Photos & Video: 2016 Queen’s Birthday Parade
[Updated with video] The annual Queen’s Birthday Parade took place this morning [June 11] on Front Street in Hamilton, with those on parade including the Royal Bermuda Regiment, the Regiment Band & Corps of Drums, the Bermuda Police Service and the Bermuda Police Reserves.
Royal Bermuda Regiment soldiers fired the traditional feu de joie – a rippling rifle salute – and a 21-gun salute with the RBR’s ceremonial 25-pounder guns, while the RBR Band and Corps of Drums performed a selection of music.
Bill and Laurie Koehn, visiting the island from Philadelphia for the first time, were surprised by the pomp and pageantry of the occasion.
Mr Koehn said: “It was great – impressive. We just got off the ferry from Dockyard – we heard the guns and walked over to see what was happening. You’ve got a strong heritage and culture here and you should be proud of it.”
Ms Koehn added: “I can’t believe how impressive it was, the dress and the marching. I don’t think we see that too often at home. It was fun to see it.”
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Cyril Rance, 82, of Pembroke and a former soldier in the Bermuda Rifles, one of the two predecessor regiments of the RBR with the Bermuda Militia Artillery, brought his two young grand-daughters to watch the parade.
Mr Rance said: “I haven’t seen the parade for a few years, so I brought my grand-daughters down to see how it’s done.” Grand-daughter Anabelle Morgan, 10, said she had enjoyed the spectacle. She added: “I liked it – it’s for the Queen’s Birthday.”
Terence and Elizabeth Horn, visiting family in Bermuda from the Cotswolds area of Central England, watched the parade from Front Street.
Ms Horn said: “It was absolutely splendid. We were watching the one in London on the BBC this morning and the Trooping of the Colour, but the Bermuda parade was very impressive.”
Jovette Trott, from Pembroke, saw her son Jokiya Trott, a member of the Regiment Police, take part in the parade, which also included detachments from the Junior Leaders, the Bermuda Police Service and the Sea Cadets.
She said: “It was nice. It’s my first time being able to see the parade – I enjoyed it. I liked it all. It was really exciting. I liked the cannons most.”
Governor George Fergusson took the Royal Salute and Premier Michael Dunkley and the heads of the other services, as well as Mayor of Hamilton Charles Gosling, watched from the stand at the Flagpole on Front Street.
RBR Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel David Curley said: “It went very well. It was a great day and the weather provided good conditions for it. Everyone on parade looked good. Our soldiers were the recruits who just completed recruit camp in January, so I’m particularly proud of them.
“It’s a very important tradition and the soldiers are very proud to get dressed up in their ceremonial uniforms and perform.
“It’s one of the roles the Regiment has, but behind the scenes we’ve also been preparing ourselves for hurricane relief if the worst happens this year. We are versatile and ready for a variety of tasks.”
Click to enlarge photos:
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Bermuda
I wish someone would film todays traffic fiasco with a drone, couldn’t these jobs be done between 10pm and 6am?
Yup, I was in it twice 1pm and 4pm . The traffic was as far as Tee Street each time. Too make matters worst Harbour Road was closed.
Apparently two morons don’t like the truth, or questions being asked.
stealth parade
The peppercorn ceremony draws a crowd. This was a wasted tourism opportunity.
God save our gracious queen. The numbers of those attending continue to get smaller and smaller.
The parade has lost its significance and it two years time will probably die.
Pfft.
@ Well….All by design… ask yourself WHY….
I have seen more people on front street at 6am on a Sunday morning. WOW!
Thanks to all who participated, and to BerNews for the great coverage.
Judah mourneth…
Could the small crowd be due to the parade being taken from the Monday and put on the Sat morning?
@JohnBoy… ya getting warmer….