Spring2012
driving the defending Turks out of their trenches. Six VCs were awarded for this action, unusually after a ballot because of so many worthy heroic acts; and W Beach was renamed “Lancashire Landing” in their honour.
The Hackle
The distinctive red and white hackle, worn by all ranks in the Regiment, was handed down from the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. The Hackle was awarded in recognition for the defeat of the French at the Battle of St Lucia in 1778. The white hackles were removed from the French dead. In 1829 King George IV ordered the white plume to be worn by all line infantry regiments, and in order not to take away from the Fifth (Northumberland) Regiment of Foot’s battle honour, their plume was distinguished with a red tip making the plume red over white (legend having it that their hackles had been dipped in their enemies’ blood).
Keys Ceremony
After dinner, we were briefed by a Yeoman Warder on the Keys Ceremony before being taken outside to watch it. The Keys Ceremony has taken place every night at the Tower in some form or another since the 14th century. At exactly 9.53pm, the Chief Yeoman Warder, dressed
in Tudor Watchcoat, meets the military escort, made up of members of the Tower of London Guard, who are from the same military unit currently guarding Buckingham Palace and St James’s Palace (on duty on 6 February were the RAF Regiment). Together, the Chief Yeoman Warder and the Yeoman Warder ‘Watchman’ secure the main gates of the Tower. Upon their return down Water Lane, the party is halted by the sentry and challenged to identify themselves:
Sentry: Who comes there? Chief Warder: The keys. Sentry: Whose keys? Chief Warder: Queen Elizabeth’s keys.
Sentry: Pass Queen Elizabeth’s Keys. All’s well.
Following this, the party makes its way through the Bloody Tower Archway into the fortress, where they halt at the bottom of the Broadwalk Steps. On the top of the Stairs, under the command of their officer, the Tower Guard present arms and the Chief Warder raises his hat, proclaiming:
Chief Warder: God preserve Queen Elizabeth.
He then takes the keys to the Queen’s House for safekeeping, while the Last Post is sounded.
The one time when the ceremony was interrupted was during the Second World War, when there was an air raid on London, and a number of incendiary bombs fell on the old Victorian guardroom just as the Chief Yeoman Warder and the escort were coming through the Bloody Tower archway. The shock and the noise of the bombs falling blew over the escort and the Chief Yeoman Warder, but they stood up, dusted themselves down, and carried on. The Tower holds a letter from the Officer of the Guard apologising to King George VI that the ceremony was late, along with a reply from the King which says that the officer is not to be punished as the delay was due to enemy action.
After the ceremony we were “let out” through the wicket gate in the main West Gate.
Cheese & Wine Tasting Evening The Whittington Committee recently organised a welcome
return to “Cheese”, a specialist cheese and wine emporium in Leadenhall Market, for an enjoyable evening tasting a unique selection of British and European cheeses perfectly matched with wines from around the world.
Owner Sue Cloke and her team led members through a deliciously varied tasting tour including amongst others, a St Felicien cow’s milk cheese paired with a French Picpoul de Pinet, an Italian Pecorino Dolce paired with an Austrian Gruner Veltliner and a British Matured Winchester paired with an Italian Teroldego Rotaliano Riserva. In total, six cheese and wine pairings were tasted and each was exceptional.
“Cheese”, which is well worth a visit for shopping or for lunch (it now has an extensive lunchtime menu), was the perfect venue and its informality ensured a more sociable atmosphere than a typical wine tasting, with the bonus of having the favourites
available to purchase and take home at the end of the evening. City Solicitor • Issue 77 •11
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16