Regiment Gunners Prepare To Salute Royal Baby
Bermuda Regiment gunners are on standby to celebrate a new Royal baby with a traditional salute, as the Duchess of Cambridge is expected to give birth to the fourth in line to the British throne soon.
And the field guns of the Regiment, part of the Guns and Assault Pioneers [GAP] are ready for to deliver the salute from Albuoys Point in Hamilton.
Regiment gunners were the first in the world to celebrate the birth of the couple’s first son Prince George two years ago due to the time difference between the UK and Bermuda and the Island being within the safe daylight firing hours for artillery.
Bermuda Regiment’s 21 gun salute to the first Royal Baby in 2013
Gunner Corporal Calvin Bean, who acts as second-in-command to one of the two guns, said gun crews at the annual Peppercorn Ceremony last week were primed to await an order to move when the birth is announced.
Cpl Bean, 29, a 12 year veteran of the Regiment, said: “Everybody knows and we’re ready, whenever the baby is born.”
He said his duties included making sure the field guns were clean and prepared, transported to the firing site, positioned safely and the right amount of blank shells are available.
Cpl Bean, whose gun crews wear the traditional artillery busby headgear on formal occasions, said he enjoyed the ceremonial aspects of serving in GAP, part of the Regiment’s Support Company.
He added: “I love it – it’s awesome. We’re always the centre of attention when the guns start firing.”
But he added that – in addition to the pomp and ceremony side – GAP acted as the Regiment’s combat engineers, and were trained in a multitude of areas in post-disaster work.
In addition, GAP are trained to use chainsaws to clear roads and remove dangerous trees, as well as patch roofs with tarpaulin and board up windows during hurricanes.
Cpl Bean, a truck driver and furniture installer in civilian life, said: “I love it – I like everything about the Regiment, the people, the experiences. It’s just amazing.”
He added: “On overseas camp, we’ve had training with explosive ordnance, setting them up and calculating how much explosive you need dependent on the type of operation we’re on.”
Speculation in the UK was mounting that the Duchess, wife of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, was likely to give birth to their second child today – also the Royal couple’s fourth wedding anniversary.
Indeed an extremely impressive ceremony…G.S.T.Q
It’s sad to see Africans giving homage to European Royalty then their own.
What “Africans” are you talking about?
what is their ethnicity? black = africa,,a lot of people have a problem with that ,weird
Laughable!! @Mockingay
Who is your royalty Mockingjay?
Nice to see BERMUDIANS respecting a long standing tradition of their country.
Who Cares?
Exactly, who really cares. They sure don’t so who is this for?
Good question. Who really cares? They don’t that’s for sure.
Exactly…so Y should i care?
Im guessing not u lmao.
he cared enough to comment, so perhaps he really does care but pretends not to.
Sometimes I truly despair at our colonial mentality and slavish devotion to these parasites.
Someone gave birth. Great. Do this for every birth or don’t do it at all and save public monies to actually strengthening our democracy and not wasting it on Mrs Windsor and her unelected family.
No one is forcing you to stay here Jonathan so why don’t you p*ss off back to……..where was it again? Oh that’s right, the UK.
Communist Russia would welcome you with open arms.
This is my country, and it is supposedly a democracy – or at least close to one despite having an undemocratic head of state. If you take issue with freedom of speech and freedom of politics, etc, then perhaps it is yourself who would feel more comfortable in ‘communist Russia’.
And by the way, this is 2015. ‘Communist Russia’ ceased to exist about 25 years ago. Perhaps you hadn’t noticed?
An unelected jerk calling a baby an unelected parasite. GTFOH! No wonder nobody voted for you.
The reference is to the institution, and is an apt description of it.
As I’ve said elsewhere here, we either do this for every birth or do it for none. We’re either born equal or we’re not. We either celebrate birth into an unelected institution of wealth and status or we believe all are equal and strive for that equality.
Whether people voted for me or not is irrelevant. I did however get more votes than Mrs Windsor ever has.
Some people are born into great wealth but have no love from their parents. Others are born into poverty and recive all the love they could ever want.
People are not born equal, but it’s not all about wealth and status…something you appeared obsessed with having.
Very true, we are not born equal, however that is an ideal we should be aspiring to.
And while eradicating the inequalities of wealth will not happen overnight, we can surely ensure every child is born with equal political rights.
And that necessitates replacing an unelected inherited head of state with a republic.
So how do you grant equal wealth to the newborne of a brain surgeon and a newborn of a life guard on a Bermuda Beach ?
