Tidworth soldiers on royal duty as Queen's Guards
They had to pass a rigorous inspection
Soldiers from the Tidworth based Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers are swapping repairing miltiary vehicles for royal duty!
4 Armoured Close Support Battalion ( 4REME) will take up their role as Queen’s Guards in London today (13th September).
Over the next two and a half months they'll be on duty at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, the Tower of London, and St James Palace.
It's a proud moment for the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers as the Tidworth battalion marks the first time in almost 30 years that the REME have had the privilige of providing troops for the Queen's guard.
Their first task is at Buckingham Palace with the prestigious role involving the iconic changing of the guard ceremony.
The British Army Band Tidworth will be providing musical support.
HUGE PRIVILEGE
Soldiers from 4 REME had to go through a rigorous inspection at Wellington Barracks in London in order to be given the go ahead.
Major John Vance who commands the REME Company, and will be the Captain of The Queen’s Guard, said:
“It is a huge privilege for us to be providing a ceremonial guard to Her Majesty The Queen. Following intensive training the whole team are now ready and excited to step out in front of the public for this unique task”.
The full company of almost a hundred service personnel were scrutinised for excellence of bearing, discipline, accuracy of step and orders, as well as security elements, before they were declared fit for role.
Lieutenant Emile Ramsay, who has followed the training from beginning to end said:
“The training has been hard. To make such a dramatic change in our working days has required a lot of effort from every individual, and they have shown real determination from the very start, which shows the enthusiasm these soldiers have to conduct the duty.
“The achievement of passing the fit for role inspection cannot be underestimated. The majority of REME soldiers will never have done drill with a rifle before. Due to the restrictions imposed by COVID those who most recently joined the Army didn’t have passing out parades. So to go from zero to ceremonial excellence in a matter of a few months is impressive indeed and an indicator of their all-round agility, adaptability and capability as soldiers”.
The high-profile duties of the Queen’s Guard are usually carried out by a regiment of Foot Guards who are accompanied on the ceremony of changing of the guard by their regimental band. To allow the Foot Guards to undertake vital operational training or deployments, from time to time their iconic ceremonial role is taken by other units from the UK and Commonwealth forces.