The courageous pallbearers who carried the Queen’s casket at her illustrious state burial are returning to the Middle East.
To attend Monday’s burial, the eight members of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards were flown from their active duty in Iraq.
On Her Majesty’s last and most difficult voyage, which was broadcast to billions of people worldwide, they were lauded for doing the mission flawlessly.
To confront ISIS fanatics in Syria, the group of brothers will, however, fly this week into a location in northern Iraq.
The base is being guarded by the Grenadier Guards, both U
The youngest hero was Fletcher Cox, 19, from Jersey, who finished “top of his class” as a cadet at the age of just 15. He was awarded the Lieutenant-medal, Governor’s the highest honour a young soldier can receive on the Channel Islands, and said in a speech that his “sole ambition” was to parade for the Queen.
Company Sergeant Major Dean Jones, an instructor at The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst where Prince Harry received his officer training, skilfully led them throughout.
Harry was commissioned as an officer in the British Army in 2006, and the Queen famously evaluated him with both of them grinning widely.
The King and his immediate family were the only ones there as they put Her Majesty to rest beside her husband, father, mother, and sister in the royal tomb in St. George’s Chapel in Windsor on Monday night. This was their most important task.
James Patterson, a “bodybuilder”
James is an avid bodybuilder, and his strength helped the troops lift the heavy coffin with lead lining up the St. George’s church’s high steps.
On his Facebook profile, he may be seen in different stances as he impresses pals with his muscular build.
According to his social media profiles, he went to the King Edward VI School in Bury St. Edmunds before attending West Suffolk University.
19-year-old David Sanderson’s feeling of responsibility is “in his blood”
Living in Morpeth, Northumberland, David Sanderson is a British soldier who has experience in the King’s Guard.
Before leaving King Edward Vl Secondary School in Morpeth at age 16 to enrol at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, David attended the school.
By the time he was 17 years old, he had joined the second battalion and was assigned to the regimental headquarters of the Grenadier Guards at Wellington Barracks.
Then, like his late grandpa John, he transferred to the first battalion, the Queen’s Division.
The 19-year-parents’ olds had “indescribable pride” as their son assumed the “enormous responsibility,” leaving them.
However, David was so committed to doing his sombre job that he kept quiet about being picked to carry his parents’ and younger brother’s caskets.
Instead, they were unaware of his role until MailOnline released pictures of the funeral rehearsals.
“The decency and calm that those young men had during that ceremony was outstanding,” his 56-year-old father Peter said. “We’re finding it difficult to put into words how proud we feel of David.”
It was a tremendous honour to be selected for that position; the magnitude of it is difficult to fathom, but David has handled it well and carried out his responsibility. It’s good to hear people say they deserve an honour, but I know David will just reply, “It was my responsibility,” and he won’t make any more demands.
Naturally, he was not to disclose his selection with anybody, so he was unable to even inform us. We didn’t know about it until we saw images of the practise sessions on MailOnline, and I told my wife, “That looks like David.”
Everything was verified on the day of the burial, and it was difficult to believe you were seeing your own son, a young guy of 19, take on such a huge burden. Although they are young guys, they are committed, professionally trained, and able to handle any situation without making a mistake.
He’ll be home on leave before to his next deployment, and I can’t wait to see him to express how very proud we are of him.
The Grenadiers, according to Mr. Sanderson, are in his son’s blood and are “all he has ever wanted to do.”
Les Dixon, a former police officer and proud grandpa of David, said, “Myself and my daughter, son-in-law, and every member of our family are extremely proud of David and what he has done, for himself and our Country.”
At Prince Philip’s funeral in April 2021, David took part in the guard of honour that welcomed the prince to Windsor.
‘The Grenadiers was in his blood, it’s all he’s ever wanted to do,’ his father continued. David was well-versed in the Queen’s Company’s history since his grandpa served with them, enlisting in 1958.
He wasn’t, however, imitating anybody; he had his own goals and wanted to be a part of the legacy and stature of the Queen’s Company.
He probably didn’t think he’d be doing that specific task when he joined, but he did, and it’s something he can be proud of for the rest of his life.
I’m sure a few people will offer to buy him a drink when he returns to Morpeth, and he deserves it since he done us all well.
They are an infantry division and are on active duty all over the globe, so I know he’ll be deployed soon, but I still look forward to seeing him.
Luke Simpson made his community proud by doing so.
Former teachers at Ashfield School commended Selston, Nottinghamshire resident Luke Simpson for his participation in the funeral.
According to head teacher John Maher, he assumed the stage’s centre position on such a momentous occasion and carried out his responsibilities “so professionally.”
Respect to you Luke Simpson, faultless under pressure with the entire world watching, said a Facebook post from Selston Football Club.
You’ve made your nation, town, family, and friends proud!
Fletcher Cox, 19, described as “always a terrific student”
One of the eight guardsmen selected to carry the coffin of the youngest and longest-reigning king in British history was Guardsman Fletcher Cox of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards.
The 19-year-old from Jersey attended Channel Island’s Grainville School and enlisted in the ACF unit there before departing at age 16 to attend military school.
Cox, a former Army cadet, joined the Grenadier Guards to realise his boyhood dream. However, he could not have predicted that he would be chosen to carry the Queen’s coffin.
Jonathan Kellett, the assistant headteacher, expressed the school’s delight in seeing a former student take on such a significant role and said that Fletcher’s character traits had been evident from an early age.