Because we’d all be lifeguards, otherwise it wouldn’t be equal.
The equal wealth, social standing and life experience was a myth in Russia, an absolute myth.
Each Child born in Bermuda should have equal political rights…the right to vote and to represent. So you are all in favour of all residents children who are born here to be Bermudian and perhaps visitors who go into labour whist here too.
I still find it sick that you jumped all over a thing of joy and used it to promote your personal agenda. This news was never about you.
I’ve already answered you in this article, and stated elsewhere, that I believe every child born in Bermuda and ordinarily resident here to the age of majority should indeed be Bermudian and thus able to vote in Bermudian elections. So I am unsure why you chose to bring it up again.
I am not promoting a personal agenda, nor do I find a continuation of an unelected and undemocractic parasitical institution something to be joyful about.
I do find it sick that you support the continuation of such an undemocratic institution and the ideology that children should not be born with equal political rights.
And the only one banging on about communist Russia is yourself. I for one don’t consider the Soviet Union as communist except in name – to me the revolution was overthrown by a counter-revolution led by Stalin. As far as I’m concerned the Soviet Union was a fascist state.
This man has a right to his opinion. But not too many people take her seriously.
Speaking of parasites, who pays your tuition fees?
Did you vote in Scotland and Bermuda? Why don’t all residents get a vote rather than some who were just born here?
Love to hear you twist and squirm in trying to justify your own privileges of birth.
My university as I got a scholarship from them based on the merit of my work.
All Commonwealth citizens ordinarily resident in Scotland get to vote. As a Commonwealth citizen ordinarily resident in Scotland I am as entitled to vote as any other. Also, as the child of UK citizens I have UK citizenship, as would any other child of UK citizens.
As I’m overseas studying, I also qualify as ordinarily resident in Bermuda as per our legislation.
The birth of a child is wonderful, but we either do this for all children or we don’t do it for all. We’re either all born equal or we’re not. And if we’re not, then I believe we should be, and that every citizen should have the equal opportunity to be the head of state of the country they’re citizens of.
If you’d rather debase yourself and kneel to an unelected head of state, so be it. I’d rather stand up and fight for a democracy – and an unelected head of state is far from democratic.
so a handout.
People only kneel before the queen to get a prize, a knighthood.
So British taxpayers are paying for your education. Got it.
This is not the ‘Christ” child, and to some of us it is diabolocally opposed to who we really are.. If the colonist didn’t capture, enslave, force, rape and pillage our lands we would not be called colonist today and we are so complicit in joining every celebration even if it was the demise of our ancestors!Once our true records are revealed the choice should be made whether we want to run around saluting dukes!
“the colonist didn’t capture, enslave, force, rape and pillage our lands ”
@mj they didn’t, what colonists did that in Bermuda… that is BS.
hit the nail on the head Family Man! Starling is such a socialist when it suits him, yet the bulk of Bermuda’s taxes are paid by people (who work in companies) that don’t even get a VOTE! I guess his socialism only goes so far… like to the bottom of his own pocket.
Not understanding tuition fees.
Billions of people follow some kind of religion, Athletes and actors are paid crazy amounts of money, why? because there are many people who derive some kind of joy from it. Who are you to condemn them ?
Religious or other beliefs are a choice. One may be born into it, but one has a choice to switch to another or none whatsoever.
An unelected head of state is not a choice – by definition of not being elected. I have no issue with the baby itself – I have an issue with elevating them above any other baby being born. I have this, perhaps radical, idea that we should all be born equal and that no one is inherently superior to another. And that every citizen should have the ability to aspire to be the head of state of their country.
Maybe that’s not fashionable, but I don’t really care. I support democracy and that inherently necessitates a republic and not an unelected head of state, royal or other.
So you would support a vote for everyone living here then, like you had in Scotland?
You realize it’s just ceremonial and tradition, the Royal family don’t actually have any exercisable power.
Being born into a royal family that is always under scruitiny is a burden and a weight to carry. There are expectations and demands on your life that you were born into and have no choice over.
Basically the royal family are born to serve and true freedom is a far flung dream.
Indeed – and so we condemn them to such a life. Let’s free them by ending this rotten and parasitical institution then, through the creation of a republic.
They actually have more powers than is commonly assumed. And nonetheless, the fact remains they’re unelected. I would prefer a parliamentary republic over a parliamentary monarchy any day. The former is inherently democratic; the latter is the opposite of democracy.
