Household Cavalry

The infantry have barely begun digging in for the night when new orders arrive.

Lieutenant J.N. Creswell, leading a 2nd Household Cavalry Patrol, has found an undamaged bridge over the Meuse-Escoult Canal, some 11 kilometres north.

The Irish Guards Group must take it without delay, following a trail of Household Cavalry vehicles posted along the side roads.

The hour at which the group reaches the De Groot Bridge, immediately west of Neapelt, goes unrecorded.

When did you first remember seeing her, meeting her?

Uh, the very first one, actually before, um, joining the Household Cavalry, uh, was going way back to 1971, uh, when she came to do the Maundy service at Tewkesbury Abbey.

Uh, that's when I first saw her.

Um, then I was driving a plant machine digger, uh, and I parked it up, got in, out of my greasy overalls, and went to the ou- I didn't dare go into Tewkesbury.

That was the first encounter I ever [laughs] saw of the Queen-

[laughs]

... which was way back in 1971, not realizing in 1974 I was about to join the Household Cavalry, and from there on in, uh, I mean, I would see her on a, on a regular basis.

The first time I, I saw her, I escorted her actually in 1974 down to the Trooping the Colour when she rode Burmese.

How did

this begin for you? I mean, bizarrely through horses, because when I left school, I joined the household cavalry and I spent six, sometimes happy years, sometimes not.

The army is a funny old place.

But when I left, I...