MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS – by Charles Schokman
It was with mixed feelings that I watched the celebrations of the 70th Anniversary (Platinum Jubilee) of Queen Elezabeth’ 11 accession to the throne that was televised in the UK and the Commonwealth.
It also coincided with the 10th death anniversary of my good friend Rodney Wilson. He had the good fortune to take part in the coronation celebrations in 1953.
In his memory I reproduce a tribute I made to him.
A TRIBUTE TO MY FRIEND RODNEY WILSON
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“The Queens coronation was one of the proudest days of my life”
This exclamation was shouted aloud from the rooftops by my good friend Rodney Wilson on his return from London in 1953.
I came to know Rodney in 1950 whilst working at Walker Sons & Co
Ltd. He was a conscientious worker and much loved by his employers. In no time he became a good friend and a part of my family.
Due to the unrest in Sri Lanka Rodney decided in early 1960 to migrate to England. Over there he enjoyed the opportunity to be part of the Queen’s Silver and Golden Anniversaries and was looking forward in eager anticipation to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee. However, this was not to be. Whilst on holiday in Sri Lanka with plans to spend the rest of his life in his motherland, he met with his death under tragic circumstances on the 4th March 2012.
Why did the coronation mean so much to him? Well, because it often brought back a host of pleasant memories of his participation in the celebrations.
At the age of 23 he did well for his country when selected to represent his contingent at the Queen’s Coronation celebrations in 1953. He was part of a select band of soldiers, sailors and airmen from all over the Commonwealth assembling in England for ceremonial duties.
He had won a competition for the best recruit of the year in his regiment the Ceylon Artillery and was chosen by the Commanding Officer to be part of a mixed contingent from the new Sri Lankan army which was just being built up following the country’s independence in 1948.
Of course, for this young man who had never left his country before, it was a great honour and very exciting, but a little daunting too.
Gunner Wilson as he was known by sailed on the HMS Empire Trooper to Southampton and after weeks of intensive training at the Purbright Guards Deport in Surrey, the troops moved to temporary canvas billets in Kensington Park ready for the great day when the eyes of the world would be on London,
On Coronation day Rodney claimed that the troops were up at 4am to get ready for the procession, which followed the Coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey. He recalled that it was very cold because their uniform of shorts and tunic was not really designed for the English climate and it was a dull day with lot of drizzling rain. However, that certainly did not spoil a most wonderful occasion.
The troops escorted the new Queen through the streets of London to Buckingham Palace. Later, every serviceman who took part in the Coronation Day parade was invited to the Palace and after a march past was presented with a specially struck Coronation Medal. This was the proudest day of his life.
During his time in England he also took part in a tour of duty alongside other Commonwealth troops at Buckingham Palace and was present at the spectacular Spithead Review when he was aboard HMS Superb as the young Queen reviewed the fleet on June 15, 1953.
The Daily Sketch produced this photograph with the caption below. It further added “ The big fellows have had their turn. Now the little chap is getting a chance to show what he can do.
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He is a Ceylonese sentry marching to his post at Buckingham Palace yesterday when the soldiers of “Ceylon’s Coronation Contingent took over guard duty from the Grenadiers”.
Whilst residing in England he qualified in food hygiene, because new legislation in that field meant that there were a lot of new jobs available.
One of those jobs was with the St. Edmundsbury Borough Council, which he took up the post as meat inspector, a job he held for 20 years– later moving to the environmental health department of Mid Sulfolk Council until his retirement in 1989.
Rodney, whose grandfather was Scottish lived with his uncle and aunt, Ann & John Norman and looked after them until their demise.
If Rodney were alive he certainly would have endorsed the sentiments of Rolf Harris, the 82-year old Australian personality who at the Diamond Jubilee concert described the Queen as a “ living testimony to the power of kindness, dedication, tolerance and loyalty” and would have added—- GOD SAVE OUR QUEEN