You spoke of recieving more votes than the queen…
Well here, seems to be folks have voted against your view
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2380322/God-Save-Queen-future-kings-Prince-George-Poll-reveals-confidence-monarchy-time-high.html
An opinion poll does not constitute an election. If a member of the Windsor family were to chose to contest a presidential election under a British republic, and win, then that’s fine. I’ll recognise them as the democratically elected head of state.
As this undemocratic institution uses public monies for the purpose of royalist propaganda, and the fact that many people accept the world as it is without necessarily questioning its legitimacy until someone points out its irrationality, I’m hardly surprised at the poll.
What does surprise me is apologists for an undemocratic and parasitical institution who, by definition, argue against equal political rights and opportunity for all at birth.
Every citizen has the “ability to aspire” to be anything they want, including the head of their country. Aspiring to be something is quite different from having the attributes required for the position. For instance, I aspired to be a chart-topping singer like Gwen Stefani. Unfortunately, I sound much like an alley-cat in heat, so tweaked my aspirations to a more realistic realm of possibility for success.
As long as Bermuda is an Overseas Territory, it tacitly accepts the current monarch as its head of state. When the people of Bermuda wish to change that situation, they will.
As for the birth of William and Kate’s second child, I’m quite happy to see Bermuda celebrate his/her arrival. My 90 cent annual contribution to the Royal coffers is much less than I’d spend on a gift for any of my friends’ new-born and I don’t even have to bring food to the party.
We can call for a British republic as long as we’re part of the British Empire. Independence in and of itself does not in any way mean we replace the monarchy with an elected head of state – there are plenty former colonies which retain the monarchy as their head of state.
Republicanism is a long-standing British tradition, and calling for it is a separate matter from that of independence.
Special Branch/FBI/DIA/MI5/II/Mosad/RCMP et al have a handle on Mr. Starling.
Even the Scots and Irish keep tuned into him.
Shalom.
Wow, you really got a warped mindset. In case you didn’t know, Bermudians are BRITISH, so why would we not celebrate the birth of someone who can one day be our head of state?
I’m willing to bet that you were one of the many Bermudians who supported then senator Obama (Now president Obama) during his initial election and then re-election campaigns, although we are NOT american citizens and your support to him has absolutely no barring on the outcome of his presidential run.
As for your comment on “Colonial Mentality” (a phase people love throwing around), it usually refers to indigenous population (those in the place before the colonial powers arrived) feel inferior to those of the colonizing group. This is NOT the case in Bermuda, for starters, there was never a indigenous population so there is no one to feel inferior the the colonizing group. Secondly, despite being one of the British territories, we have more in common with the United States then we do with the UK; if anything, our “Colonial Mentality” would be how we feel inferior to the United States then we are to the UK.
No, I was not a supporter of Obama’s presidency – I was rooting for the candidates of the Socialist Party USA (you can see this by searching my blog if you like). And for the record, as far as I’m concerning Obama is a war criminal who deserves to face trial for his crimes against humanity, rather than parade his Nobel Peace Prize around.
And yes, we are British, and I support a British republic. Republicanism has a long pedigree in Britain, much longer than the current dynasty does. Calling for a British republic is in no way whatsoever being anti-British.
Obama is a war criminal?
Yes. However, perhaps that’s better for another thread, lest we derail from this one?
I’ll refer you simply to the drone wars and Libya for now.
Didn’t know he had a Nobel Peace prize…obviously doesn’t parade it around.
You hate the royal family and want to send them to America…. So you must hate Americans to want to inflict something you hate on them?
Who apart from your egomanical self do you love?
I do not ‘hate’ the individuals themselves. If any of them were to knock on my door I’d be happy to invite them in for a cup of tea. I bear none of them any ill will.
I do, however, ‘hate’ the institution and all that it represents. It is inherently undemocratic.
Nor do I hate Americans. My comment was solely to the individual who made a point of stressing how much the Americans love them. I see that as hardly a strong argument for retaining an inherently undemocratic institution. But if the Americans truly love them, they’re welcome to them.
It is out of love that I believe all children should be born equal, at the very least to be born with equal political rights. Something that cannot exist as long as we retain this institution.
You added that love bit at the end. So incredibly fake.
PLEASE ANSWER THE QUESTION:
Do you Mr Starling belive that any child born in Bermuda should be able to vote and have equal rights, that is, be Bermudian?
Yes or No.
Um, the love bit is a direct response to your own question…
Every child born in Bermuda and living in Bermuda until the age of majority (currently 18 years of old) should have the right to vote/be Bermudian. I’ve said this several times in other places, so I don’t understand your – and others – focus on this.
