely hard together and left sharing an extreme sense of pride.
A shoutout to the support team throughout the week, from the chefs cooking great food, to the working party sorting logistics and running errands, to the drivers taking us to and from Central London, everyone worked extremely hard so that we on parade could focus solely on rehearsals and we are extremely grateful for that.
Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Drill Instructor - Cpl Symone Bromley The weekend started as a bit of a shock for people, taking some back to their days when they were at RTS; for some that was only a few weeks ago, others were taken back to their days at RAF Swinderby.
Covering 30 thousand steps a day for practices, most of us slept very well most evenings. We managed a night out in London on the Monday to do a run through of the parade; our accommodation for the evening was a carpark, though morale was very high throughout - this may have had something to do with the breakfast baps, I was too tired to be sure.
What seemed like a really long march on Monday night, went very quickly on the day as the crowds roared and waved Union Flags as we marched past. Knowing that as we came down the Mall to pay compliments to HRH Prince Charles, that Her Majesty was watching from the Balcony at Buckingham
Palace made the moment that little bit more special.
We arrived back at Wellington Barracks a bit warm and with sore arms, though all of us had a feeling of electricity knowing that we had been a part of history of something that had never happened in over 1000 years of British Monarchy.
After a well-deserved sleep on the coach back to RAF Halton, we were thanked by Air Marshall Simon Edwards for our efforts and professionalism throughout the long week, and we had received positive comments from all arms of the military and shown the service in a great light.
