eddiefrench
02-07-07, 19:41
Back in 1973 1 kings were in HK. On our return to UK during the transit lull before the Derry posting the regiment was to be presented with new colours from the CIC The Queen Mother.
Of course this meant rehearsal after rehearsal in the hot HK summer. RSM (Piggy) I think it was Wier but I could be wrong - Anyway it was the one before Dave Dawes - had us out on the parade ground at every opportunity.
There was one point in the parade where the whole Regiment would wheel around the left marker - an unfortunate individual who needed to stand about two feet away from the Queen Mother on the day.
Just before the movement got under way there was to be a silence of about 30 seconds while the Regiment gathered itself for the complicated drill manoeuvre. You could literally hear a pin drop on the parade ground. Right at that minute the unfortunate left marker let rip with the loudest, longest fart I have ever heard.
The RSM was about 30 feet away reviewing his regiment with the pride that only an RSM can display on a day like this. Without turning first to look at where the offending commotion had come from he immediately snapped to attention, the smack of his boot echoing around the square.
Executing a perfect right turn he gripped his pace stick tighter under his arm and took off with the left foot. Purple faced, slashed peak and I swear a 45 degree lean he smartly marched over to the left marker, who was by now almost crying with embarrassment and trepidation. Onward the RSM came until that slashed peak was no more that an inch away from the left markers' nose.
He slammed to a halt with a crisp double tap, leaned forward even more than he already was, until it looked as though he would certainly fall and said, in that very quiet voice that RSM's have that can nevertheless be heard by everybody within a half mile or so of the parade:
"The Queen Mother'll F***in' love you lad"
Turned away and said no more about it as he was too busy trying to stop his whole parade falling down around him as the Regiment frantically tried to suppress the belly laughs while really NOT looking in his direction.
Of course this meant rehearsal after rehearsal in the hot HK summer. RSM (Piggy) I think it was Wier but I could be wrong - Anyway it was the one before Dave Dawes - had us out on the parade ground at every opportunity.
There was one point in the parade where the whole Regiment would wheel around the left marker - an unfortunate individual who needed to stand about two feet away from the Queen Mother on the day.
Just before the movement got under way there was to be a silence of about 30 seconds while the Regiment gathered itself for the complicated drill manoeuvre. You could literally hear a pin drop on the parade ground. Right at that minute the unfortunate left marker let rip with the loudest, longest fart I have ever heard.
The RSM was about 30 feet away reviewing his regiment with the pride that only an RSM can display on a day like this. Without turning first to look at where the offending commotion had come from he immediately snapped to attention, the smack of his boot echoing around the square.
Executing a perfect right turn he gripped his pace stick tighter under his arm and took off with the left foot. Purple faced, slashed peak and I swear a 45 degree lean he smartly marched over to the left marker, who was by now almost crying with embarrassment and trepidation. Onward the RSM came until that slashed peak was no more that an inch away from the left markers' nose.
He slammed to a halt with a crisp double tap, leaned forward even more than he already was, until it looked as though he would certainly fall and said, in that very quiet voice that RSM's have that can nevertheless be heard by everybody within a half mile or so of the parade:
"The Queen Mother'll F***in' love you lad"
Turned away and said no more about it as he was too busy trying to stop his whole parade falling down around him as the Regiment frantically tried to suppress the belly laughs while really NOT looking in his direction.