Give it a rest starling. Colonial mentality? We r a colony in case u havent noticed. Dont care? Then be quiet. They r royalty for christ sake. Obviously there is going to be a bigger celebration for a prince/princess’ birth over a regular citizen. Come on man. U act like england has its foot on your throat. Lol. End of the day we r a part of great britain whether u like it or not. They r your soveriegns whether u like it or not. Only way to chamge it is to remove us as an overseas territory. God help us if that happens. I didnt vote plp in 98 but they still ended up being MY government for 14 years. Get over it.
What makes them special above any other citizen? If they want to celebrate the birth of a new royal, good for them. But why should we spend monies on it? And no, independence is not the only way to change that. A federal British republic is also an option.
I support democracy – an unelected head of state is the antithesis of democracy. As long as I’m alive and subject to them I have the right to call for a republic. Unless you’d like to silence freedom of speech too?
What makes them special? History. Lineage. And a fair number of people who are interested in the Royals. Kind of like all the people who are fascinated with celebrities.
Tradition dictates that we honour the birth of a new Royal in this manner. Until such time things change, this is what we do.
Seriously, this is nothing to get your knickers in a twist over.
Do what I do with ‘entertainment news’… ignore it and move on.
That doesn’t make them any more ‘special’ at birth than I. They’re as human as I am, and no more. They have no special blood or genetics that make them superior to me. They sleep, love, eat and defecate the same as any other.
However, as long as public monies of my country are spent on them, it is an issue. They can retain their silly royal titles all they like, but they should be stripped of the wealth and power that accrues to them as our official head of state. Let Mrs Windsor call herself ‘Queen’ all she likes while she works and pays rent like all of us other lesser mortals.
Special doesn’t mean superior, Mr Starling, it simply means that they are treated differently due to whatever circumstances that are in place, but then I think you’re well aware of that.
I appreciate that you think the monarchy has no place in today’s society and you may well be right. Personally, aside from a fondness for the Queen, I’m rather indifferent to the Royals.
I think it’s rather disrespectful, to history, if not simply to the people themselves who up until this point have been doing what has been asked and expected of them, nothing more, to refer to their titles as silly.
I would also add that aside from some serious daftness on the part of different members of the Royals in their youth, none have done anything to warrant being stripped of their positions or having their homes, some of which don’t belong to the country but to the family itself, stripped from them.
If you want them fired, be my guest to continue your efforts, but I think you’re going to be sorely disappointed for a few years at the very least.
You sound like an idiot.
They are born into servitute…to serve a nation. they are a figure head in Britain, a novelty. They wield no exercisable power.
Would you like to be born into servitude????
Right – and so by your logic, surely we should free them from this forced occupation, and let them be free to chose their own destiny rather than retain them in servitude?
As long as we have an unelected head of state I, and all other Bermudians and Britons, are actually born into servitude, as subjects to Mrs Windsor, or who ever else is sitting on their rotten throne.
I’d rather every citizen had the opportunity to serve their nation by being elected to the office of head of state, even if that position is ceremonial as in a parliamentary republic. You’d rather bow before someone solely by virtue of who’s womb they came from?
“I’d rather every citizen had the opportunity to serve their nation by being elected to the office of head of state, even if that position is ceremonial”
Ah, I see you are looking to be voted in somewhere for a free ride…socialism I see!!!
or do you mean like Miss World. I’m sure you love that one.
Lol, I believe every child should have the right grow up to be elected head of state for their country.
You don’t?
Yes everyone should be born with a chance of being Premier, which they are unless they were born here and never attain Bermuda status.
So you are saying all born here should be able to be Premier, Yes or No?
The Premier is not our head of state.
It effectively is.
Since when has the queen turned up and directly said otherwise to any decisions.
hmmm: the Governor, the Queen’s representative, has stepped in a few times, to the resentment of some MPs.
I think everyone here should be able to vote like you did in Scotland.
You don’t?
I suspect the same way that OBA supporters complained about the PLP-led government, people who are anti-monarchy can complain about the current British rule over Bermuda. Freedom of expression, and all that.
Yes Comrade Starling!
The Royals are a HUGE $$ draw! what planet are you on? In fact, American LOVE the fact that a little piece of Britain is almost right next door to them. We should be promoting the fact that we are British MORE, not less! Why don’t you move to Russia you seem to like their politics.
If the Americans love them, they can have them.
Republicanism is very much a British tradition, with longer roots than the current crop of parasites sitting on the throne. Calling for a republic is calling fully within British traditions.
