A former soldier who walked behind The Queen at her Coronation on 2nd June 1953 has recounted his role after being invited by Burnham’s Mayor to attend the lighting of a Jubilee beacon on the jetty on Thursday.
Peter Hall, now aged 87, was serving in the Royal Army Service Corps when he and his regiment walked behind The Queen at her coronation.
The Lance Corporal was on a training parade exercise and was chosen to represent his regiment in the Coronation parade.
Peter tells Burnham-On-Sea.com: “I remember marching down the Mall to Whitehall from Olympia with the other military services, whilst representing the RASC (Royal Army Service Corp).”
“It rained hard all day and I was wearing full regimental dress. We all marched in time to the music being played by the regimental band, who were directly behind us.”
“Our regiments were behind the Queen’s coach, which was in sight but a little way ahead of us.”
“My family and friends were so very proud to watch me on my special day on their black and white television back at home in South London.”
He adds: “I think that it’s an amazing achievement that our Queen has now become the longest serving monarch in our country and proved beyond doubt her promised dedication to the role and to her people.”
Peter joined Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge Mayor Cllr Lesley Millard at the bottom of the town’s jetty where she lit the Jubilee beacon on Thursday night (June 2nd).
She said it was a privilege to meet Peter and that “it had made the beacon lighting even more special” to have him attending.
Pictured: Jane Macpherson, Mayor Cllr Lesley Millard, Peter Hall, Shirley Hall and Ross Macpherson at Thurdays’ beacon lighting in Burnham-On-SeaÂ
