Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
This will happen on Friday 11.9.2015 at Canterbury Cathedral it will be done by the Queen of Denmark Margrethe 11. I am lucky to be going to this event .There is not many of us old Buffs left and afterwards reception in the Cathedral Lodge .I might even be the youngest Buff left as I was a very young man when we joined up with the Royal West Kents after that we was known as the The Queens own Buffs ,The Royal Kent Regiment that Regiment only lasted 6years and I was in them for the first four years and before that I was in the Buffs for two years Guests arrive at 1100hrs the Unveiling Ceremony will be 1150hrs then the march past at 12.55hrs sorry that I cannot take part in that because of my legs,13.20 Reception for Association members like myself and the event ends at 14.30 hrs.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
I hope the weather stays like this I think this will be the last of the major events for both the Buffs,and Queens own Buffs the association is to close in 2018 so I have been told ,there is so few of us left.
Guest 687- Registered: 2 Jun 2009
- Posts: 513
Have a great day Vic. I still have that photo of you and I with Ted(sadly no longer with us) who served in the desert with the Buffs taken after a previous cathedral day.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Thank you as I said they are coming to the end in 3 years, nice time we had with Ted he had a good day.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Well today is our big event day for the Buffs or what remains of us I will be off in a hour have to drop my wife off at the K,&C.HOS/that comes first then to the Event of unveiling of the Buffs statue by the Queen of Denmark in the Precincts of Canterbury Cathedral.As I said I think this will be the last big event for us.The Buffs Diary in the Cathedral will still be turned over each day at 11.00am as it has been for many years and that will carry on for ever, that event each day is open for the public to go to, takes about 20mins.Many years go I got best turned out man on a duty and my reward was to march down from Howe Bks in the road in my blues and turn the page over ,that only happen the once in my 6years service how I got I will never know.
I was not the best in my turn out always getting told off.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
It was a very good day and the weather was at its very best.
We even had the band of the parachute Regiment .I did not take part in the March Pass to much for the legs but just watching the others was good. The reception after was held in the Claggett Auditorium food was good ..
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
It was nice to see it on both ITV ,and B,B,C, TV tonight.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Vic I hope you attended in full BD with freshly blancoed belt and gaiters, shiny boots and dazzlingly clean belt brasses and cap badge?
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
AH,good point that never happen when I was in service.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Vic, when you were in the Buffs did you know RSM O'Leary? He was our CCF and PT instructor at school in Canterbury.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
The RSM of the Queens own Buffs was Mr Parker. Before then when we was the Buffs up till 1961 sorry but that is going back to far for me I was only a young lad of the age of 16 or 17. and do not remember that far back.