The idea that the monarchy are a huge $$ draw is a myth if you ask me. We’d make more money opening their private residences as museums (the art they own alone, and that is withheld from public view, would make more of a tourist attraction). Our history is our history, and will always be our history – getting rid of an unelected head of state doesn’t mean an end to pomp, parades or the art and other properties these unelected parasites own.
If anyone seems to like Russian politics, surely it’s the person advocating an authoritarian silencing of free speech and threatening people on the basis of disagreeing with them. Perhaps ‘Damn’ you’d fit in more with Russia than you seem to with liberal democratic values?
You just sound jealous and bitter.
You need to get over yourself.
I sound only like someone who believes we are all equal and that every child should have the opportunity to be the head of state of their country.
If anyone sounds bitter, I’d suggest you refer to the closest mirror.
Yes jealous and bitter.
Starling, each member of the living Royal family has done more than you will ever do for the good of the world.
Now I think about it, you are basically attacking an unborn child, that is sick.
Shame on you.
Nonsense, I’ve no where attacked an unborn child. I’ve attacked the use of public monies to mark the birth for one child over all over children, and I’ve ‘attacked’ a rotten and inherently undemocratic institution.
Whereas you’ve stood up for an inherently undemocratic system. Shame on you.
This baby brings joy to countless millions around the world.
What do you bring?
A zest for democracy and social justice.
Which will bring a lot more joy to many more countless millions than this birth does.
Oh my, you have lost the plot…….
A crazed egomaniac thinks he can spread joy from democracy.
That doesn’t bring joy ….you’ve got humans all wrong….
Social justice…go … tell us how you are going to bring about social justice.
He brings countless misery to anyone that reads what he writes.
who cares is right
You take away the agricultural exhibition which brings us all together. ………but you spend time and money on this!
I care and so excited love that Royal Family
see enough Bermudians over their visiting and schooling
And they couldn’t care less that you care or love them.
SMH
that is your assumption.
Best wishes Dutchess Kate, hoping for a girl named Diana!
Hey, Starling….You were a member of the Bda Regiment a few years ago..Doing a ceremonial parade also..overseas training too….
Yes I did ‘JONO’, and what is your point?
I proudly served my country, not Mrs Windsor. Not once in my three years and two months did I swear and oath or affirm allegiance to her, and had I been made to I would happily have refused and been sent to the brig.
As for ceremonial parades, the only one I took issue with is the Queen’s Birthday parade (for obvious reasons). And if memory serves I only did that once, and only in my capacity as a medic. I only did so out of concern for the welfare of the soldiers under my care, not out of any love for this illegitimate head of state. Indeed, had I not been a medic I would have refused, and happily gone to the brig.
Just as I opposed, and succeeded for the most part, the forced attendance of Church and other related matters, while doing my time, so did I oppose the monarchy, although it rarely was an issue.
I am thrilled that some tradition still remains, why does everything have to be so political. Where were you Starling when the Taxpayers paid $2,000.000 for Beyoncé? That was a real treat!
To be fair, any issues involving a head of state are inherently going to be political. But at least this isn’t (or should be) your typical PLP vs OBA back-and-forth. For now.
I was within the PLP at the time doing my best to effect change and push for accountability and transparency from within. Where were you? Hiding behind a keyboard?
So you failed in your task as there was no accountibility, therefore you are a failure.
You failed to serve the public, you tout for, you instead bowed down and knelt before your masters The PLP and attack the OBA.
Now you attack unborn babies.
Shameful absolutely shameful.
I kneeled before no one in the PLP, or the UBP or the OBA.
And no where am I attacking unborn babies. You’re being absurd.
If anyone’s being shameful here it’s you in your juvenile arguments.
Hit a nerve there didn’t we Starling.
I’ll say it again……..
You failed to serve the public, where was the accountibilty ?
Your silence is acceptance of what they did….you failed us, the people.
About time you should stop claiming to be a socialist. You are nothing of the sort.
Yes, an unelected head of state does indeed hit a nerve with me, as does apologists for this undemocratic system.
You haven’t apologized for failing Bermuda.
C’mon out with it…..
Absurd.
On a different note, why your insistence on hiding behind a pen-name?
Are you ashamed of advocating for an undemocratic institution? Are you ashamed of your royalism?
Are you ashamed for advocating against all children being born with equal political rights and opportunity?
if you only knew the real history of the royal family ,this is not for everyone, to put it lightly
A self proclaimed Marxist Stalinist Communist.
Sucking of Bermuda and Scotland.
And One Flew over The Cuckoos Next.
Some will get it.
Shalom.
You people with bird names should read some history