LAST Wednesday a party of 20 members and friends from Pershore & District Branch, the Royal British Legion travelled to The Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst to watch the final dress rehearsal for the Sovereigns Parade the following Friday. The Branch were guests of Lt. Col. Lucy Giles Royal Logistics Corps, who is Commandant of New College RMA Sandhurst. Lucy is the niece of Branch member Maggie Brown.

The weather was wet to say the least, in fact the rain was of biblical proportions, it was rumoured that people saw a couple of Sappers building an ark! The Commissioning Course 163 was made up of Alamein Company, Burma Company and Normandy Company, with the Sovereigns Platoon being made up from Alamein Company with the Reviewing Officer being Major General P Nanson CBE.

The music for the parade was provided by the Band of the Corps of Royal Engineers & the Jordanian Armed Forces Pipes & Drums. The Parade Commander does actually ride his horse up the steps into the Old College at the end of the parade.

After the parade was dismissed we enjoyed pre-lunch drinks in the Officers Mess prior to enjoying a 3 course meal.

Afterwards we had a conducted tour of the Old College by Lt Col Lucy Giles and then went to The Royal Memorial Chapel were we spent some time learning the history and the importance of the Chapel. The day was rounded off by having tea / coffee and biscuits at Lt Col Giles’ home.