We at Grainville are very proud of Fletcher and all he has accomplished, Mr. Kellett added. He had excellent leadership skills and was a fantastic student for us. We as a school were quite proud of that occasion.
“We have a mantra that we want our pupils to do their best and clearly he was doing his best in his chosen job, which is to serve Queen and country,” the teacher said.
Both throughout the funeral and the transfer of the Queen’s body from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, Fletcher Cox was seated at the rear of the coffin. The highest honour a Jersey cadet may get, he received the Lieutenant-medal Governor’s in 2018 after leaving the Channel island at the age of 16 to enrol in a military training institution in the UK.
Jake Orlowski, “Star of London Guards”
Fletcher Cox had Lance Sergeant Jake Orlowski in front of him.
Before joining the Grenadier Guards, the Lance Sergeant, a well-known member of the London Guards and a dog lover, served in the capital.
Ryan Griffiths, a “keen surfer”
In his spare time, Lance Sergeant Ryan Griffiths enjoys surfing.
He had posted a photo of himself holding the Queen with pride and received praise from a buddy who had served in the Army with him.
Newlywed Flynn, Tony
Sergeant Major The next was Tony Flynn. In July, he wed Hayley, the love of his life, and the two now reside in Hampshire’s military town of Aldershot.
What a wonderful and utterly honourable job they performed for their Queen today and a demonstration of how magnificent we can be in the eyes of the world, wrote a friend of his aunt’s in a tweet praising LC Flynn.
One-child father Dean Jones
Father of one and married, CSM Jones.
The whole world held its breath as he led the bearing party in Westminster Abbey and carried the Queen up the stairs of St. George’s Chapel in Windsor.
Her Majesty’s oak coffin, which weighted more than 500lb owing to its lead lining, was preceded by the tall warrant officer who was magnificent in a ceremonial scarlet uniform.
As they lifted her casket first, his crew did not miss a beat.
Astrid Turner
Last but not least, Lance Sergeant Alex Turner was in charge of the coffin’s front, skilfully guiding it behind their Company Sergeant Major Dean Jones.
It follows the Ministry of Defence’s decision not to comment on the troops’ names.
Despite appeals for the hand-picked pallbearers to receive the honours, the eight Grenadier Guards who carried the Queen’s coffin might receive certificates rather than being appointed Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBEs).
Calls for the Queen’s perfect pallbearers to be given MBEs have received support by lawmakers, military leaders, and celebrities.
MPs Dan Jarvis and Tobias Ellwood, SAS: Who Dares Wins star Ant Middleton, and former Army chief Lord Dannatt all agreed that the men should be granted British Empire members (MBEs).
Such an honour has already been given; the Grenadiers who carried Sir Winston Churchill’s casket in 1965 were given the British Empire Medal (BEM).
Soldiers with a warrant officer or lower rank at the time were eligible to receive the BEM for meritorious service. The MBE was awarded to officers with a lieutenant or higher rank. This distinction was eliminated after a 1993 evaluation.
For the pallbearers who “embodied the professionalism of the Armed Forces,” according to Lord Dannatt, the MBE would be an appropriate honour.
Their performance made both the Queen and the country proud, according to Mr. Ellwood, chairman of the Commons defence committee. Former Special Forces soldier Mr. Middleton said that they “earned nothing less than an MBE.”
The British military performed ceremonial responsibilities in a masterful manner. Her Majesty the Queen received a very suitable tribute from thousands of soldiers.
The 148 sailors who were riding in the State Gun Carriage’s wake also led the procession. In a solemn tradition that dates back more than a century, the massed ranks of Royal Navy personnel marched arm in arm at 75 paces per minute while pulling the carriage forward with ropes.
The State Gun Carriage made its debut on February 2, 1901, during the funeral of Queen Victoria. In the years that followed, the 2.5-ton carriage was seen during the funerals of three monarchs: King Edward VII, King George V, and King George VI, as well as Sir Winston Churchill and Lord Mountbatten.
Former equerries to the Queen marched beside her hearse, joined by Yeomen of the Guard and members of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms. Seven groups led the large parade, each with a band at their side. The initial contingent was commanded by Mounties from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, then included members of the Malta-based George Cross Foundation, the Royal Ulster Constabulary, and Australian and New Zealand military personnel.
Participants included both current and previous military chiefs. The magnitude and splendour of our military as we bid farewell to our Queen was nothing short of extraordinary, according to Tobias Ellwood, a fellow former military commander and current member of parliament.
1,650 soldiers participated in the march from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch, while an additional 1,000 soldiers guarded the route through London and a further 1,000 soldiers handled security and ceremonial responsibilities at Windsor.
Since Her Majesty’s departure, 5,948 personnel of the armed forces have been deployed as part of Operation London Bridge. Additionally, around 175 soldiers from Commonwealth nations participated. The late monarch’s name was given to the company, The Queen’s Company, from which the pallbearers were selected, and she served as its honorary commander. This year, Her Majesty replaced Prince Andrew as Colonel-in-Chief of the Grenadier Guards.
After she had been transported to Windsor in a hearse, another symbolic gesture was performed to recognise her membership in the Queen’s Company. King Charles III covered her coffin with the nation’s flag just before she was placed in the Royal Vault for burial.
Later this year, it is anticipated that The Queen’s Company will be renamed in the King’s honour. The honorary colonelcy of the regiment that his mother held may potentially pass to him.