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THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 12, 1937,
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CORONATION DAWN FINDS HUNDREDS ON WAY TO VALLEY Transport Wholly Inadequate For Immense Crowds
Spectacular Naval Army And Air Force Review
of Royal Engineers, the 2nd Bat-lústy cheers from thousands talion, the Royal Welch Fusiliers, throats were given soon after the of which His Majesty the King has command, “Remove Headdreas.” just assumed the Colonelcy-in-
FINAL SCENES
As a grand climax to the march past, thousands of eyes were turn
CHURCH SERVICES
was
Chief, the 1st Battalion, the Sea- The lowering of the Royal Stan- forth Highlanders, the 1st Bat-dard was again greeted with the Ro- talion, the Royal Ulster Rifles, theyal Salute, this representing the 1st Battalion, the Kumaon Rifles, departure of His Majesty the King. the Royal Air Force and the Hong As soon as His Excellency Kong Volunteer Defence Corps.
clear of the parade ground, the SKY THRILL
Union Jack was lowered at the Thousands of people finding their way to Happy
masthead, and the various troops left the Valley, the Regiments to Valley by every possible means of conveyance, the ed skywards where a majestic sight the accompaniment of their res vast majority starting out on foot as soon as dawn greeted the eyes. Two flights from pective bands, each wending their H. M. Aircraft Carrier Eagle, re-way back to their respective de broke in the eastern sky, heralded the commence-presenting the most junior Service, pots to the cheering of the vast ment of Hong Kong's Coronation celebrations this the Royal Air Force, swooped down multitude, who had come to pay
a power homage to their new Sovereign morning in a grand combined naval, military and on the saluting base in
dive to within 100 feet main- The gaily decorated buildings air force review.
taining formation and presenting a and streets presented a gorgeous TRANSPORT FACILITIES WERE WOEFULLY INADE-thrilling spectacle.
spectacle as the troops passed QUATE FOR THE VAST CONCOURSE AND HUNDREDS WHO His Excellency the Officer Ad-through the packed streets- HAD PLANNED VEHICULAR CONVEYANCE WERE COM- ministering the Government took PELLED TO WALK. TRAMS AND BUSES WERE PACKED BE-the salute at the saluting base fol-
As we go to press, impressive YOND CAPACITY AND TAXIS COULD NOT BE OBTAINED lowing which the various units Church services are being held at EVEN AT A PREMIUM.
returned to their original posi- St. John's Cathedral, at which His OVERCAST SKIES AT AN EARLY HOUR GAVE NO INDI-tions.
Excellency the Officer Administer- CATION OF THE HEAT THAT WAS LATER TO DEVELOP, BUT The Hon. Mr. N. L. Smith thening the Government, Họn. Mr. Ni L. WITH ALL THE DISCOMFORTS WHICH WERE IRREMOVABLE moved to a position to the rear of Smith, C.M.G., will be present, and FROM THE CIRCUMSTANCES, A GAY GOOD HUMOUR PRE- the flag-staff as the troops were at all Roman Catholic Cathedrals. VAILED AND THE WONDERFUL SPECTACLE ULTIMATELY |brought to the "slope arms." The At 12 noon, the surrounding hills PRESENTED WAS SUFFICIENT REWARD,
was lowered and will reverberate to the crashing re- as the Royal Standard broke at the torts of a Royal Salute of 21 guns masthead, the Royal Salute was fired by H.M.S. Eagle, HL.M.S. given, the troops being brought to Tamar, H.M.S. Diomede and from the "present." The Massed Bands, the Blackhead Forts. as soon as the Royal Standard had At 12.30 p.m., the Executive broken at the masthead, played the Council, Judge of the Supreme National Anthem throughout. Court and Legislative Council will H. E., the General Officer Com- meet in the Council Chamber, manding, gave the
order for where H.E. the O.A.G. will move "Advance in Review Order," that a telegram of congratulation and this manoeuvre · furnished will be forwarded to the King. H.E. one of the most imposing will then read the telegram and spectacles seen in the Colony for Loyal Address from the Community many years. The Royal Salute was of Hong Kong, which will be sign- given and the Massed Bands once ed by all members at the meeting, again broke out into the National the whole proceedings being broad- Anthem. The troops were then I cast. brought to the slope and three
Drawn up on the parade ground, China, Major General A. W. Bar were about 3,500 men while fac-tholomew arrived accompanied by ing the troops were thousands of His A.D.C., Lieut. P. J. Howorth, spectators who were seated to R.A., the units were brought to capacity on the grandstands of attention and then gave the Gen- the Jockey Club, while every boxeral Salute. was taken.
His Excellency then inspected About 7.55 a.m., the order to the line, passing down the front slope heralded the arrival of H.E., rank only and then returned to the General Officer Commanding take up his position as commander the troops, this starting the Review of the parade, mounted on a splen- proper, the beat of martial music, did charger. the clanking of sword against thigh ·H.E. THE ‘O.A.G. ARRIVES : and the jingle of spurs all making
The arrival of His Excellency towards a never-to-be-forgotten the Officer Administering the Gov- ernment, Hon. Mr. N. L. Smith,
scene.
Union Jack
J
NAVY HEADS THE LINE
C.M.G., gaw the parade brought The sailors, dressed in white, to attention and then the Royal headed the line while the Royal Ma- Salute was given as the Union Jack rines, all picked men of near 6 ft. | was broken at the masthead, the and over, with white helmets and Massed Bands, which were drawn spikes gleaming in the sunshine, up in the rear of the parade, break- the Seaforth Highlanders, withing into the first six bars of the Na- their sporrans and kilts added the tional Anthem, while all the specta- MAKE YOUR touch of bright colour to the long tors stood up and bared their line of khaki, and the Massed heads. This was one of the most Bands in the rear, the Pipes of the Seaforths and the Kumaon Rifles," flanking Brass Bands in the centre, completed the picture.
impressive moments in the Review, The Massed Bands then marched forward to a position just opposite the saluting base, going through There were several casualties between the Fortress Company, Ro- from heat and ambulance men yal Engineers and the Royal Welch were given a busy time during the Fusiliers.
actual review.
The march past în column pre- The sound of military music ac-sented a grand spectacle and the companied by the tramping of feet, sight of about 480 strong from heralded the approach of the vari-the Seaforth Highlanders against ous units which were participating the bright green background and in the Review and all traffic was to the skirl of the bagpipes was a held up on the main processional sight never to be forgotten. Specta- routes to allow the units to reach the Valley in time to take up their positions.
*
tors were given another thrill when the ever smart Royal Marines with their glistening spiked helmets marched past to the "British Grena- diers rendered by the Royal Marine Band.
ENORMOUS CROWD Long before 7.45 am. there must have been from 100,000 to 150,000 people in and around the Valley,
MARCH PAST. while all surrounding hilltops and The Märch past took place in the vantage points were crammed with following order, the Royal Naval a seething mass of humanity all detachment leading the line and anxiously awaiting the commence- about 80 paces in the rear the Royal ment of the review.
Marines followed. The latter were Soon after the units had taken up followed in this order by the their respective positions fac- Eighth Heavy Brigade, Royal Artil- ing the grandstand. and salut-lery, the Fifth Anti-Aircraft Bri- ing base, which was situated al-gade, Royal Artillery, the Medium most in a direct line with the cen- Batteries, Hong Kong Singapore tre of the Jockey Club grand-Brigade, R. A., the Mountain Bat- stande, His Excellency the General teries, Hong Kong-Singapore Bri- Officer Commanding the Troops in gade, the Fortress Company, Corps
(Continued on Pave 9)
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