Platinum Jubilee Celebration Held
The big guns were wheeled out today by the Royal Bermuda Regiment to celebrate the Queen’s platinum jubilee.
Troops from the RBR used their ceremonial 25 pounder field to fire a Royal salute to mark the monarch’s 70 years on the throne and her birthday.
Other soldiers and the RBR’s Band & Corps of Drums joined police, the RBR Junior Leaders and the Bermuda Sea Cadets on parade on Front Street in Hamilton and fired the traditional rolling rifle salute, the feu de joie.
RBR Corporal Shannon Showers-Cassidy, 25, said after the event: “It went pretty well. The feu de joie was pretty good.”
Cpl Showers-Cassidy, from Warwick, a six-year veteran of the RBR, added he enjoyed ceremonial duties.
He said: “I like the fact that we’re in full uniform. I hope the public appreciates and enjoys it – we do it for them.”
The ceremony was watched by dignitaries, led by Governor Rena Lalgie and Premier David Burt.
Lieutenant LeeAnn Tucker, a former Corporal who became the RBR’s first woman to earn a commission for decades in 2020, had a baptism of fire as it was her first time on parade as an officer.
Lt Tucker, 30, from St George’s, the guard commander for the RBR’s Number 2 Guard at the event, said: “I wasn’t really nervous.
“The jitters went away after we stepped off and I enjoyed it.”
She added: “I’m sure the public appreciated this. We haven’t had a parade in two years because of Covid-19, so it was a breath of fresh air.”
Drummer Sam Weber, 18, from Paget, said: “It was a good parade. It was a very meaningful ceremony and it was great being a part of something that honours the Queen.”
RBR troops and representatives of the other uniformed services were also presented with special platinium jubilee medals by Ms Lalgie.
Robert Sanders, a tourist from Northamptonshire in the UK, said: “It was really good. I know Bermuda is a British territory, so I wasn’t surprised to see this.”
Mr Sanders, visiting with wife Zoe, added: “We’ve done the history walk with the Town Crier as well, which was absolutely brilliant and taught us a lot about Bermuda’s history.”
Friend Tracy Nicholls added: “I like the Royals, so I thought it was fabulous. It’s nice to see.”
Wilfred Furbert, of Pembroke, said he had appeared in the traditional birthday parade as a soldier about 30 years ago.
He added: “I enjoyed the spectacle. It helps people to appreciate the Regiment and the military.”
Mr Furbert said: “My opinion is, things like this are worth keeping up as long as you have got people who want to see it.”
Michael Gilbert, from Somerset, 80, said he had marched in the Queen’s Birthday Parade as a Boy Scout about 70 years ago and enjoyed watching the modern-day event.
Mr Gilbert added: “I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think it’s a good thing and something that should be encouraged.”
Mr Gilbert’s wife Annette said: “It’s important that Bermuda keeps up our traditions. It was very nice and I really enjoyed it.”