The Battalion were stationed in Berlin during 1960 and 1961. This was the twilight years of national service and before the Berlin Wall. Hopefully we shall be having the pleasure of a few memories from this wonderful City. It will also be interesting to see the comparison between Berlin in the early 60’s and that experienced by the Vikings who were too late to join the Battalion in Aden and spent a short period in Berlin with the 3rd Battalion awaiting the Vikings move to Celle in 1965.
Queens Birthday Parade
Berlin 8th June 1961
The official Birthday of Her Majesty the Queen was celebrated in Berlin on the 8th June 1961. The ceremony of Trooping the Colour is one of the oldest military ceremonies and originated in the days when each commander flew a standard as a rallying point in battle. In those days the standard, later known as the “Colour”, was lodged at night in quarters and paraded the following day along the ranks so that all might easily recognise it. The music that was played was called the “troop” and from this the ceremony came to be known as “Trooping the Colour”
Originally a simple ceremony, it grew in complexity and dignity , until in 1775 it was incorporated into the regular Guard Mounting Parade of the Foot Guards. Since that date it has changed very little.
In the early sixties each Battalion of infantry , except the Rifle Regiments , would normally have two Colours, namely the Queen’s Colour and the Regimental Colour, but of the Regiments on parade that day, only the Welch Regiment had two Colours. The infantry on parade were 1st Battlion The Welch Regiment, The 2nd Green Jackets and the 1st Battalion The 1st East Anglian Regiment.
The King’s Royal Rifle Corps has no Colours and as the 1st East Anglian Regiment had recently amalgamated they would carry four colours, the Queen’s and Regimental Colour’s of the 1st Battalion of both the old Regiments until new colours were presented.
The Colours trooped that day were the Queen’s Colours of the 1st Battalion The 1st East Anglian Regiment.
Six guards, each of three officers and seventy six rank and file, were on parade.
The right hand guard was the Escort for the Colour and it, with No2 Guard were found by 1st Battalion The 1st East Anglian Regiment. The remaining guards were two each from 1st Battlion The Welch Regiment and the 2nd Green Jackets, The King’s Royal Rifle Corps.
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